Charles N. Sims (May 18, 1835 – March 27, 1908) was an American Methodist preacher and the third chancellor of

Syracuse University Syracuse University (informally 'Cuse or SU) is a Private university, private research university in Syracuse, New York. Established in 1870 with roots in the Methodist Episcopal Church, the university has been nonsectarian since 1920. Locate ...

, serving from 1881 to 1893. Sims Hall and Sims drive on the Syracuse campus is named for him.

Early life

Sims was born in Fairfield, Indiana in 1835. He graduated in 1859 from Indiana Ashbury University and received a Masters of Arts degree from there in 1861. Sims served as the first president of

Valparaiso Male and Female College Valparaiso University (Valpo) is a private university in Valparaiso, Indiana. It is a Lutheran university with about 3,000 students from over 50 countries on a campus of . Originally named Valparaiso Male and Female College, Valparaiso Universi ...

for two years starting in 1860 before resigning to become a minister. He was granted a

Doctor of Divinity A Doctor of Divinity (D.D. or DDiv; la, Doctor Divinitatis) is the holder of an advanced academic degree in divinity. In the United Kingdom, it is considered an advanced doctoral degree. At the University of Oxford, doctors of divinity are ran ...

degree from Ashbury in 1871. In addition, he received an honorary M. A. from

Ohio Wesleyan University Ohio Wesleyan University (OWU) is a private liberal arts college in Delaware, Ohio. It was founded in 1842 by methodist leaders and Central Ohio residents as a nonsectarian institution, and is a member of the Ohio Five – a consortium ...

(1860) and an honorary

LL. D. A Doctor of Law is a degree in law. The application of the term varies from country to country and includes degrees such as the Doctor of Juridical Science (J.S.D. or S.J.D), Juris Doctor (J.D.), Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), and Legum Doctor (L ...

from Ashbury (1882).

Chancellor of Syracuse University

After serving as a minister at various institutions, such as the Summerfield Methodist Church of Brooklyn, Sims was approached to become chancellor of Syracuse University in 1881. During his tenure, Sims pushed for the university to pay off debts, establish endowments, and expand the university with new buildings. Holden Observatory was the first building completed under Sims' building fund, and Sims likewise oversaw the construction of the

John Crouse Memorial College for Women Crouse College, also known as Crouse Memorial College and historically as John Crouse Memorial College for Women, is a building on the Syracuse University campus. It was funded by John R. Crouse, a wealthy Syracuse merchant (principal donation) wi ...

(now Crouse College). He was supportive of the

Syracuse Orangemen football The Syracuse Orange football team represents Syracuse University in the sport of American football. The Orange compete in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and the Atlantic Division of th ...

, who played their first game during his presidency in 1889. He retired as chancellor in 1893.

Later life

Sims returned to Indiana following his retirement. After a few years, he moved once again to Syracuse to become minister of the First Methodist Church. He was made a trustee of the university in 1903. After a final retirement, he returned to Indiana and died in 1908.

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