VI. An Overview from Past and Present

Lehigh University is independent, nondenominational, and coeducational.

Founded in 1865 as a predominantly technical four-year school, the university now has approximately 4,650 undergraduates within its three major units - the College of Arts and Sciences, the College of Business and Economics, and the College of Engineering and Applied Science - and approximately 2,000 students enrolled in graduate programs offered through the graduate schools in these colleges and in the College of Education. There are undergraduates from nearly every state and U.S. territory and more than 40 foreign nations.

The university is primarily situated on the Asa Packer Campus on the north slope of South Mountain overlooking Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Sayre Park, the wooded refuge located toward the top of the mountain, is the setting for many living groups. The residences are reached via winding private roads. Many residential units on campus command a panoramic view of the Lehigh Valley. The Appalachians are visible to the west, with an especially good view from The Lookout on the Packer Campus. Both the tower and dining room in Iacocca Hall on the Mountaintop Campus afford panoramic views of the Lehigh Valley. The campus at its highest point is 971 feet above sea level.

A substantial portion of the upper level of Lehigh's campus is maintained as a nature preserve. The preserve supports deer, squirrels, chipmunks, raccoons, wild turkeys and other birds.

Besides the Asa Packer Campus, the university has extensive athletic fields and facilities on the Murray H. Goodman Campus, two miles to the south in Saucon Valley. The university acquired the Mountaintop Campus at the end of 1986. It links the Asa Packer and Murray H. Goodman campuses and brings total land holdings in Bethlehem to 1,600 acres, nearly double the former total.

The board of trustees and university officers have established and enforce policies designed to preserve Lehigh's natural beauty. It is their contention that the environment in which the young adult university student pursues knowledge can make the total educational experience more meaningful, and that the ideal environment is separate and unique from the distractions of the nonacademic community.

There are approximately 400 members of the faculty, teaching a total of more than 2,000 course titles (not all of which are offered every semester). Among faculty members who are tenured and to whom the university has a permanent commitment, nearly all hold the doctorate degree (typically Ph.D. or Sc.D.).

In total, there are more than 2,000 employees of the university, making it the second-largest employer in the community.

History and Purpose

The principal author of the brief history of Lehigh University that follows, Dr. W. Ross Yates, holds the bachelor of arts and master of arts degrees from the University of Oregon, in his native state. He received the doctor of philosophy degree from Yale University and studied in France on a Fulbright Scholarship. He joined the Lehigh staff in 1955 and served as dean of the College of Arts and Science from 1963 to 1972. Today he is professor emeritus of government, and lives in Oregon.

When the sound of the last cannon of the Civil War died away, statesmen, educators, and industrial pioneers marshalled the victorious forces of the North and turned their attention to education. They wanted to increase the number of trained scientists, engineers, and other skilled people so they could transform the vast natural resources of the country into a strong and independent national economy.

Asa Packer was one of the industrial pioneers. He built the Lehigh Valley Railroad and controlled a coal-mining empire in the mountains of eastern Pennsylvania. He knew, as did many others, that a strong national economy depended on more than technical skills. It needed above all people broadly educated in the liberal arts and sciences-people who could combine practical skills with informed judgments and strong moral self-discipline. He kept this in mind when founding and endowing Lehigh University.

The site that Packer chose for his university was a railroad junction across the Lehigh River from Bethlehem, a community founded in 1741 by Moravian missionaries. William Bacon Stevens, Episcopal bishop of the Diocese of Pennsylvania and the first president of the university's board of trustees, in 1869 described the origin of the university as follows:

"In the fall of 1864 an interview was requested of me by the Hon. Asa Packer, of Mauch Chunk (now Jim Thorpe), Pa. He came to my house in Philadelphia, and said that he had long contemplated doing something for the benefit of his State, and especially of the Lehigh Valley. From that valley he said he had derived much of the wealth which GOD had given to him, and to the best interests of that valley he wished to devote a portion of it in the founding of some educational institution, for the intellectual and moral improvement of the young men of that region.

"After conversing with him a little while, and drawing out his large and liberal views, I asked him how much money he purposed to set aside for this institution, when he quietly answered that he deigned to give $500,000. At the time of this interview no one in this country, it is believed, had offered in a single sum such an endowment for a literary institution. It was the noblest offering which an American had ever laid on the altar of learning, and more than equaled many royal donations which have carried down the names of kings as patrons of European universities.

"Filled with profound emotions at the mention of such a gift for such an object, I asked the noble donor what specific plans he had dreamed in his own mind in reference to it. His reply was, "I am not much acquainted with these matters, but you are, and I want you if you will to devise a plan which I can put into effective operation.' I told him that I would make the attempt. I did so. I drew up the outline sketch of such an institution as I thought would give the largest results for the means used, and submitted it in a few weeks to his inspection.

"He examined it with the practical judgment and business habits with which he deals with all great questions, and adopted the scheme as the basis of his future university.

"The first meeting of the Board of Trustees, selected by Judge Packer, met at the "Sun Hotel," in Bethlehem, July 27th, 1865, and began to organize the work before them."

The trustees followed several principles in setting up the university. One was that of combining scientific and classical education. They considered both to be practical. The principle carried forward an ideal of the great 17th-Century Moravian educator, John Amos Comenius. A motto taken from the works of Francis Bacon was used to summarize this principle, namely, Homo minister et interpres naturae-man, the servant and interpreter of nature, to use a free translation. That motto lives on at Lehigh, being an element in the university seal.

The trustees chose as first president a man whose education and habits expressed this principle, Henry Coppee. They established five schools, including a school of general literature in addition to four scientific schools of, respectively, civil engineering, mechanical engineering, mining and metallurgy, and analytical chemistry.

