USD Magazine, 1993 Winter-Spring 1994

A TIMELESS TRADITION

700-year-old tradition has taken root at the University of San Diego, and the faculty

by Dianne Ludlam

and students are all the better for it. This tradition of academia, which origi– nated in the Middle Ages to recognize and reward excellence in teaching, exists today at USD in the form of five endowed chairs - professorships fully funded by donations. A landmark achievement in the university's 44-year history, the five chairs are either opera– tional or committed. The operational chairs are: the DeForest Strunk Chair of Special Edu– cation, a rotating position in the School of Education; the Price Chair of Public Interest Law, held by Robert C. Fellmeth in the School of Law; and the Ernest W. Hahn Chair of Real Estate Finance in the School of Business Administration, occupied for the first time this semester by Mark J. Riedy. The remaining two chairs are not yet fully funded or operational - the Fletcher Jones Chair of Biology is expected to be fully funded by 1996, and the fifth chair, also in the College of Arts and Sciences, is to be funded by the estate of Churchill and Mary Knapp. and have continued to play an important role in institutions of higher learning. A fledgling University of Paris got its start in the 13th century with professors whose salaries were paid by the church. In 1338, moneys created through city taxes were awarded to Bologna (Italy) University teachers identified by stu– dents as outstanding. The first endowed professorship in England was funded in 1497 by Lady Margaret, mother of King Henry VII, and was first awarded in 1502 to a professor of divinity. During the 16th century, endowed positions became known as "chairs" in England. At the time, commoners sat on stools; kings and bishops in chairs. When a worthy teacher received the rank of professor, with a life income provided by the king or bishop, he also received a physical chair - a symbol of his status. The term continues to be used as a symbol of distinction. ndowed chairs were used in academic institutions throughout ancient Europe

At a time when many

are looking to the

future for progress ,

USD has wisely

reached into the past.

U S D

MAGAZINE I Q