Distinguished Alumni
Elliott T. Bowers
Awarded 1976
Achievement within his field - the respect of those who work with him-service to Sam Houston State University. These are the distinctions that mark Dr. Elliott T. Bowers, Sam Houston president, as a Distinguished Alumnus.
Anyone who has had anything to do with Sam Houston State University in the last 40 years will know Elliott Toulmin Bowers. In those 40 years he has dedicated his life to Sam Houston as a student, a dean, a vice president as acting president twice, and since 1970, as president.
His field is education, and his greatest achievement within it that of being named president of Sam Houston State University in October, 1970. His formal inauguration was in April, 1971.
The respect of those who work with him has been obvious, especially since that inauguration. His work until that time and his potential for achievement as president were praised by many, from the governor's office, the Sam Houston board of regents, state senators and representatives, and the president of the Sam Houston Alumni Association.
He is known to students, faculty and staff and alumni for his sincere interest in their special problems, large or small. He is al ways available, within the limits of an especially busy schedule. Of all the distinctions, it is his service to Sam Houston which has marked his career. His jobs at Sam Houston have included Director of the Student Union. Director of Testing and Guidance. Assoc. Dean of Students, Acting President, Vice President, Vice President for University Affairs, and Dean of Students.
It has been his achievements since be coming president that are especially noteworthy, however. These have come primarily in the areas of upgrading faculty credentials, stemming the decline of student enrollment, and improvement of facilities. In 1970 less than half of the faculty held
earned doctorates. In the fall of 1976 three out of every four hold that qualification which is so highly valued by accrediting agencies. Progress has been made in enrollment. In the fall of 1970 there were 10,025 students registered for classes at Sam Houston, but education in the United States was changing. Enrollments at many four year institutions were falling and the supply of potential students was decreasing.
Sam Houston had a special set of difficult circumstances to overcome, with neighboring Texas A&M accepting female students for the first time and economic conditions forcing larger numbers of students from Sam Houston's prime recruiting area to at tend many of the new community colleges. Still, with increased attention to academic excellence and relevance of academic offerings, with the establishment of an Office of Student Development and with the help of faculty, staff, and alumni, the 1976 fall enrollment will be near 10,500 when final figuresare in. The total number of students attending Sam Houston classes, on campus by correspondence, and through extension courses in a number of Texas cities, has remained about the same or the last five years. The special achievement however, has come in the enrollment of full time students. At one time the number of full time students was dropping sharply, and was seriously affecting state funding, which is based not on total head count but number of semester credit hours taught.
In the last two years, however, this de cline in full time students has been re versed. This fall alone there was an in crease of 3,444 semester hours, or the equivalent of 230 full time students.
In the last two years the sidewalks of Sam Houston have taken on a healthy, somewhat crowded look during peak period class changes. In order to keep pace with this growth-indeed to catch up with facilities needed because of the rapid growth of the late 1960s-Bowers initiated the largest single and concurrent construction program in the history of Sam Houston. Total cost of the new construction, which is being completed this fall, is $19.1million. It has increased the value of the 105 buildings and their equipment by 50 percent and added 50 percent to classroom and instructional area.
The April 23,1971 issue of The Houstonian, the Sam Houston student newspaper, was a special supplement devoted to Bowers' inauguration as president. A story on the University's eight previous presidents concluded: "And now Dr. Elliott Bowers will officially become the new president and will accept the responsibility of this position and the challenge of the school motto - The measure of a life is its service.'"
It is obvious from his work in the past five years that Dr. Bowers is making excellent progress in responding to that challenge. It is also obvious that he is an excellent selection for the award of Distinguished Alumnus for 1976.