Another principle upon which the trustees insisted was that of keeping the size of the student body proportionate to the abilities of the faculty to teach them well. The university would admit only as many freshmen each year as it could be assured of providing with the highest quality of education. In the 19th century the total enrollment never exceeded several hundred students; the size has increased significantly in recent decades, along with the number of faculty members.

The trustees also insisted that Lehigh was to be nondenominational and would have an admission policy based on merit. Competitive examinations were held for applicants for admission. From 1871 to 1891 no tuition was charged, but the national financial crisis at the turn of the century decimated the value of the Lehigh Valley Railroad stock that Packer had given to Lehigh, which was the principal source of income.

At first the student body was entirely male. The contemporary ideological climate would permit nothing else. But around 1916, women were admitted to graduate programs. In 1971, the university opened its undergraduate program to them as well. Today men and women applicants are considered on an equal basis.

From the first, the students were serious-minded. In 1924, Catherine Drinker Bowen, daughter of president Drinker and later a famous biographer, published a brief History of Lehigh University, in which she commented:

"Ask any college professor which brand of boy he would prefer to teach, the cigarette brand or the flannel shirt variety. Right here we offer ten to one the flannel shirts...Lehigh still holds to the emblem of the flannel shirt-long may it wave! Engineers come to college to work. A writer in the Syracuse Post in 1895 spoke truthfully when he said, 'From the first, Lehigh's characteristic has been her earnestness. It is the boast of her graduates, the inspiration of her students. Men go there to learn to take a useful part in the economy of life.' "

The university community was constantly infused with new faculty and students determined to renew and rework the original principles in the light of changing times. The students' ambition and zeal bore fruit; as alumni they carried the university's educational goals into the work of nation-building. And, having received, they gave to perpetuate Lehigh's work of service.

Today, Lehigh University still adheres to Asa Packer's goal of a liberal and scientific education for practical service. Faculty and students work to maintain high quality in instructional programs. Generous support from individuals, foundations, industry, and government help Lehigh to retain high quality of education and faculty while keeping tuition as low as possible. (Tuition covers only a part of the cost of a Lehigh education.)

Presidents of the University

The presidents of Lehigh University are described and their achievements cited in the following paragraphs. The years in parentheses are those served in the presidency.

Henry Coppee (1866-1875). Coppee served as a railroad engineer in Georgia, a captain in the Army during the Mexican War, and taught at West Point and at the University of Pennsylvania before becoming first president in 1866.

Much building was done on the new university campus. A Moravian church on Packer Avenue was remodeled into Christmas Hall; a house for the president was erected on campus; and Packer Hall, the university center, was built.

Coppee lectured in history, logic, rhetoric, political economy, and Shakespeare.

John McDowell Leavitt (1875-1880). Leavitt was an Episcopal clergyman who graduated from Jefferson College and taught at Kenyon College and Ohio University. During his incumbency, the university was divided into two schools, General Literature and Technology. As of 1876, a student could receive two engineering degrees by taking a longer course, and beginning in 1877 the master of arts, doctor of philosophy, and doctor of science degrees were established.

Linderman Library rotunda was completed in 1877. Asa Packer died in May, 1879, and Founder's Day was held in his honor the following October.

Robert Alexander Lamberton (1880-1893). Lamberton, a graduate of Dickinson College, practiced law in Harrisburg, Pa., and was a university trustee when asked to become president. During his administration, students and the community witnessed the first Mustard and Cheese dramatic presentation.

A gymnasium (now Coppee Hall) was erected, and Chandler Chemistry Laboratory was built, now known as Chandler-Ullmann Hall. Lehigh was also building its reputation for academic excellence; the mechanical engineering department was established in 1881 and the Lehigh chapter of Phi Beta Kappa was founded in 1887.

Thomas Messinger Drown (1895-1904). Drown studied medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and went abroad to study chemistry. Thereafter he was professor of chemistry at Lafayette College. In 1895 he assumed the presidency of Lehigh and was greatly interested in furthering the university's development as a technical school.

His first years were difficult ones because the Panic of 1893 decimated the university's stock holdings in the Lehigh Valley Railroad. Nevertheless, Lehigh managed to grow in enrollment, academics, and in physical plant. Williams Hall was completed. The curriculum leading to a degree in arts and engineering was established, as was the department of zoology and biology. New curricula were adopted in metallurgical engineering, geology, and physics.

Drown died in office in 1904. Professor William H. Chandler became acting president.

Henry Sturgis Drinker (1905-1920). Drinker, an 1871 Lehigh graduate, was the only university alumnus ever to become president. In 1907, the alumni endowment fund began, the Lehigh Alumni Bulletin was first published in 1913, and the Alumni Association was incorporated in 1917.

Drinker, besides being a lawyer, was a mechanical engineer and had been largely instrumental in solving the problems of constructing the two-mile-long Musconetcong Tunnel, an engineering feat that made possible a railroad line between Easton, Pa., and New York City. He started a tradition of businesslike management of university affairs.

During Drinker's years, more buildings were completed: the original section of Fritz Engineering Laboratory, Drown Hall, Coxe Mining Laboratory, Taylor Hall, Taylor Gymnasium and Field House, Taylor Stadium and Lamberton Hall. Drinker's interest in horticulture led to the planting of many rare trees and plants.

A teacher's course and business administration course were begun in 1909 and in 1918 the university was divided into three colleges, liberal arts, business administration, and engineering-the roots of colleges of today. Army ROTC was established in 1919.

Drinker's daughter, Catherine Drinker Bowen, went on to become a historical writer of note. Her experiences as the daughter of a Lehigh president and occupant of the President's House are recorded in Family Portrait (Atlantic Little-Brown).

Drinker resigned in 1920 and Natt M. Emery, vice president, served as chief executive officer until 1922.

