William S. Livingston
Encyclopedia
William Samuel Livingston (born July 1, 1920) is a political science
professor who was the acting president of the University of Texas at Austin
, a position he held from 1992 until 1993. Born in Ironton, Ohio
, Livingston fought in World War II
as a First Lieutenant and was awarded the Bronze Star
and the Purple Heart
. In 1943 he obtained bachelor's and master's degrees from Ohio State University
before transferring to Yale University
, where he was award a Ph.D.
in 1950.
Livingston joined the University of Texas at Austin in 1949 and stayed with the political science faculty until his retirement in 2007. During his tenure, he received Ford
and Guggenheim Fellowship
s, chaired two departments, developed numerous programs and served as Dean of the Graduate School and acting President of the University of Texas at Austin. In 1995 he was made Senior Vice President of the University.
Livingston was the Editor-in-Chief of The Journal of Politics and President of Pi Sigma Alpha
. Among his numerous awards was the American Political Science Association
's Daniel Elazar
Award, an organization on whose council he had served twice. Since 2004, the William S. Livingston Outstanding Graduate Student Academic Employee Award has recognized exemplary graduate student employees.
. He graduated from Ohio State University
with a bachelor's degree
and Phi Beta Kappa
honors in 1943, before getting his master's degree
at the university in the same year. Afterwards he studied at Yale University
, where he obtained a Ph.D.
in political science
in 1950.
He served as a field artillery
officer, in the capacity of First Lieutenant, during World War II
. Fighting in Europe
, he earned both the Bronze Star
and the Purple Heart
. After the war, he married Lana Sanor and had two sons with here, Stephen and David.
, as well as comparative politics
. He received a one-year Ford Foundation
Fellowship in 1952 and a Guggenheim Fellowship
in 1959, the same year he won the University of Texas Student Association's "Teaching Excellence Award." He lectured at Yale University in the 1955-56 academic year and at Duke University
in the 1960-61 academic year. In 1982 he was named to the Jo Anne Christian Professorship in British Studies, a seat that, as of 2008, he continues to hold. During his tenure at the University of Texas at Austin, he wrote or edited six books and at least twenty-five articles on political science topics.
In 1954 he was made Assistant Dean of the Graduate School at the University of Texas, a position that he held until 1958. He later became the Vice President and Dean of Graduate Students in 1979, an appointment that lasted until 1995. He was the Graduate Adviser for the Government Department from 1958 until 1967 and its chair from 1966 through 1969. He became the Vice Chancellor for Academic Programs of the University of Texas System
for the 1969-70 academic year. He chaired the comparative studies program from 1978–79 and spent six years as the chairman for the Faculty Senate
.
In the 1960s he chaired the committee that helped establish the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs
. In addition, he helped develop the James A. Michener Center for Writers, the Normandy Scholars Program, the Edward A. Clark Center for Australian and New Zealand Studies, and the Faculty Seminar on British Studies. He also was instrumental in forming the Graduate Assembly for faculty members. From September 1992 through January 1993, while still the Dean of Graduate Studies, he was named the Acting President of University of Texas at Austin. After his retirement from the former position, he was made Senior Vice President of the university.
. Livingston has won several university-based awards, including the Pro Bene Meritis Award from the College of Liberal Arts (1992) and the Award of Distinction from the Parent's Association (1994), and was recognized as a University Distinguished Educator by the Ex-Students' Association, followed by the second "Distinguish Service Award" in the organization's history. The Conference of Southern Graduate Schools honored his "Distinguished Service to Graduate Education" in 1995, which was followed a year later by the Texas Association of Graduate Schools' President’s Award for Distinguished Service. In 2005 he received a Presidential Citation for "extraordinary contributions to The University of Texas at Austin." On September 2, 2006, he received the American Political Science Association
's Daniel Elazar
Award for his work on federalism
and intergovernmental relations, an organization on whose council he had served twice.
Livingston's successor, Robert M. Berdahl
, referred to him as "the conscience, the soul, the memory, the wit, and the wise elder statesman" of the University of Texas. Since 2004, the William S. Livingston Outstanding Graduate Student Academic Employee Award has recognized "outstanding performance by graduate student academic employees." Livingston retired from the University of Texas on August 31, 2007 at the age of 87.
Political science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
professor who was the acting president of the University of Texas at Austin
University of Texas at Austin
The University of Texas at Austin is a state research university located in Austin, Texas, USA, and is the flagship institution of the The University of Texas System. Founded in 1883, its campus is located approximately from the Texas State Capitol in Austin...
, a position he held from 1992 until 1993. Born in Ironton, Ohio
Ironton, Ohio
Ironton is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Lawrence County. The municipality is located in southern Ohio along the Ohio River. The population was 11,211 at the 2000 census. Ironton is a part of the Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH, Metropolitan Statistical Area . As of the...
