John T. Casteen III
Encyclopedia
John Thomas Casteen III (born December 11, 1943, Portsmouth, Virginia
) is an American
educator
. He has served as Professor of English and President of the University of Virginia
from 1990 through 2010.
. From 1968 to 1969, he wrote a column called "Soundings" for the student newspaper, the Cavalier Daily, in which he wrote about the administration of the University, conducting sympathetic interviews with deans and defending the policies of the administration.
He began his professional career teaching English at the University of California, Berkeley
and later at the University of Virginia. From 1975 to 1982, he served as Dean of Admissions at the University of Virginia, resigning to serve as Secretary of Education in the Cabinet of Virginia Governor Charles S. Robb
from 1982 to 1985. From 1985 until 1990 he served as President of the University of Connecticut
.
He also presided over substantial growth, both financial and physical, at the University. In addition to assuming numerous roles on the grounds of the University, ranging from liaison to the alumni board of relations to faculty advisor to the St. Anthony Hall Literary Society, Casteen led two financial campaigns for the University's endowment, one with a goal of $1 billion and another (ongoing) with a $3 billion goal. During his tenure, major building projects on Grounds included Hereford College
, Bryan Hall, the Robertson Hall expansion of Rouss Hall for the McIntire School of Commerce
, the South Lawn Project, the Small Special Collections Library, the University Bookstore, the Aquatic and Fitness Center, and John Paul Jones Arena
.
Casteen announced on June 12, 2009 that he would retire in 2010. His 20 year tenure is the second longest of any University of Virginia president, after Edwin Alderman
.
in business organizations, including his first for the Connecticut Bank and Trust Company and Wachovia Corporation
. He is currently a director of Sage Publications
, Jefferson Science Associates LLC and the Virginia University Research Partnership, and was elected a director of Altria on February 22, 2010.
Portsmouth, Virginia
Portsmouth is located in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area of the U.S. Commonwealth of Virginia. As of 2010, the city had a total population of 95,535.The Norfolk Naval Shipyard, often called the Norfolk Navy Yard, is a historic and active U.S...
) is an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
educator
Education
Education in its broadest, general sense is the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people lives on from one generation to the next. Generally, it occurs through any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts...
. He has served as Professor of English and President of the University of Virginia
University of Virginia
The University of Virginia is a public research university located in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States, founded by Thomas Jefferson...
from 1990 through 2010.
Early life and career
John Casteen earned his B.A. (1965), M.A. (1966) and Ph.D. (1970) degrees in English from the University of VirginiaUniversity of Virginia
The University of Virginia is a public research university located in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States, founded by Thomas Jefferson...
. From 1968 to 1969, he wrote a column called "Soundings" for the student newspaper, the Cavalier Daily, in which he wrote about the administration of the University, conducting sympathetic interviews with deans and defending the policies of the administration.
He began his professional career teaching English at the University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
and later at the University of Virginia. From 1975 to 1982, he served as Dean of Admissions at the University of Virginia, resigning to serve as Secretary of Education in the Cabinet of Virginia Governor Charles S. Robb
Chuck Robb
Charles Spittal "Chuck" Robb is an American politician. He served as the 64th Governor of Virginia from 1982 to 1986, and as a United States senator from 1989 until 2001. In 2004, he chaired the Iraq Intelligence Commission.-Early life:...
from 1982 to 1985. From 1985 until 1990 he served as President of the University of Connecticut
University of Connecticut
The admission rate to the University of Connecticut is about 50% and has been steadily decreasing, with about 28,000 prospective students applying for admission to the freshman class in recent years. Approximately 40,000 prospective students tour the main campus in Storrs annually...
.
President of the University of Virginia
As president of the University, Casteen advocated increasing UVA's enrollment of women, minority, and economically disadvantaged students. In 2003, he directed the creation of AccessUVA, the University's full-need financial aid program.He also presided over substantial growth, both financial and physical, at the University. In addition to assuming numerous roles on the grounds of the University, ranging from liaison to the alumni board of relations to faculty advisor to the St. Anthony Hall Literary Society, Casteen led two financial campaigns for the University's endowment, one with a goal of $1 billion and another (ongoing) with a $3 billion goal. During his tenure, major building projects on Grounds included Hereford College
Hereford College
Hereford College is a self-governed residential college at the University of Virginia that houses 500 students, mostly in single-occupancy rooms...
, Bryan Hall, the Robertson Hall expansion of Rouss Hall for the McIntire School of Commerce
McIntire School of Commerce
The McIntire School of Commerce is the University of Virginia's undergraduate business school and graduate business school for Commerce, Accounting, and Management of Information Technology. It was founded in 1921 through a gift by Paul Goodloe McIntire. The two-year McIntire program offers...
, the South Lawn Project, the Small Special Collections Library, the University Bookstore, the Aquatic and Fitness Center, and John Paul Jones Arena
John Paul Jones Arena
John Paul Jones Arena, or JPJ, opened for the 2006–2007 NCAA Division I basketball season and is located at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Virginia...
.
Casteen announced on June 12, 2009 that he would retire in 2010. His 20 year tenure is the second longest of any University of Virginia president, after Edwin Alderman
Edwin Alderman
Edwin Anderson Alderman served as the President of three universities. The University of Virginia's Alderman Library is named after him, as is in Wilmington and Alderman dorm at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill...
.
Business interests
Since 1986, Casteen has held numerous positions as a directorManagement
Management in all business and organizational activities is the act of getting people together to accomplish desired goals and objectives using available resources efficiently and effectively...
in business organizations, including his first for the Connecticut Bank and Trust Company and Wachovia Corporation
Wachovia
Wachovia was a diversified financial services company based in Charlotte, North Carolina. Before its acquisition by Wells Fargo in 2008, Wachovia was the fourth-largest bank holding company in the United States based on total assets...
. He is currently a director of Sage Publications
SAGE Publications
SAGE is an independent academic publisher of books, journals, and electronic products in the humanities and social sciences and the scientific, technical, and medical fields. SAGE was founded in 1965 by George McCune and Sara Miller McCune. The company is headquartered in Thousand Oaks, California,...
, Jefferson Science Associates LLC and the Virginia University Research Partnership, and was elected a director of Altria on February 22, 2010.