Charles Russ Richards (1922-1935). Richards took office in 1922. During his presidency, the first graduate degrees were awarded to women. Lehigh faced a shortage of students from 1929 to 1936 as a result of the Depression, but the newly established office of admission, as well as university scholarships, fellowships, and deferred tuition payments, helped to ease the shortage.

Changing concepts of education were evident in several newly organized academic offerings: philosophy, music, psychology, journalism, history, and fine arts. The majors system was instituted as were the senior comprehensive examinations in the Arts College. The placement bureau, a public relations office, and a student health service were organized.

The Alumni Memorial Building-a memorial to the Lehigh alumni who served in World War I was opened in 1925-and Packard Laboratory was completed in 1929. In the same decade, a major addition to Linderman Library also was completed.

Clement C. Williams (1935-1944). Williams, a civil engineer, was president during an era of unprecedented alumni support. Undergraduate enrollment rose to an all-time high, passing 2,000 in 1938. Richards and Drinker residential houses, and the Ullmann wing adjoining the Chandler Chemistry Laboratory, were built. Grace Hall, the first arena-type facility of any size on campus, was completed in 1940, the gift of Eugene G. Grace, an 1899 graduate, who headed the board of trustees. A Graduate School implemented the programs in the three colleges. Williams retired in 1944, and the university was without a president for approximately two years.

Martin Dewey Whitaker (1946-1960). Dr. Whitaker, who had been director of the Atomic Energy Commission Laboratory at Oak Ridge, Tenn., and had worked in developing the atomic bomb, faced the responsibility of helping the university community readjust to peacetime conditions after World War II.

During his time as president, Lehigh's assets nearly tripled; the endowment more than doubled to $18 million. Many buildings were renovated, and the Dravo House and McClintic-Marshall House residence halls were built. The faculty increased in number by 75 percent and the first endowed distinguished professorships were established.

The Centennial development program was begun in 1959. It raised more than $22 million for faculty salaries and construction that later included Whitaker Laboratory.

An extensive renovation and enlargement project associated with Packer Hall was undertaken in 1957, and, upon completion in 1958, the building became a university center.

Whitaker died in office.

Harvey A. Neville (1961-1964). Dr. Neville was the only faculty member ever elected president. His association with the university began in 1927 as an assistant professor of chemistry. During his three-year term as president, the first phase of the Saucon Valley athletic complex was completed, and Sayre Field was opened atop South Mountain. The Center for Information and Computing Science was established.

Neville, a strong supporter of research who fostered its growth on the campus, died in 1983.

Deming Lewis (1964-1982). Willard Deming Lewis became Lehigh's 10th president after a distinguished career as a space engineer and research administrator.

Dr. Lewis earned three degrees at Harvard and two from England's Oxford University, where he was a Rhodes Scholar in advanced mathematics. In 1941, he joined Bell Telephone Laboratories, and in 1962 he became general manager of systems development with Bellcomm Inc., which engineered systems for the Apollo project that placed the first man on the moon.

Lewis, who died in 1989, received 33 U.S. patents on such devices as microwave antennas and filter and digital error detection systems. He helped write the equations describing a stylus sliding through a warped groove.

During Lewis' tenure as Lehigh president, women were admitted as undergraduate students in 1971. New majors were begun in natural science, biology, social relations, geological sciences, environmental science and resource management, religion studies, computer engineering, computing and information science, applied mathematics, management science, American studies and other fields. Six research centers and seven institutes were established.

Capital campaigns brought in more than $130 million, and construction was completed on Maginnes Hall, Whitaker Lab, Mart Science and Engineering Library, Sinclair Lab, the Seeley G. Mudd Building, Neville Hall, Rathbone Hall dining room, 13 fraternity houses, the Centennial I and Centennial II residential complexes, the Brodhead House residence hall, the Trembley Park student apartments, the Saucon Village Apartments, the Philip Rauch Field House and the Stabler Athletic and Convocation Center. The restoration of Packer Memorial Church was completed, and Packard Lab was renovated.

The original Physics Laboratory is now named in Lewis's honor, as is the indoor tennis center.

Peter Likins (1982-1997). Dr. Likins, who earned a B.S. and Ph.D. from Stanford, and an M.S. from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, became Lehigh's 11th president in 1982. He sought balanced excellence in undergraduate programs while pursuing focused objectives in graduate study and research.

Under Likins, Lehigh doubled in size with the purchase in 1986 of 742 acres of land and a research complex from Bethlehem Steel Corp. The new Mountaintop Campus links the Asa Packer and Goodman campuses.

Lehigh also added many new buildings and facilities. Perhaps most notable was the $33-million Zoellner Arts Center, which provided a new home to Lehigh's departments of music and theatre and to the University Art Galleries, and made Lehigh a center for the fine arts. The Arts Center and the new Rauch Business Center, home of the College of Business and Economics, were built on the site of Taylor Stadium, which was replaced by Goodman Stadium on Lehigh's athletic campus.

Also during Likins' term, Lehigh built a $20-million, state-of-the-art telecommunications system, the E.W. Fairchild-Martindale Library and Computing Center - one of the most automated libraries anywhere - and the Harold S. Mohler Lab, which honors the former chairman of the board of trustees.

Also dedicated was the Sherman Fairchild Center for the Physical Sciences, which includes the renovated Physics Building (renamed Lewis Lab), and the adjoining Sherman Fairchild Lab.

Lehigh became home to the North East Tier Ben Franklin Advanced Technology Center, which has helped hundreds of new high-technology businesses get started. And the university led the way in establishing the Colonial League, now the Patriot League, in football. The league is committed to the Lehigh tradition of "scholar-athletes."

