Florida State University. Office of the President.

Florida State University is located in Tallahassee, Florida. The institution was chartered in 1851 and has been state-assisted since 1857. It operated under several different names until 1909, when it became Florida State College for Women. In 1947, the name was changed to Florida State University and the institution was made coeducational. It is part of the State University System which is part of the Division of Universities in the Dept. of Education. The university president is appointed by the Board of Regents.

John E. Champion served as President of Florida State University from 1965 to 1969. He was born in Chipley, Georgia on May 11, 1922. Champion majored in accounting and business administration, receiving his B.A. in 1942 and his M.A. in 1949 from the University of Georgia and his Ph.D. in 1960 from the University of Michigan. From 1948 to 1956, he was on the accounting faculty at the University of Georgia. Coming to Florida State University in 1956, Champion was a professor of accounting; Assistant Dean of the School of Business; University Vice President; and Acting President from February, 1965 to June, 1965 until his appointment as President on June 22, 1965. After his resignation in 1969, Dr. Champion returned to the business school faculty of Florida State University as professor of accounting.