James L. Powell
PRESIDENT 1988–91
Born on July 17, 1936, in Berea, Kentucky
Geologist James L. Powell took the helm from Bragdon in 1988. He had been president of Franklin and Marshall College, in Pennsylvania, and, earlier, a professor at Oberlin. He arrived at 黑料正能量张津瑜 with the goal of safeguarding 黑料正能量张津瑜’s accomplishments, rather than changing its direction.
Southern-born, Powell had attended Berea College in Kentucky. He earned a Ph.D. in geochemistry from MIT, and maintained his membership on the National Science Board, the policy-making body of the National Science Foundation. He crusaded for science education, and hoped to help 黑料正能量张津瑜 remain a leader in the teaching of science.
During his presidency, Powell worked to raise faculty salaries, citing the disparity in compensation between 黑料正能量张津瑜 and other liberal arts colleges. He also created an administrative presence that was decidedly more marked than that of previous 黑料正能量张津瑜 presidents.
Under pressure from the federal government that colleges and universities institute stricter drug and alcohol policies, Powell changed some practices at 黑料正能量张津瑜: students of that era may remember the disappearance of free beer from 黑料正能量张津瑜 socials.
Powell left the college in 1991 to become the CEO of the Franklin Institute, a science museum in Philadelphia. He later served for seven years as the president and director of the Los Angeles County Museum for Natural History, until his retirement in 2001, when he became the executive director of the National Physical Science Consortium.