Financial support grew from $10 million a year to over $24 million. With over half of alumni making gifts, Lehigh ranked among the top Ph.D.-granting schools in percentage of alumni donors.

Likins' term also saw the establishment of the Lehigh Valley Center for Jewish Studies at Lehigh, the Center for Advanced Technology for Large Structural Systems, largest of its kind in North America, and centers in integrated circuits, management studies, chemical process modeling and control, and international studies.

Likins, an expert in spacecraft dynamics and control who has written textbooks in engineering mechanics, was one of 13 science advisers to President George Bush. He came to Lehigh after serving as dean of engineering and provost at Columbia, and left to become president of the University of Arizona.

William C. Hittinger (1997-98). A former chairman of the university's board of trustees, Hittinger became interim president after the departure of Peter Likins. A member of the National Academy of Engineering, Hittinger served for 22 years on the board of trustees. He graduated from Lehigh in 1944 with a B.S. in metallurgical engineering, and received an honorary Doctor of Engineering degree from Lehigh in 1973.

Over a 40-year career in the electronics industry, Hittinger worked for Western Electric Co., National Union Radio Corp., Bell Telephone Laboratories, Bellcomm Inc., General Instrument Corp., and RCA Corp. At Bellcomm, he oversaw systems engineering for NASA's manned spaceflight program, and at RCA, where he became executive vice president, he was responsible for corporate technology, patents, licensing, international business and marketing development, and corporate technology planning.

Hittinger was a member of President Reagan's National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee from 1982-86. He was also a member of the U.S.-Brazil Presidential Committee on Science and Technology and a member of the board of directors for eight companies.

Hittinger served as national president of the Lehigh Alumni Association 1971-72 and received the prestigious L-in-Life award in 1979. An ROTC student at Lehigh, Hittinger served in the U.S. Army in 1943-46 during World War II, rising to the rank of captain.

During Hittinger's term as chairman of the board of trustees, Lehigh began construction of the Zoellner Arts Center, completed the Ulrich Student Center, aggressively improved its financial aid for undergraduates, and completed the $300 million Campaign for Preserving The Vision. As president, Hittinger realigned the Iacocca Institute into the College of Business and Economics, oversaw the construction of the new Sayre Park Village residential complex, and helped Lehigh move forward during a time of presidential transition.

Gregory C. Farrington (1998-2006). Dr. Farrington was appointed Lehigh's 12th president in May 1998 and served the university for eight years before stepping down in June 2006. Proclaiming on many occasions that "the only thing good enough for Lehigh is the best," Farrington promoted academic excellence, improved facilities, and fostered collaborative relationships between Lehigh and the surrounding community.

Farrington earned his B.S. from Clarkson University and his A.M. and Ph.D. from Harvard, all in chemistry and specializing in solid state electrochemistry. Before joining the University of Pennsylvania's Department of materials Science and Engineering in 1979, he was a research chemist for General Electric Company's Corporate Research and Development Center in New York State. At Penn, he served as dean of the School of Engineering and Applied Science. He holds or shares more than two dozen patents and has written or edited books and book chapters, as well as 100 technical papers.

While at Lehigh, Farrington established the university's bold and creative Lehigh 2020 initiative. Launched in October 2000, the $75 million academic venture capital fund focused investment on attracting and retaining the best faculty and students, creating distinctive academic programs, funding critical research fields and stimulating cross curricular collaboration. New programs created through the 2020 program include those in bioscience, bioengineering, applied life science, computer science and engineering, information systems and engineering, and bioeconomics.

Along with the reinvigoration of academics and the promotion of interdisciplinary learning, Farrington also literally changed the face of Lehigh's historic campus. More than 20 major campus enhancement projects were completed during Farrington's term, among them the construction of Campus Square, a new Alumni Building Arrival Court and parking garage, and a pedestrian walkway through the heart of the campus green, transforming it into a central gathering place. In addition, Coppee Hall, Lamberton Hall, Maginnes Hall, Wilbur Power House, Grace Hall, the A. Haigh Cundey Varsity House and Linderman Library were renovated.

Under Farrington's leadership, Shine Forever: The Campaign for Lehigh generated more than half of its $500 million goal to endow faculty chairs, scholarships, academic programs, and facilities.

He also advocated collaborations with the city of Bethlehem, the state and federal governments, industry and other partners to strengthen the university and spur regional economic development. His commitment to the Lehigh Valley was evident in his participation on various boards as well. He actively participated on the board of trustees of St. Luke's Hospital & Health Network, the National Museum of Industrial History and Lehigh Valley Partnership.

Alice P. Gast (2006-). On August 1, 2006, Alice P. Gast became Lehigh University's 13th president. Previously she was the Robert T. Haslam Professor of Chemical Engineering and the Vice President for Research and Associate Provost at Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Prior to moving to MIT in 2001, she spent 16 years as a professor of chemical engineering at Stanford University and at the Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory. In her research she studies surface and interfacial phenomena, in particular the behavior of complex fluids. Some of her areas of research include colloidal aggregation and ordering, protein lipid interactions and enzymes reactions at surfaces. In 1997 Gast co-authored the sixth edition of "Physical Chemistry of Surfaces." with Arthur Adamson.

Professor Gast received her BS in Chemical Engineering from the University of Southern California. After earning her Ph.D. in chemical engineering from Princeton University, Gast spent a postdoctoral year on a NATO fellowship at the Ecole Superieure de Physique et de Chimie Industrielles in Paris.

She returned there for a sabbatical as a Guggenheim Fellow. She was a 1999 Alexander von Humboldt Fellow at the Technical University in Garching, Germany. She received the National Academy of Sciences Award for Initiative in Research, and the Colburn Award of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers. She was elected to the National Academy of Engineering in 2001 and to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2002.

