In the McCallum Ballroom at the Bryan Campus Life Center today, in front of students, faculty, alumni, and stakeholders, Dr. Marjorie Hass was named the 20th — and first woman — president of Rhodes College.
Hass is currently president of Austin College and the chair of the Board of the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities.
The search for a new president of the 168-year-old institution comprised a committee of 12 and included students and faculty who, along with a national search firm, heard from more than a hundred applicants from inside and outside of academia.
Dr. Cary Fowler, co-chair of the search, in announcing Hass, said the search committee praised her as being, “Smart, strong, warm, engaging, and energetic . . . a force of nature.”
Outgoing president Dr. Bill Troutt took the podium to say, “You have chosen well.” And, to his successor, “You are going to love Rhodes College.”
In acknowledgment to Troutt, she said, “As president, my job is to move Rhodes from a position of strength to strength.”
Hass began her teaching career at Muhlenberg College in Allentown, Pennsylvania. She rose through the ranks to become a tenured full professor of philosophy and director of the Center for Ethics prior to being appointed Provost of the College. Her scholarship and teaching focus on issues in philosophy of language and philosophy of logic. Hass earned her B.A., M.A., and Ph.D. in Philosophy at the University of Illinois, Urbana‐Champaign.
Since 2009, Hass has led Austin College in Sherman, Texas, strengthening the institution’s foundation of success, promoting a culture of academic excellence, and emphasizing its commitment to educational access for students regardless of financial background. She led two comprehensive strategic planning processes and oversaw implementation of key initiatives including the creation of a Center for Community and Regional Development; the establishment of a task force on sexual assault to guide efforts to ensure a safe and supportive campus; and the creation of a task force to formulate a comprehensive faculty compensation, philosophy and strategy.
Following the 2009 market crash, Hass both stabilized the College’s budget and grew the endowment significantly. Placing a priority on creating access to quality higher education for qualified students regardless of economic resources, the College experienced increases in both first-generation and Pell Grant-eligible students. Under her leadership, applications nearly doubled, selectivity increased by 20 points, and first-to-second year retention increased by 9 percent.
As chair of the Board of Directors of the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities, Hass is a nationally recognized spokesperson for the value of a liberal arts education. Engaged with higher education issues beyond her own campus, Hass recently completed her term on the board of the Council for Independent Colleges. She was a presidential sponsor for the Texas Women in Higher Education conference and was very active in the Independent Colleges and Universities of Texas. She also serves on the Texoma Medical Center Board of Directors and the Board of Trustees of The Hockaday School in Dallas.
Her husband, Lawrence Hass, is a professor of humanities at Austin College and an accomplished sleight-of-hand magician. The couple has two children, Cameron and Jessica.
“As Rhodes College approaches its bicentennial, the board strongly believes that Dr. Hass brings the right mix of passion, experience, and student-centeredness that will enable her to position Rhodes as a leader in the liberal arts and sciences, expand on our relationship with the City of Memphis, work closely with the board to manage the College effectively and develop a strategic plan for its continued growth; and continue to foster a diverse, welcoming, and inclusive environment,” said Board of Trustees Chair William J. Michaelcheck.
Hass told the assembled crowd and those watching via live stream, “It sounds clichéd, but from the bottom of my heart I am honored and humbled to be the next president of Rhodes College.”
