Harry Melvin Philpott, who served as Auburn University’s 11th president from 1965 to 1980, died at age 90 early Monday.
A memorial service for Philpott will be tomorrow at 2 p.m. at Auburn First Baptist Church.
A private burial will take place in Memorial Cemetery.
“Dr. Philpott was an inspirational leader and a champion for Auburn’s faculty,” said Auburn University President Jay Gogue. “His focus on academics is still felt today and represents a substantial part of his legacy. Susie and I received our degrees from Dr. Philpott, and we consider that a great honor.”
During the 15 years of Philpott’s leadership, Auburn increased its number of degrees offered from 63 areas of study to more than 140.
The schools of business and nursing were developed, the school of arts and sciences was restructured and several new departments were added.
Also during his presidency, Philpott awarded more than one-half the total number of degrees given by the University in its 123-year history.
Through March 1980, he had awarded 53,806 degrees, which is 55 percent of the total 98,316 degrees awarded by the University since its opening.
“President Philpott knew the division of labor between the board of trustees and the president’s office,” said Peter Pepinsky, a graduate of Auburn University and who worked in University Relations as executive director during Philpott’s tenure. “Essentially, he conveyed the message that the administration and faculty were the engine and heart of the University while the trustees provided policy oversight.
He made it painfully clear to trustees that if they didn’t like the way he ran the University, they could fire him.”
Auburn University’s ROTC program also became optional instead of mandatory, and administration abandoned curfews for students and allowed female students to live off campus for the first time.
As a result, the University had a significant increase in the enrollment of female students: female enrollment went from 28 percent in 1965 to 42 percent in 1980. Female enrollment is 49 percent today.
Philpott created offices for four vice presidencies and governed the addition of the Auburn-Montgomery campus, with the first freshman class starting in 1969.
He also fought for more taxpayer support for the purpose of higher education.
“His first fall quarter in 1965, he held a freshmen convocation in Graves Amphitheater,” Pepinsky said. “He told us to look to the right, to the left, in front and behind us. Two of those students wouldn’t be at Auburn by the end of the year. It was a scary challenge to some of us. To others, it should have been. By holding regular, open, no agenda meetings with students, he demonstrated a style of leadership that can only be effective if it is sincere and if it leads to change.”
During this time, Philpott oversaw the completion of many campus construction projects.
The Haley Center was finished, along with Beard-Eaves Memorial Coliseum, the Architecture and Fine Arts Complex including Dudley Hall, Goodwin Music Building and Telfair Peet Theatre, the pharmacy building, the complete relocation of veterinary medicine facilities, the new location of the main Agricultural Experiment station to E.V. Smith Research Center in Macon County and completion of the south women’s housing complex which is now known as the Hill residence halls.
“President Philpott always regarded faculty as professional colleagues, and the faculty generally highly respected his ethical leadership,” said Taylor Littleton, who came to Auburn in 1957 and served as vice president of academic affairs from 1972 to 1981.
Philpott served from 1967 to 1969 as chairman of the Education Study Commission, where he recommended the creation of the Alabama Commission on Higher Education.
He served as chairman of the Southern Regional Education Board in 1972.
Philpott also served as president of the National Association of State Universities and Land-Grant Colleges from 1976 to 1977 and chairman of the executive board from 1977 to 1978. He became the second Alabamian to head the association.
“Many of us who were privileged to meet and admire Dr. Philpott may not have known that he felt the same,” Pepinsky said. “What an outstanding leader and role model. What an outstanding Auburn man.”
“Auburn people often think in the vernacular of intercollegiate athletics,” Pepinsky said. “His selection as our president may have been the greatest victory over the Gators the Tigers have ever enjoyed.”