She has served on numerous advisory committees including the NRC Board on Chemical Science and Technology, and the Homeland Security Science and Technology Advisory Committee. She was elected to the Board of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in 2006.

University Campuses

Lehigh University's three campuses are located in Bethlehem, Pa., and comprise 1,600 acres.

Asa Packer Campus. Lehigh's main academic campus, encompassing approximately 360 acres on the north slope of South Mountain overlooking Bethlehem, is a wooded area where most students attend class and live. This contains the original campus of the university.

Murray H. Goodman Campus. During the 1960s, the university acquired extensive acreage in the Saucon Valley just south of South Mountain. Development of one of the nation's finest collegiate athletic complexes has continued since that time. The 500-acre campus now includes the Murray H. Goodman Stadium and other athletic fields, as well as the 6,000-seat Stabler Athletic and Convocation Center, the Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Northeastern Pennsylvania, the Philip Rauch Field House, the Cundey Varsity House, and the Lewis Indoor Tennis Facility. The campus is named for a major benefactor, Lehigh alumnus Murray H. Goodman, of West Palm Beach, Fla.

Mountaintop Campus. Lehigh bought this campus from Bethlehem Steel Corp. in 1986. It contains 670 acres of woods and a 72-acre research site with 8 buildings, five of which are owned by the University, including a landmark tower building visible for miles around. Acquisition of the facilities-the largest single transaction in Lehigh history-connects the two older campuses. The Mountaintop Campus houses the College of Education; the departments of Biological Sciences and Chemical Engineering; programs in biochemistry, biotechnology, bioengineering, ATLSS (Advanced Technology for Large Structural Systems) center, Energy Research Center, and Ben Franklin TechVentures incubator companies.

University Buildings

Lehigh has a major collection of 19th-century buildings designed by such prominent architects as Addison Hutton (1834-1916), Edward T. Potter (1831-1904) and the firm of Furness and Evans (Frank Furness, 1839-1912).

Designed by Dagit Saylor Architects just east of the Rauch Business Center is the new Zoellner Arts Center, which houses a 1000-seat music auditorium, a 300-seat theatre, a permanent art gallery and museum store, and the departments of music and theatre. A 350-car parking garage is on the same site.

Opened in 2002, and designed by the AIA award-winning architectural firm of Bohlin Cywinski Jackson, is The Campus Square residential and retail complex with upper-class student apartments, bookstore and various eateries.

The university's newer structures include the Ulrich Sports Complex (2002) and additions to the Cundey Varsity House (2002), Iacocca Hall for biological sciences (2003), Stabler Arena (2004), and Sinclair Lab for optical technologies (2005).

Recently completed are campus enhancements that eliminated vehicular traffic and created landscaped walkways in the historic core of The Asa Packer Campus. Recently opened is a 350-car parking garage pavilion and visitors arrival court at the west entrance to The Alumni Memorial Building.

Altogether, the three campuses contain more than 150 buildings with more than 4 million square feet of floor space.

In the following list, the first date after the name of each building indicates the year of construction. The second date indicates the year of a major addition.

Campus Landmarks

Alumni Memorial Building (1925). This edifice of Gothic design, housing the Visitor Center, Admissions and other administrative offices and those of the Alumni Association, represents a memorial to the 1,921 Lehigh alumni who served in World War I and the 46 who died. The building was designed by Theodore G. Visscher, Class of 1899, and James Lindsey Burley, Class of 1894.

E. W. Fairchild-Martindale Library and Computing Center (1985). The high-technology building houses science and engineering holdings, The Media Center, library and technology services staff, and a computer center. Construction was made possible by a major gift from Harry T. Martindale, a 1927 Lehigh graduate, and his wife, Elizabeth, daughter of the late Edmund W. Fairchild, founder of a business-publications and communications empire.

Linderman Library (1877). The rotunda, designed by Addison Hutton, was built as a gift to the university by founder Asa Packer as a memorial to his daughter, Lucy Packer Linderman. The rotunda is surrounded except on the south by a major addition constructed in 1929. The building houses more than 20,000 rare books and volumes related to the humanities and social science. The Bayer Galleria of Rare Books, made possible by a gift from Curtis F. Bayer, '35, was dedicated in 1985. The building reopened in the spring of 2007 as the intellectual and humanities hub of the university after being closed for renovations for nearly two years. Major new features include more seminar and group study rooms, wireless Internet access throughout, central air conditioning, new furniture and finishes, and a café.

Packer Memorial Church (1887). The church was the gift of Mary Packer Cummings in memory of her father, founder Asa Packer. It was dedicated on Founder's Day, October 13, 1887. The building was designed by Addison Hutton; the stained-glass window over the main door is attributed to Louis Comfort Tiffany.

President's House (1868). This 21-room residence, designed by Edward Potter, is the home of university presidents and is often used for receptions on special university occasions.

Packer Hall, The University Center (1868). When construction of the building began in 1865, a railroad was built to transport stone to the site. The building, designed originally by Potter, was extensively renovated and enlarged in 1958.

The building was constructed at the expense of the founder, who vetoed a plan to erect it of brick. "It will be built of stone," Asa Packer responded.

Today the building houses student and faculty dining facilities, a food court, deans' offices, the military science (ROTC) department, the Women's Networking Center, The Center for Academic Success, a bank office, and conference facilities.

Academic and Research Facilities

Chandler-Ullmann Hall (1883, 1938, respectively). These adjoining buildings formerly were the William H. Chandler Chemistry Building (designed by Hutton) and the Harry M. Ullmann Chemistry Laboratory. Chandler served as acting university president, 1904 and 1905, and taught chemistry from 1871 to 1906. Ullmann served as chairman of the chemistry department. The building has been named a National Historic Chemical Landmark by the American Chemical Society.

