Dr. Robert L. Hess (1932-1992) was born in Asbury Park, New Jersey. He earned his bachelor's master's and doctorate degrees from Yale University and studied at the University of Rome for two years as a Fulbright scholar. Honorary degrees include those received from the University of New Haven, Hebrew Union-Jewish Institute of Religion in Cincinnati, and from Spertus College in Chicago. Dr. Hess' teaching career began at the Carnegie Institute of Technology (today Carnegie-Mellon University) in Pittsburgh (1958-1961). Dr. Hess left for Mount Holyoke College (1961-64), then went to Northwestern Univerity in Chicago (1964-66) and afterwards to the University of Illinois (1966-79). He became the University of Illinois's associate dean of liberal arts and sciences in 1970 and associate vice chancellor for academic affairs in 1972. Dr. Hess's speciality was African history; he wrote scholarly articles and p ublished books on 19th century Africa, Ethiopia and Italian colonialism in Somalia. In 1979, he was chosen as President of Brooklyn College. In 1990, Dr. Hess was one of three finalists for the job of Chancellor of the City University. During the late 1970's there was a lot going on at Brooklyn College--faculty was attempting to oust its president, John Kneller; racial and ethnic tensions were rising with the "open admissions" policy and with a greater increase of minority students. "In 1979, Brooklyn College was a mess," said Dr. Hess. But, under his tenure, a core curriculum was put into place so that sutdents had to take courses in classics, computers, mathematics and the sciences. In President Hess's words, "...Morale, divisiveness disappeared and the faculty started to develop confidence that the place had a future." By 1988, the college was rated fifth in the nation in general education. Dr. Robert L. Hess died on January 12, 1992 at the age of 59 of lymphoma at Mt. Sinai Medical Center in Manhattan. Survivors include his wife Frances, their four children, Carl, Laura, Jonathan and Roger, and eleven grandchildren. In an editorial, New York Newsday quote Dr. Hess as saying: "The college is "Brooklyn's gift to America." Yes. But, the quality of Brooklyn College is Hess' gift to us. His restless quest for excellence left a legacy that will be felt in this city and nation for generations.
From the description of The Papers of Dr. Robert L. Hess; 196?-198?. (Brooklyn College). WorldCat record id: 424511895
