Douglas J. Bennet

Doug Bennet
President of Wesleyan University
Term	1995 – 2007
Predecessor	William M. Chace
Successor	Michael S. Roth
Born	July 23, 1938 (1938-07-23) (age 73) Orange, New Jersey
Alma mater	Wesleyan University (B.A) University of California, Berkeley (M.A.) Harvard University (Ph.D.)
Profession	Diplomat, Educator, Politician
Religion	Methodist
Children	Michael Bennet, James Bennet

Douglas Joseph “Doug” Bennet, Jr. (born June 23, 1938) is a former national political official and college president. He was the fifteenth president of Wesleyan University, in Middletown, Connecticut, from 1995 to 2007. Before that, he served as Assistant Secretary of State for International Organization Affairs in the Clinton Administration (1993–95) and Assistant Secretary of State for Legislative Affairs in the Carter administration (1977–79), was the President and CEO of National Public Radio (1983–93), and ran the U.S. Agency for International Development under President Carter (1979–81).^[1] In 2011, Bennet was named a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.^[2]

Early life and education

Born in Orange, New Jersey to Douglas Joseph Bennet, Sr. and Phoebe Benedict Bennet, Bennet grew up in Lyme, Connecticut, and attended the local public schools. He earned a bachelor of arts degree from Wesleyan University in 1959, an M.A. in history from the University of California, Berkeley in 1960, and a doctorate in history from Harvard University in 1968.

Career

In 1956 he was an unsuccessful candidate for the Connecticut General Assembly's House of Representatives, losing to Horace Seely-Brown, Jr.^[3] He was an assistant to Ambassador Chester Bowles in the 1960s.^[4] In 1970, he announced his candidacy for the Democratic primary for Connecticut's 2nd congressional district, which was vacated by the death of Congressman William St. Onge.^[5]

He later served on the staffs of Missouri Senator Thomas F. Eagleton, Minnesota Senator Hubert H. Humphrey, and Connecticut Senator Abraham Ribicoff.^[6][7] In 1977, Bennet became United States Assistant Secretary of State for Legislative Affairs.^[7]

Bennet succeeded John J. Gilligan as the head of the Agency for International Development in 1979, where he served for two years.^[8][9] After heading a private research institute, he was named head of NPR in 1983.^[4] In 1993, President Bill Clinton named Bennet as Assistant Secretary of State for International Organization Affairs, where he served until 1995.^[10][11]

In April 1995, Bennet succeeded William M. Chace, becoming the fifteenth president of Wesleyan University.^[12] Bennet developed Wesleyan's first comprehensive strategic plan, "Strategy for Wesleyan," adopted in 1998. He renewed the institution's strategic vision, in 2005, with a new plan, "Engaged with the World." The "Strategy for Wesleyan" defined key institutional priorities: an expansion of the faculty in order to extend scholarship and teaching in new and interdisciplinary areas; a reaffirmation of the University's commitment to need-blind admission; and a program of campus renewal. "Engaged with the World" included further and continuing curricular innovations and renewed commitments to science and international studies.

A history-making $281 million fundraising campaign supported these priorities and enabled Wesleyan to create 140 new scholarships, add 20 new faculty positions and six endowed professorships, and embark on more than $200 million in renovation and construction projects on campus. Bennet also sought better and increased collaboration with the city of Middletown. Under his guidance, Wesleyan participated actively in the city's development efforts, which resulted in, among other things, a new hotel downtown and the Green Street Arts Center, "a community arts center meant to help revitalize the city's North End."^[13]

On May 4, 2006, Bennet announced that he would step down as president following the 2006-2007 academic year. The last several years of his twelve year presidency were contentious in some respects, with opposition by a minority in the student body on certain matters. Some students believed Bennet's fundraising priorities conflicted with the interests and needs of the student body, and the university's mission of education. A student movement came to a head in December 2004, when approximately 250 students (of more than 2,700 undergraduates) protested in front of the administrative building South College, where Bennet's office was located, demanding that he address student concerns.^[14] On March 26, 2007, Wesleyan's Board of Trustees announced that Michael S. Roth would succeed Bennet as president for the 2007-2008 academic year.^[15]

Awards

In 1994, Bennet received an honorary doctor of laws degree from Wesleyan; in 2008, he received an honorary doctor of laws degree from Trinity College.

