Barry Munitz
Encyclopedia
Barry Allen Munitz has been a senior administrator at the University of Illinois and the University of Houston
, a business executive at Maxxam, Inc., chancellor of the California State University
system, and chief executive officer of the world's wealthiest art institution, the J. Paul Getty Trust
.
. He earned M.A. and Ph. D. degrees in comparative literature from Princeton University
.
from 1966 to 1968, where he also worked as a part-time assistant to the UC system president, Clark Kerr
. When Kerr resigned and became chairman of the Carnegie Commission on Higher Education in 1968, he brought along Munitz as a staff associate.
In 1970 Munitz moved to the University of Illinois, and was soon promoted to vice president for academic affairs at the University of Illinois, Chicago from 1972 to 1976.
to become the first chancellor of the newly created University of Houston System
, the university was looking for someone who could fill the shoes of its popular leader from 1962 to 1977. They turned to 35-year old "wunderkind" Barry Munitz—then serving as vice-president and dean of faculties in the system office—to be the new president of the University of Houston. It was anticipated that Munitz could work with the business community to build up the University's endowment. After several years, Munitz's cultivating the business community led to an offer to join a local corporation, Maxxam, Inc., that was busy acquiring other companies in leveraged buyouts.
, with its old-growth redwoods, including Headwaters Forest
in northern California. USAT became the fifth largest savings and loan failure at a cost to the public of $1.6 billion.
, the country's largest senior system of public higher education. He introduced management practices from the corporate world, including tying a portion of salary increases for faculty to performance reviews, evaluating campus presidents on their success in fund-raising from the private sector, and mandating a common financial and data management system for all campuses.
, which oversees the Getty Center
in Los Angeles
, the Getty Villa
in Pacific Palisades, California, the Getty Foundation
, the Getty Research Institute
, and the Getty Conservation Institute. He began work in January 1998, succeeding Harold M. Williams
, the first president of the Getty Trust, who oversaw construction of the $1 billion Getty Center designed by architect Richard Meier
. With an endowment of $4.2 billion, the Getty Trust is the wealthiest art institution in the world. Early in his tenure, Munitz reorganized the Getty Trust, closing two of the institution's six programs -- the Getty Information Institute and the Getty Education Institute. To deal with long-run financial issues, he sought to cultivate relationships with donors and corporate partners. His leadership became increasingly controversial as the Getty Trust was embroiled in numerous controversies relating to the provenance of various antiquities in the Getty Museum's collections and Munitz' expense account. In the midst of an investigation by the California Attorney General,
Munitz resigned in 2006 and was forced to "forgo his severance package of more than $2 million, and reimburse the Getty Trust for $250,000 after alleged improprieties including lavish expense account spending."
After leaving the Getty Trust, Munitz returned to the California State University as a Trustee Professor, based at California State University, Los Angeles
.
Munitz has served on the Princeton University Board of Trustees, and chaired the American Council on Education
and the California Education Roundtable. He is also a director of Sallie Mae.
University of Houston
The University of Houston is a state research university, and is the flagship institution of the University of Houston System. Founded in 1927, it is Texas's third-largest university with nearly 40,000 students. Its campus spans 667 acres in southeast Houston, and was known as University of...
, a business executive at Maxxam, Inc., chancellor of the California State University
California State University
The California State University is a public university system in the state of California. It is one of three public higher education systems in the state, the other two being the University of California system and the California Community College system. It is incorporated as The Trustees of the...
system, and chief executive officer of the world's wealthiest art institution, the J. Paul Getty Trust
J. Paul Getty Trust
The J. Paul Getty Trust is the world's wealthiest art institution with an estimated endowment in April 2009 of $US 4.2 billion. Based in Los Angeles, California, it operates the J. Paul Getty Museum, which has two locations, the Getty Center in Los Angeles and the Getty Villa in Pacific...
.
Early life and education
Munitz was born and raised in Brooklyn, the son of parents from Eastern Europe. Munitz earned a B.A. degree in classics and comparative literature at Brooklyn CollegeBrooklyn College
Brooklyn College is a senior college of the City University of New York, located in Brooklyn, New York, United States.Established in 1930 by the New York City Board of Higher Education, the College had its beginnings as the Downtown Brooklyn branches of Hunter College and the City College of New...
. He earned M.A. and Ph. D. degrees in comparative literature from Princeton University
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
.
Career
Munitz's first teaching job was at the University of California, BerkeleyUniversity of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
from 1966 to 1968, where he also worked as a part-time assistant to the UC system president, Clark Kerr
Clark Kerr
Clark Kerr was an American professor of economics and academic administrator. He was the first chancellor of the University of California, Berkeley and twelfth president of the University of California.- Early years :...
. When Kerr resigned and became chairman of the Carnegie Commission on Higher Education in 1968, he brought along Munitz as a staff associate.
In 1970 Munitz moved to the University of Illinois, and was soon promoted to vice president for academic affairs at the University of Illinois, Chicago from 1972 to 1976.
University of Houston (1977–1982)
When Philip G. Hoffman resigned as president of the University of HoustonUniversity of Houston
The University of Houston is a state research university, and is the flagship institution of the University of Houston System. Founded in 1927, it is Texas's third-largest university with nearly 40,000 students. Its campus spans 667 acres in southeast Houston, and was known as University of...
to become the first chancellor of the newly created University of Houston System
University of Houston System
The University of Houston System is a state university system in Texas, encompassing four separate and distinct universities. It has two system centers, which operate as and distance learning course delivery sites for its universities...