, Livingston fought in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
as a First Lieutenant and was awarded the Bronze Star
Bronze Star Medal
The Bronze Star Medal is a United States Armed Forces individual military decoration that may be awarded for bravery, acts of merit, or meritorious service. As a medal it is awarded for merit, and with the "V" for valor device it is awarded for heroism. It is the fourth-highest combat award of the...
and the Purple Heart
Purple Heart
The Purple Heart is a United States military decoration awarded in the name of the President to those who have been wounded or killed while serving on or after April 5, 1917 with the U.S. military. The National Purple Heart Hall of Honor is located in New Windsor, New York...
. In 1943 he obtained bachelor's and master's degrees from Ohio State University
Ohio State University
The Ohio State University, commonly referred to as Ohio State, is a public research university located in Columbus, Ohio. It was originally founded in 1870 as a land-grant university and is currently the third largest university campus in the United States...
before transferring to Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
, where he was award a Ph.D.
Ph.D.
A Ph.D. is a Doctor of Philosophy, an academic degree.Ph.D. may also refer to:* Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*Piled Higher and Deeper, a web comic strip*PhD: Phantasy Degree, a Korean comic series* PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
in 1950.
Livingston joined the University of Texas at Austin in 1949 and stayed with the political science faculty until his retirement in 2007. During his tenure, he received Ford
Ford Foundation
The Ford Foundation is a private foundation incorporated in Michigan and based in New York City created to fund programs that were chartered in 1936 by Edsel Ford and Henry Ford....
and Guggenheim Fellowship
Guggenheim Fellowship
Guggenheim Fellowships are American grants that have been awarded annually since 1925 by the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation to those "who have demonstrated exceptional capacity for productive scholarship or exceptional creative ability in the arts." Each year, the foundation makes...
s, chaired two departments, developed numerous programs and served as Dean of the Graduate School and acting President of the University of Texas at Austin. In 1995 he was made Senior Vice President of the University.
Livingston was the Editor-in-Chief of The Journal of Politics and President of Pi Sigma Alpha
Pi sigma alpha
Pi Sigma Alpha , the National Political Science Honor Society, is the only honor society for college and university students of political science in the United States. Its purpose is to recognize and promote high academic achievement in the field of political science...
. Among his numerous awards was the American Political Science Association
American Political Science Association
The American Political Science Association is a professional association of political science students and scholars in the United States. Founded in 1903, it publishes three academic journals...
's Daniel Elazar
Daniel J. Elazar
Daniel Judah Elazar was a professor of political science at Bar-Ilan University and Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and the founder and president of the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs.-Biography:...
Award, an organization on whose council he had served twice. Since 2004, the William S. Livingston Outstanding Graduate Student Academic Employee Award has recognized exemplary graduate student employees.
Early life
William Livingston was born on July 1, 1920 in Ironton, OhioIronton, Ohio
Ironton is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Lawrence County. The municipality is located in southern Ohio along the Ohio River. The population was 11,211 at the 2000 census. Ironton is a part of the Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH, Metropolitan Statistical Area . As of the...
. He graduated from Ohio State University
Ohio State University
The Ohio State University, commonly referred to as Ohio State, is a public research university located in Columbus, Ohio. It was originally founded in 1870 as a land-grant university and is currently the third largest university campus in the United States...
with a bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
and Phi Beta Kappa
Phi Beta Kappa Society
The Phi Beta Kappa Society is an academic honor society. Its mission is to "celebrate and advocate excellence in the liberal arts and sciences"; and induct "the most outstanding students of arts and sciences at America’s leading colleges and universities." Founded at The College of William and...
honors in 1943, before getting his master's degree
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
at the university in the same year. Afterwards he studied at Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
, where he obtained a Ph.D.
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
in political science
Political science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
in 1950.
He served as a field artillery
Field artillery
Field artillery is a category of mobile artillery used to support armies in the field. These weapons are specialized for mobility, tactical proficiency, long range, short range and extremely long range target engagement....
officer, in the capacity of First Lieutenant, during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Fighting in Europe
European Theatre of World War II
The European Theatre of World War II was a huge area of heavy fighting across Europe from Germany's invasion of Poland on September 1, 1939 until the end of the war with the German unconditional surrender on May 8, 1945...
, he earned both the Bronze Star
Bronze Star Medal
The Bronze Star Medal is a United States Armed Forces individual military decoration that may be awarded for bravery, acts of merit, or meritorious service. As a medal it is awarded for merit, and with the "V" for valor device it is awarded for heroism. It is the fourth-highest combat award of the...
and the Purple Heart
Purple Heart
The Purple Heart is a United States military decoration awarded in the name of the President to those who have been wounded or killed while serving on or after April 5, 1917 with the U.S. military. The National Purple Heart Hall of Honor is located in New Windsor, New York...
. After the war, he married Lana Sanor and had two sons with here, Stephen and David.
Academic and administrative career
In 1949, Livingston joined the faculty of the political science department at the University of Texas at Austin. He began by teaching courses in American and British governmentGovernment
Government refers to the legislators, administrators, and arbitrators in the administrative bureaucracy who control a state at a given time, and to the system of government by which they are organized...