Personal

On June 27, 1959, Bennet married Susanne Klejman of Washington, D.C. They have three children, Michael, James and Halina Anne. They divorced in 1995. He married Midge Bowen Ramsey in 1996.

In 2006, his son James was named the editor-in-chief of The Atlantic Monthly. In 2009, his son Michael was chosen by Governor of Colorado Bill Ritter to represent Colorado in the United States Senate, replacing Ken Salazar, who was appointed as Secretary of the Interior in the Obama Administration.^[16]

References

1. ^ Boo, Katherine (2007-01-15). "Expectations - Can the students who became a symbol of failed reform be rescued?". The New Yorker. http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2007/01/15/070115fa_fact_boo. Retrieved 2009-01-03. 
2. ^ http://www.amacad.org/news/alphalist2011.pdf
3. ^ Parke, Richard H. (1956-11-07). "Bush Re-Elected in Connecticut". The New York Times: p. 1. 
4. ^ ^{a b} Molotsky, Irvin (1983-10-29). "Ex-AID Director Heads Public Radio". The New York Times: p. 55. 
5. ^ "Lyme Man Will Run". The New York Times: p. 48. 1970-06-11. 
6. ^ Kneeland, Douglas E. (1972-08-02). "Behind Eagleton's Withdrawal: A Tale of Confusion and Division". The New York Times: p. 1. 
7. ^ ^{a b} "3 State Dept. Appointments Are Ratified". The Washington Post: p. A6. 1977-03-12. 
8. ^ "Bennet, State Dept. Official, To Head AID". The Washington Post: p. A14. 1979-06-12. 
9. ^ "Ex-State Dept. Official to Head National Public Radio". Los Angeles Times: p. A2. 1983-10-28. 
10. ^ "NPR Names New President". The New York Times: p. C18. 1993-08-19. http://www.nytimes.com/1993/08/19/arts/npr-names-new-president.html. Retrieved 2009-06-22. 
11. ^ "Susan Daggett, Michael Bennet". The New York Times: p. ST7. 1997-10-26. http://www.nytimes.com/1997/10/26/style/weddings-susan-daggett-michael-bennet.html. Retrieved 2009-06-22. 
12. ^ Sullivan, Ronald (1995-04-04). "New President Of Wesleyan Is an Alumnus". The New York Times: p. B5. http://www.nytimes.com/1995/04/04/nyregion/new-president-of-wesleyan-is-an-alumnus.html. Retrieved 2009-06-22. 
13. ^ http://www.wesleyan.edu/president/pastpresidents/bennet.html
14. ^ Hall, Katharine (2004-12-10). "Students trap Bennet in office, demand to be heard". Wesleyan Argus. http://wesleyanargus.com/article.php?article_id=490. Retrieved 2009-06-22. 
15. ^ "Wesleyan University's sixteenth President". Wesleyan University. http://www.wesleyan.edu/presidentialsearch/message_chair.html. Retrieved 2009-06-22. 
16. ^ Crummy, Karen (2009-01-02). "Michael Bennet chosen as next Senator". Denver Post. http://www.denverpost.com/breakingnews/ci_11355396. Retrieved 2009-01-02. 

Government offices
Preceded by Robert J. McCloskey	Assistant Secretary of State for Legislative Affairs March 18, 1977 – August 2, 1979	Succeeded by J. Brian Atwood
Business positions
Preceded by Frank Mankiewicz	President and CEO of National Public Radio 1983–1993	Succeeded by Delano Lewis
Government offices
Preceded by John R. Bolton	Assistant Secretary of State for International Organization Affairs May 25, 1993 – May 31, 1995	Succeeded by Princeton N. Lyman

Persondata
Name	Bennet, Douglas J.
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	July 23, 1938
Place of birth	Orange, New Jersey
Date of death
Place of death