William Samuel Carlson (November 18, 1905 – May 8, 1994) was a 20th-century academic administrator who served as president of four universities. Carlson was born in Ironwood, Michigan and earned bachelor's (1930), master's (1932) and Ph.D. (1938) degrees from the University of Michigan. Carlson participated in the University of Michigan Greenland Expedition of 1928–1929 and led the fourth University of Michigan Greenland Expedition in 1930–1931. After completing his education, he joined the University of Minnesota as an assistant professor of education, eventually becoming a full professor and dean of admissions and records. He served in the Air Force during the Second World War, building air bases in Canada, Greenland, and Iceland for transport to Britain. After the war, he assumed the presidencies of the University of Delaware, the University of Vermont, and the

State University of New York The State University of New York (SUNY, , ) is a system of public colleges and universities in the State of New York. It is one of the largest comprehensive system of universities, colleges, and community colleges in the United States. Led by c ...

in rapid succession. He undertook his longest Presidency at the University of Toledo, from which he retired after 14 years. Carlson succumbed to lung cancer in

Belleair Bluffs, Florida Belleair Bluffs is a city in Pinellas County, Florida, United States. The population was 2,031 at the 2010 census. Geography Belleair Bluffs is located at . According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which ...

. The main library on the University of Toledo campus is named after him.

Selected works

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References

External links

''Northern Lights'' Manuscript
at Dartmouth College Library {{DEFAULTSORT:Carlson, William S. 1905 births 1994 deaths People from Ironwood, Michigan Chancellors of the State University of New York Presidents of the University of Delaware University of Michigan alumni University of Minnesota faculty Presidents of the University of Toledo Presidents of the University of Vermont United States Army Air Forces personnel of World War II 20th-century American academics