The Department of Art and Architecture, division of urban studies, and Department of Psychology are located in Chandler-Ullmann.

Christmas-Saucon Hall (1865 and 1872, respectively). Christmas Hall is the university's oldest building. When Asa Packer acquired the South Mountain site for the university in 1865, a Moravian church was being constructed. The newly formed university took over the building and completed it for use in recitations and as a dormitory and chapel. The name Christmas Hall was chosen in keeping with Moravian religious tradition. In 1872, Saucon Hall was constructed a few feet to the east of Christmas Hall. The buildings were connected with the construction of a "hyphen" in 1926. The building houses the Department of Mathematics, The office of Graduate Student Life, The University Press, and classrooms.

Coppee Hall (1883). The building originally housed classrooms and a gymnasium. It is named in honor of Henry Coppee, first president. The building was renovated in 2002 and houses the Weinstock Center for Journalism and Communication.

Coxe Hall (1910). Originally a mining laboratory, the structure is named for Eckley B. Coxe, pioneer mining engineer and trustee of the university. The building was recently renovated for the International Students and Scholars and the English as a Second Language programs and the Global Union.

Drown Hall (1908). The building, designed by Furness and Evans, is a memorial to Thomas M. Drown, president from 1895 to 1904. It is headquarters for the English Department and the Writing and Math Center.

Fritz Engineering Laboratory (1909, 1955). The laboratory is named for John Fritz, pioneer in the steel industry in the United States and a member of the university's original board of trustees. Fritz provided funds for the original section; a seven-story addition accommodates the university's testing machine, which is capable of applying a five-million-pound load to tension or compression members up to forty feet in length. The hydraulic testing machine is the largest facility of its kind currently in operation in the world. The laboratory is used primarily by the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering.

Iacocca Hall (1958, 2003). Known as the tower building for its panoramic views of the Lehigh Valley, it houses the College of Education, the chemical engineering department, the biological sciences department, as well as a dining room and food service facilities, plus a teleconferencing classroom.

Imbt Laboratories. This is primarily a high-bay research lab space where the ATLSS project was constructed, and where chemical engineering and Energy Research Center have major research facilities. It is also the headquarters of the "Fleet of the Future" program.

Johnson Hall (1955). The building houses the university health service, the counseling service, the chaplain's office, campus police, and the parking services office. Earle F. "Coxey" Johnson, '07, a director of General Motors Corp. and university trustee, provided funding for the structure.

Lamberton Hall (1907). The structure served as the university commons and dining room until the renovation of Packer Hall in 1958. The building honors the memory of Robert A. Lamberton, third president. It most recently housed the music department until its move to the Zoellner Arts Center. In January of 2006 it reopened as a late-night diner called the "Hawk's Nest" and student programming facility.

Maginnes Hall (1970). The multilevel structure is headquarters for the College of Arts and Sciences and also houses the departments of modern languages and literature, history, international relations, political science, and religion studies, as well as the Science, Technology, and Society Program, the Philip and Muriel Berman Center for Jewish Studies, and the Center for International Studies. New classrooms opened on the ground floor in January 2004. The building is named for Albert B. Maginnes, '21, who was a lawyer and university trustee.

Mart Science and Engineering Library (1968). This structure honors the memory of Leon T. Mart, '13, and his son, Thomas, '51. It operates in conjunction with the E. W. Fairchild-Martindale Library and Computing Center.

Seeley G. Mudd Building (1975). This seven-story building houses the chemistry department. The late Seeley G. Mudd was a California medical doctor. The Seeley G. Mudd Foundation, of Los Angeles, made a major gift toward the building.

Neville Hall (1975). This building in the chemistry complex has three auditoriums used for lectures and events. The building is named for Dr. Harvey A. Neville, president from 1961 to 1964, who was a chemist.

Newman Association Center. This Victorian structure, until the mid-1970s used as a private residence, was renovated by the Newman Association and serves as a center for students and as a residence for its director, a Roman Catholic chaplain.

Packard Laboratory (1929). The structure was the gift of James Ward Packard, Class of 1884, the electrical pioneer and inventor of the Packard automobile who served as a university trustee. The first Packard automobile (1898) is displayed in the lobby. The building is the headquarters for the College of Engineering and Applied Science. It also houses classrooms and laboratories for mechanical engineering and mechanics, for electrical and computer engineering, and computer science and engineering. An auditorium accommodates large classes and various events.

Philosophy Building (1879). This small building just below Packer Memorial Church was constructed as a porter's lodge. Today it houses the philosophy department.

Price Hall. This structure formerly was a brewery named Die Alte Brauerei. In 1912 it was remodeled to serve as a dormitory, and it was named in honor of Henry Reese Price, president of the university board of trustees. It serves as the home of the sociology and anthropology department.

Rathbone Hall (1971). This building's upper level is a major and recently renovated student dining facility, with window walls affording a panoramic view of the Lehigh Valley. The building bears the name of its donor, Monroe Jackson Rathbone, '21, president of the university board of trustees from 1957 to 1973. Rathbone was chairman of the board, Standard Oil Co. (New Jersey), now Exxon Corp., and was a major innovator in the oil industry. The lower level houses the Residential Services Office.

Rauch Business Center (1990). Philip Rauch '33, L.L.D. '79, retired Chairman of the Board and Director of the Parker-Hannifin Corp., made the principal contribution to build this facility. Lehigh's Rauch Business Center was dedicated in 1990 as the state-of-the-art home of the university's College of Business and Economics. The $17.8-million facility has 115,000 square feet of floor space on five stories and features a diverse array of classrooms, auditoria, conference rooms, the Career Services Office and is also home to the Perella Financial Services Lab.

