Charles Franklin Phillips (May 25, 1910 – March 3, 1998) was an American economist who served as the fourth President of Bates College from March 1944 to November 1967. Previous to his assumption of the Bates presidency, he was the deputy administrator of the U.S.

Office of Price Administration The Office of Price Administration (OPA) was established within the Office for Emergency Management of the United States government by Executive Order 8875 on August 28, 1941. The functions of the OPA were originally to control money (price contr ...

from March 1937 to July 1941. Upon being elected the youngest president in Bates history at 34, he increased the student body to 1,004, created the college's study-abroad program, and added $5 million to the endowment, more than quadrupling it. At his death he left $9 million to the college in his

will and testament A will or testament is a legal document that expresses a person's (testator) wishes as to how their property ( estate) is to be distributed after their death and as to which person ( executor) is to manage the property until its final distributi ...

. He was known for employing economic principles of

competition Competition is a rivalry where two or more parties strive for a common goal which cannot be shared: where one's gain is the other's loss (an example of which is a zero-sum game). Competition can arise between entities such as organisms, indiv ...

and market share when dealing with students which ultimately lead him to be successful institutionally but unpopular with students.

Early life and career

Phillips was born in Nelson,

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...

on May 25, 1910. He went on to earn a bachelor's degree in economics from Colgate University and a Ph.D. from

Harvard University Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636 as Harvard College and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of high ...

. Phillips then went on to teach, research, and write as an economics professor at Colgate. He served as the deputy administrator in the United States Office of Price Administration and Civilian Supplies from March 10, 1937, to July 1, 1941. He was a full professor at Colgate and a leading economist before coming to Bates. At age 34, Phillips became the fourth president of

Bates College Bates College () is a private liberal arts college in Lewiston, Maine. Anchored by the Historic Quad, the campus of Bates totals with a small urban campus which includes 33 Victorian Houses as some of the dormitories. It maintains of nature p ...

, on March 1, 1944. As president, Phillips initiated the core study program and 3/4 option allowing students to graduate in three years. He also initiated the study abroad program, oversaw the construction of many new buildings at Bates, and had the college's observatory demolished. He is known for initiating the Bates academic program of Education, championing the most traditional strength of the Bates: the liberal arts which featured a core curriculum of liberal arts. He also championed "3/4 option," permitting a three-year degree from Bates. Phillips expanded the campus with the additions of Memorial Commons (now known as Chase Hall), Health Center, Dana Chemistry Hall, Lane Hall, Page Hall, and Schaeffer Theater.

Death and legacy

Charles Franklin Phillips died on March 3, 1998, in Auburn, Maine. Upon his death, he and his wife, Evelyn, left $9,000,000 to Bates in his will and testament. This bequest was used to fund the Phillips Fellowships, which are granted to students for research abroad. Phillip's donation is believed to be the largest bequest by an American college president to a college that he did not attend.

Early life and career

Death and legacy

See also

References

Further reading