, as well as comparative politics
Comparative politics
Comparative politics is a subfield of political science, characterized by an empirical approach based on the comparative method. Arend Lijphart argues that comparative politics does not have a substantive focus in itself, but rather a methodological one: it focuses on "the how but does not specify...
. He received a one-year Ford Foundation
Ford Foundation
The Ford Foundation is a private foundation incorporated in Michigan and based in New York City created to fund programs that were chartered in 1936 by Edsel Ford and Henry Ford....
Fellowship in 1952 and a Guggenheim Fellowship
Guggenheim Fellowship
Guggenheim Fellowships are American grants that have been awarded annually since 1925 by the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation to those "who have demonstrated exceptional capacity for productive scholarship or exceptional creative ability in the arts." Each year, the foundation makes...
in 1959, the same year he won the University of Texas Student Association's "Teaching Excellence Award." He lectured at Yale University in the 1955-56 academic year and at Duke University
Duke University
Duke University is a private research university located in Durham, North Carolina, United States. Founded by Methodists and Quakers in the present day town of Trinity in 1838, the school moved to Durham in 1892. In 1924, tobacco industrialist James B...
in the 1960-61 academic year. In 1982 he was named to the Jo Anne Christian Professorship in British Studies, a seat that, as of 2008, he continues to hold. During his tenure at the University of Texas at Austin, he wrote or edited six books and at least twenty-five articles on political science topics.
In 1954 he was made Assistant Dean of the Graduate School at the University of Texas, a position that he held until 1958. He later became the Vice President and Dean of Graduate Students in 1979, an appointment that lasted until 1995. He was the Graduate Adviser for the Government Department from 1958 until 1967 and its chair from 1966 through 1969. He became the Vice Chancellor for Academic Programs of the University of Texas System
University of Texas System
The University of Texas System encompasses 15 educational institutions in Texas, of which nine are academic universities and six are health institutions. The system is headquartered in Austin and has a total enrollment of over 190,000 students...
for the 1969-70 academic year. He chaired the comparative studies program from 1978–79 and spent six years as the chairman for the Faculty Senate
Academic Senate
An Academic Senate is a governing body in some universities and colleges, and is typically the supreme academic authority for the institution.-Scotland:...
.
In the 1960s he chaired the committee that helped establish the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs
Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs
The Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs is a graduate school at The University of Texas at Austin that was founded in 1970 to offer professional training in public policy analysis and administration for students interested in pursuing careers in government and public affairs-related areas...
. In addition, he helped develop the James A. Michener Center for Writers, the Normandy Scholars Program, the Edward A. Clark Center for Australian and New Zealand Studies, and the Faculty Seminar on British Studies. He also was instrumental in forming the Graduate Assembly for faculty members. From September 1992 through January 1993, while still the Dean of Graduate Studies, he was named the Acting President of University of Texas at Austin. After his retirement from the former position, he was made Senior Vice President of the university.
Later life
Livingston has been the President of both the Southern Political Science Association and the Southwestern Social Science Association, and for four years he was the chief editor for The Journal of Politics. From 1980 until 1982 he was the National President of the political science honor society, Pi Sigma AlphaPi sigma alpha
Pi Sigma Alpha , the National Political Science Honor Society, is the only honor society for college and university students of political science in the United States. Its purpose is to recognize and promote high academic achievement in the field of political science...
. Livingston has won several university-based awards, including the Pro Bene Meritis Award from the College of Liberal Arts (1992) and the Award of Distinction from the Parent's Association (1994), and was recognized as a University Distinguished Educator by the Ex-Students' Association, followed by the second "Distinguish Service Award" in the organization's history. The Conference of Southern Graduate Schools honored his "Distinguished Service to Graduate Education" in 1995, which was followed a year later by the Texas Association of Graduate Schools' President’s Award for Distinguished Service. In 2005 he received a Presidential Citation for "extraordinary contributions to The University of Texas at Austin." On September 2, 2006, he received the American Political Science Association
American Political Science Association
The American Political Science Association is a professional association of political science students and scholars in the United States. Founded in 1903, it publishes three academic journals...
's Daniel Elazar
Daniel J. Elazar
Daniel Judah Elazar was a professor of political science at Bar-Ilan University and Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and the founder and president of the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs.-Biography:...
Award for his work on federalism
Federalism
Federalism is a political concept in which a group of members are bound together by covenant with a governing representative head. The term "federalism" is also used to describe a system of the government in which sovereignty is constitutionally divided between a central governing authority and...
and intergovernmental relations, an organization on whose council he had served twice.
Livingston's successor, Robert M. Berdahl
Robert M. Berdahl
Robert M. Berdahl is an American historian, author and university administrator. He was chancellor of the University of California, Berkeley from 1997 to 2004, and became president of the Association of American Universities from May 2006 to June 2011.-External links:*...
, referred to him as "the conscience, the soul, the memory, the wit, and the wise elder statesman" of the University of Texas. Since 2004, the William S. Livingston Outstanding Graduate Student Academic Employee Award has recognized "outstanding performance by graduate student academic employees." Livingston retired from the University of Texas on August 31, 2007 at the age of 87.