Sayre Building (1869). Originally known as the Sayre Observatory, the dome that once housed the telescope can still be seen.

Sherman Fairchild Center for the Physical Sciences (1892, 1976, 1986). The center, completed with help from the Sherman Fairchild Foundation, houses classrooms and laboratories for undergraduate and graduate students in physics, faculty offices and a 260-seat auditorium. The complex includes the Lewis Laboratory, the original five-story stone structure built in 1892, the Sherman Fairchild Laboratory for Solid-State Studies built in 1976, and the 1986 addition comprised of the Oberkotter Auditorium and research laboratories.

Sinclair Laboratory (1970). This facility houses the Center for Optical Technologies, The International Materials Institute, and other research laboratories. It is named for Francis MacDonald Sinclair, and was the gift of his widow, Jennie H. Sinclair. A 12,000-square foot research addition (The Smith Family Center for Optical Technologies) was completed in 2005.

Whitaker Laboratory (1965). This five-story structure with an adjoining two-level classroom-auditorium section honors the memory of Martin Dewey Whitaker, university president from 1946 to 1960. The building serves the Department of Materials Science and Engineering and Center for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology. There are laboratories for high-pressure research and reaction kinetics, nuclear studies, analog computation, process control, optoelectronics, high-temperature thermodynamics and kinetics, and fine structures and metallography. The Offices of Government and Community Relations are also located in the building.

Wilbur Powerhouse (1908). During most of its life, the building served as a power plant with some early engineering laboratory use. Renovated during the 1970s, it provided performing space for student theatrical productions, until the Zoellner Arts Center was built, and it is now the new home for student shops and project studios for the IPD (Integrated Product Development) IBE (Integrated Business and Engineering) and Design Arts programs.

Williams Hall (1903). This brick structure was the gift of Edward H. Williams, Jr., Class of 1875. Dr. Williams was a professor of mining and geology and the founder of the Tau Beta Pi engineering society. The building contains classrooms and laboratories for the departments of biological sciences and of earth and environmental sciences. A small greenhouse adjoins the building. The building was extensively renovated and a fourth story added in 1956 following a fire.

Zoellner Arts Center (1997). With major gifts from Vickie and Robert Zoellner '54, Dorothy and Dexter Baker '50, and Claire and Theodore Diamond '37, Dagit-Saylor Architects created a 105,000 sq. ft. structure designed to showcase Lehigh's rapidly growing programs in the performing and visual arts as well as the departments of music and theater and 5,000 sq. ft. of exhibition space for the Lehigh University Art Galleries. Baker Hall has a seating capacity of more than 1,000, Diamond Theatre features a thrust stage and seating for 307; and a "black box" theater provides flexible space for experimental productions.

Athletic and Convocational Facilities

Murray H. Goodman Stadium (1988). Joanie and Murray Goodman '48, L.L.D. '88, were the principal benefactors. On October 1, 1988, Lehigh opened the gates to Murray H. Goodman Stadium, located on the Goodman Campus. Capacity is 16,000, and the stadium features a three-tiered press box, and limited chair back seating, with picturesque South Mountain in the background.

Grace Hall (1940). The building is named for its donor, Eugene G. Grace, Class of 1899, who was chairman of Bethlehem Steel Corp. and president of the university's board of trustees, 1924 to 1956. Grace Hall serves as the headquarters and offices for Lehigh intramural and club sports. The upper level houses the Ulrich Student Center, including movie theatre, gameroom and mailboxes. The lower level houses the recently renovated Leeman-Turner Arena.

Ulrich Sports Complex (1999). Lehigh chairman of the board of trustees, Ronald J. Ulrich '66, funded the construction of the dual field complex for men's and women's soccer, men's and women's lacrosse, and field hockey. The complex features both natural grass and artificial turf fields, permanent seating, a press box and lighting for night contests. The complex was designed by a group of students enrolled in the University's distinctive ILE (Integrated Learning Experience) program, illustrating the strong partnership between athletics and academics at Lehigh.

Lewis Tennis Facility (1994). An anonymous donor made possible the construction of four indoor tennis courts for recreational use as well as team practice, and is named for former Lehigh President W. Deming Lewis. The building also includes men's and women's locker room facilities.

Philip Rauch Field House (1976). Philip Rauch, '33, L.L.D. '79 made a gift toward the facility. The building has 62,000 square feet of uninterrupted floor space-the equivalent of two football fields-for a variety of athletic activities. It has a six-lane, one-eighth-mile flat track.

Sayre Field (1961). Located atop South Mountain, the field is used for intramural sports.

Stabler Athletic & Convocation Center (1979). This arena provides seating for 6,000 people for concerts, spectator sports, including Lehigh's basketball teams, and other events. University trustee Donald B. Stabler, '30, made a major financial contribution toward the facility.

Taylor Gymnasium (1904 and 1913). This structure was the gift of Charles L. Taylor, Class of 1876, who was a friend and business associate of steel magnate Andrew Carnegie. There are two indoor swimming pools, two basketball courts, the Welch Fitness Center, men's and women's locker rooms, two racquetball and two squash courts, a steam room, a multi-purpose dance/aerobics room, a climbing wall, a Sports Medicine Complex, and the Penske Hall of Fame. The athletic department offices are also housed in the Warren (Pete) Musser wing.

Cundey Varsity House (1963 and 2002). The building, expanded and renovated in 2002, houses a modern weight training facility, sports medicine and equipment areas, team meeting and reception areas, and locker rooms for several varsity teams. The Varsity House is located on the Murray H. Goodman Campus adjacent to the John C. Whitehead Football Practice Facility.

