2012年2月1日-加州克莱蒙特. -
D. Kenneth 贝克, Harvey Mudd College's second president, passed away on Sunday, Jan. 29岁，在纽约州伊萨卡的家中. 享年88岁.
贝克 became the second president of Harvey Mudd College in 1976 following Founding President Joseph B. 普拉特，他担任了20年. 在他掌舵的12年里, 贝克 was instrumental in increasing the College's enrollment, 设施及声望, and guiding the College as technical innovations and social changes occurred. He oversaw the acquisition of land and property to meet major campus needs, which included upgraded laboratories and construction of additional housing (Atwood and Case residence halls), allowing all students to be housed on campus at the time.
Additional accomplishments that occurred during 贝克's tenure included work to establish the Biology and Computer Science departments, the computer "wiring" of the HMC campus (the first college campus in California to be completely wired), the naming of the Department of Chemistry as best undergraduate chemistry program in the nation by the Higher Education Research Institute, the addition of two endowed chairs in the Humanities and Social Sciences department, the growth of the endowment from $5 million to $50 million, 以及学院2名学生的毕业典礼,000毕业.
It was during 贝克's tenure that several notable HMC pranks occurred, including the infamous Caltech Cannon heist in 1986, which 贝克 referred to in his book "Harvey Mudd College: The Third Decade Plus" as "the most audacious and clever prank known to me in my time in higher 教育.贝克和他的妻子, 薇薇安, 两位HMC荣誉校友, lived all 12 years on campus in the Garrett House, where they hosted many campus community events.
年生于苏格兰格拉斯哥 1923年10月2日, 贝克 was the son of the late David Thomas and Edith (Horner) 贝克. 他的 father was an iron worker that fled Scotland in 1929 during the depression and immigrated to Canada, leaving the family behind until he 能找到工作. 他的 mother, 贝克 and a brother followed six months later and established a humble home from which the family prospered. Following his high school graduation, 贝克 attended McMaster University where he received a bachelor's degree in 物理 and chemistry. 在 this period, 贝克 met the love of his life, 薇薇安, and continued his 教育 at the University of Pennsylvania, earning his Ph.D. in 物理. He and 薇薇安 were married in 1947, during his graduate 教育. They purchased a home in 1953 in Schenectady, NY, where 贝克 在联合学院教物理. 他暑假在 Schenectady as the director of the National Science Foundation Summer Institute, and spent a year abroad as a visiting lecturer at the St大学. 圣安德鲁斯. 安德鲁斯,苏格兰. 他还花了 summer in New Delhi, India, as the program leader for the Agency for International Development at the University of New Delhi.
他继续他的 在圣的事业. Lawrence University as vice president and dean of students 1967年到1976年. 他的 career culminated at Harvey Mudd College in 加州克莱蒙特., where 贝克 held the position of College president. 在 these California years, 贝克 continued to sit on numerous advisory boards, including the advisory council for the Los Angeles Council of Engineers and Scientists, and the advisory committee of the Institute for Advancement of Engineering, which he chaired in 1982. 他曾担任 president of the Association of Independent Engineering Colleges from 1979 to 1982, and advised the Math Science Task Force for the California Roundtable on Educational Opportunity in 1984-1985. 退休后，贝克 坐 on the board of directors of the Sound Shore Fund, and was an active member of what was then the PEW Foundation.
贝克 was an avid sportsman who lettered in basketball, football and track in 他的高中和大学生活. 他在16岁时造了一艘帆船 to perfect his sailing skills and, later in life, developed a love of skiing (which he did well into his late 70s), skating, ice hockey and 享受其他户外活动. 然而，从贝克成为一名 young boy, golf was his favorite pastime. 他的 father's passion for the game was passed on 贝克和他的两个兄弟. 贝克是一个终身会员 Crystal Downs Country Club (an Alistair MacKenzie Design, in Frankfort, Michigan), where he served as president of the golf course, overseeing a variety of projects, including the construction of a new clubhouse, 维护谷仓和练习场.
他于1988年退休 北卡罗莱纳州的夏天. 他花了 winters golfing in North Carolina, and summers golfing in Michigan, while enjoying the company of his grandchildren and family.
贝克 also had a lifelong association with the Congregational Summer Assembly in Frankfort, an area he was first introduced to by acquaintances from 联合学院. He had a cottage shell erected in 1960, which was completed by himself and his sons over the next 10 years. 这个夏天 cottage was the family's center and has been enjoyed by his family for 过去的50年.
贝克 is survived by his wife of 64 years, 薇薇安 贝克 of Ithaca; a son, Rick (Kathy) 贝克 of Trumansburg; two grandsons, Jacob 贝克 of Ithaca and Nathan 贝克 of Trumansburg; and, a brother, Gordon (Lou) 贝克 of 安大略省汉密尔顿. In addition to his parents, Ken was preceded in death by a son, Paul 贝克; a grandson, Ian 贝克; and, a brother, Ronald 贝克.
Contact: Judy Augsburger, senior director of communications
judy_augsburger@warawanresort.com
909.607.0713