, the university was looking for someone who could fill the shoes of its popular leader from 1962 to 1977. They turned to 35-year old "wunderkind" Barry Munitz—then serving as vice-president and dean of faculties in the system office—to be the new president of the University of Houston. It was anticipated that Munitz could work with the business community to build up the University's endowment. After several years, Munitz's cultivating the business community led to an offer to join a local corporation, Maxxam, Inc., that was busy acquiring other companies in leveraged buyouts.
Maxxam, Inc. (1982–1991)
Charles Hurwitz, Maxxam's president, hired Munitz as vice-president in 1982. Munitz was active with Maxxam's related companies, including serving as chair of the executive committee of United Savings Association of Texas (USAT), and assisted Hurwitz with his take-over of Pacific Lumber CompanyPacific Lumber Company
The Pacific Lumber Company, officially abbreviated PALCO, was one of California's major logging and sawmill operations, located south of Eureka and north of San Francisco. The once storied company and its historically positive relationship with conservationists begun in the 1920s was altered...
, with its old-growth redwoods, including Headwaters Forest
Headwaters Forest
The Headwaters Forest Reserve is a series of old growth Coast Redwood groves measuring about . Located in the Northern California coastal forests ecoregion near Humboldt Bay of the U.S. state of California, most of it was owned by the now defunct Pacific Lumber Company, which was owned by Charles...
in northern California. USAT became the fifth largest savings and loan failure at a cost to the public of $1.6 billion.
California State University (1991–1998)
In 1991 Munitz was selected as chancellor of the 23-campus California State UniversityCalifornia State University
The California State University is a public university system in the state of California. It is one of three public higher education systems in the state, the other two being the University of California system and the California Community College system. It is incorporated as The Trustees of the...
, the country's largest senior system of public higher education. He introduced management practices from the corporate world, including tying a portion of salary increases for faculty to performance reviews, evaluating campus presidents on their success in fund-raising from the private sector, and mandating a common financial and data management system for all campuses.
J. Paul Getty Trust (1998–2006)
In 1997 Munitz was named the president and CEO of the J. Paul Getty TrustJ. Paul Getty Trust
The J. Paul Getty Trust is the world's wealthiest art institution with an estimated endowment in April 2009 of $US 4.2 billion. Based in Los Angeles, California, it operates the J. Paul Getty Museum, which has two locations, the Getty Center in Los Angeles and the Getty Villa in Pacific...
, which oversees the Getty Center
Getty Center
The Getty Center, in Brentwood, Los Angeles, California, is a campus for cultural institutions founded by oilman J. Paul Getty. The $1.3 billion center, which opened on December 16, 1997, is also well known for its architecture, gardens, and views overlooking Los Angeles...
in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, the Getty Villa
Getty Villa
The Getty Villa in Pacific Palisades, California, USA, is one of two locations of the J. Paul Getty Museum. The Getty Villa is an educational center and museum dedicated to the study of the arts and cultures of ancient Greece, Rome, and Etruria...
in Pacific Palisades, California, the Getty Foundation
Getty Foundation
The Getty Foundation, based in Los Angeles, California, at the Getty Center, awards grants for "the understanding and preservation of the visual arts". In the past, it funded the Getty Leadership Institute for "current and future museum leaders", which is now at Claremont Graduate University. Its...
, the Getty Research Institute
Getty Research Institute
The Getty Research Institute , located at the Getty Center in Los Angeles, California, is "dedicated to furthering knowledge and advancing understanding of the visual arts". A program of the J...
, and the Getty Conservation Institute. He began work in January 1998, succeeding Harold M. Williams
Harold M. Williams
Harold Marvin Williams served as chairman of U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission between 1977 and 1981. Attorney, Business Executive, Educator, Government Administrator, visionary, builder only begin to describe Harold Williams...
, the first president of the Getty Trust, who oversaw construction of the $1 billion Getty Center designed by architect Richard Meier
Richard Meier
Richard Meier is an American architect, whose rationalist buildings make prominent use of the color white.- Biography :Meier is Jewish and was born in Newark, New Jersey...
. With an endowment of $4.2 billion, the Getty Trust is the wealthiest art institution in the world. Early in his tenure, Munitz reorganized the Getty Trust, closing two of the institution's six programs -- the Getty Information Institute and the Getty Education Institute. To deal with long-run financial issues, he sought to cultivate relationships with donors and corporate partners. His leadership became increasingly controversial as the Getty Trust was embroiled in numerous controversies relating to the provenance of various antiquities in the Getty Museum's collections and Munitz' expense account. In the midst of an investigation by the California Attorney General,
Munitz resigned in 2006 and was forced to "forgo his severance package of more than $2 million, and reimburse the Getty Trust for $250,000 after alleged improprieties including lavish expense account spending."
After leaving the Getty Trust, Munitz returned to the California State University as a Trustee Professor, based at California State University, Los Angeles
California State University, Los Angeles
California State University, Los Angeles is a public comprehensive university, part of the California State University system...
.
Munitz has served on the Princeton University Board of Trustees, and chaired the American Council on Education
American Council on Education
The American Council on Education is a United States organization, established in 1918, comprising over 1,800 accredited, degree-granting colleges and universities and higher education-related associations, organizations, and corporations....
and the California Education Roundtable. He is also a director of Sallie Mae.