Central Heating/Refrigeration Plant

Central Heating and Refrigeration (1969). This glass-walled building houses three boilers that can be fired by either oil or gas. Other equipment provides chilled water for air conditioning.

Technology Center

125 Goodman Drive (1972). Situated on the Murray H. Goodman Campus in Saucon Valley, the building houses the Lehigh-based North East Tier Ben Franklin Advanced Technology Center, the Manufacturers Resource Center, and the University Relations office.

Residential Facilities

Brodhead House (1979). This structure is the university's first high-rise residential facility. The six-story building includes 4-person suites on the five upper floors, with a dining facility and lobby on the entrance level. The building is named in memory of Albert Brodhead, a member of the Class of 1888 who died in 1933, leaving 51 Bethlehem properties to his alma mater.

Campus Square (2002). In August of 2002, Lehigh opened a 250-bed residential complex that includes the campus bookstore and several retail stores. Air-conditioned, two, three and four-bedroom apartments are complete with full kitchen, private bathroom and fully furnished living room/dining room areas. Attached to the complex is a parking garage for 350 cars for residents' convenience.

Dravo House (1948). This 5-story stone edifice is the university's largest residential facility. It bears the name of two brothers, Ralph M. Dravo, Class of 1889, and Francis F. Dravo, Class of 1887, who founded the Dravo Corp., a Pittsburgh-based international construction company. Both men served as university trustees.

Drinker House (1940). This stone building honors the memory of Henry S. Drinker, Class of 1871, university president from 1905 to 1920.

McClintic-Marshall House (1957). This U-shaped stone structure was built in memory of Howard H. McClintic and Charles D. Marshall, both Class of 1888, who founded the McClintic-Marshall Construction Co. The firm was the world's largest independent steel fabricating firm before its acquisition by Bethlehem Steel Corp. in 1931. It built locks for the Panama Canal and constructed the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco Bay.

Richards House (1938). The building honors the memory of Charles Russ Richards, president of the university from 1922 to 1935. The building is constructed of stone in modified Gothic design.

Sayre Park Village (1998). This residential complex is comprised of three apartment buildings and houses students in three- and four-person apartments. Included is a fourth multipurpose community building and outdoor recreation facilities.

Taylor Residential College (1907, 1984). The U-shaped building is one of the earliest concrete structures ever built. It was the gift of industrialist Andrew Carnegie in honor of his friend and associate, university trustee Charles L. Taylor, Class of 1876. The interior of the building was reconstructed and the exterior refinished prior to the facility becoming Lehigh's first residential college in 1984.

Trembley Park (1975). This seven-building undergraduate apartment complex is named in memory of Francis J. Trembley, Lehigh professor and pioneer ecologist.

Warren Square Complex. This cluster of five residence halls is located on Warren Square and Summit Street. They are upperclass facilities and some are used as special-interest houses.

Centennial I Complex (1965)

Congdon House. Located at the east end of the Centennial I complex. Dr. Wray H. Congdon served as dean of students, dean of the graduate school, and special assistant to the president.

Emery House. It is named for Dr. Natt M. Emery, who was vice president and controller.

Leavitt House. The Rev. Dr. John McD. Leavitt was the second president, 1875 to 1879.

McConn House. C. Maxwell McConn was dean of the university from 1923 to 1938.

Smiley House. Dr. E. Kenneth Smiley served as vice president from 1945 to 1964.

Thornburg House. Dr. Charles G. Thornburg was professor and head of the Department of Mathematics, 1895 to 1923

Centennial II complex (1970)

Beardslee House. Dr. Claude G. Beardslee was chaplain from 1931 to 1947.

Carothers House. Dr. Neil Carothers was dean of business.

Palmer House. Dr. Philip M. Palmer was dean of the arts.

Stevens House. The Rt. Rev. William Bacon Stevens, of Philadelphia, was Protestant Episcopal bishop of the Diocese of Pennsylvania and first president of the university board of trustees. He was the principal architect of the university's original academic plan.

Stoughton House. Dr. Bradley Stoughton was dean of the engineering college, 1936 to 1939.

Williams House. Dr. Clement C. Williams was president of the university, 1935 to 1944.

Saucon Village Apartments (1974)

The five-building garden apartment complex includes housing for married, graduate, and undergraduate students.

Diamond. Dr. Herbert M. Diamond, professor emeritus of economics, retired in 1964.

Gipson. Dr. Lawrence Henry Gipson, research professor of history, bequeathed his estate to the university to establish the Lawrence Henry Gipson Institute for Eighteenth-Century Studies. Dr. Gipson wrote a monumental 15-volume history, The British Empire before the American Revolution. He won the Pulitzer Prize for volume 10, The Triumphant Empire: Thunderclouds Gather in the West, 1763-1766.

Hartman. Dr. James R. Hartman was chairman of the department of mechanical engineering and mechanics.

More. Dr. Robert P. More, '10, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, who also taught German for forty years, bequeathed to the university his $746,000 estate, amassed after investing $3,000 in IBM stock. The university child care center is located in this building.

Severs. Dr. J. Burke Severs, of Bethlehem, is distinguished professor emeritus of English. He is a Chaucerian scholar.

Fraternities and Sororities

The university has a strong fraternity tradition, dating back to 1872. Since the admission of undergraduate women in 1971, several sororities have come into being. Some 500 men live in 17 fraternities.

All of the fraternities have houses located on Asa Packer campus. All are chapters of national fraternities.

An alphabetical listing follows. The date of the founding of the chapter is given in the first column. The second column lists the date the chapter occupied its present house; any additional date indicates the most recent addition or major renovation.

There are eight sororities. All are nationally affiliated and all reside in Sayre Park. Over 330 women live in sororities.

The sororities are listed with year of establishment at Lehigh in the first column and year of moving into their present house in the second column.