Memorial for Clark Kerr, University of California president emeritus and former UC Berkeley chancellor to be held Feb. 20 |
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10 February 2004 ATTENTION: ASSIGNMENT DESKS, HIGHER EDUCATION REPORTERS |
Contact:
Marie Felde, Media Relations
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WHAT
A public memorial service for Clark Kerr, University of California president emeritus and former UC Berkeley chancellor. In addition to tributes recognizing Kerr's contributions as a scholar, labor negotiator and national higher education leader, the Berkeley Medal will be posthumously presented in celebration of his service to the University of California, Berkeley.
WHEN
Friday, Feb. 20, 2004, from 3 to 4 p.m. (Doors open at 2:30 p.m.)
WHERE
Zellerbach Auditorium, on Lower Sproul Plaza, just northwest of the intersection of Telegraph Avenue and Bancroft Way.
WHO
Speakers will include UC President Robert Dynes; UC Berkeley Chancellor Robert M. Berdahl; UCLA Chancellor Emeritus Chuck Young; Professor Lloyd Ulman, former director of the Institute of Industrial Relations; Kerr's long-time research associate Marian Gade; Kerr's son, Clark E. Kerr, and a granddaughter and current UC Berkeley student, Amber Kerr.
DETAILS
Clark Kerr, a towering figure in higher education, died Dec. 1, 2003, at the age of 92. As president of the University of California, he was chief architect of the master plan that guided California public higher education for four decades and is still a national model.
Kerr, who also served as UC Berkeley's first chancellor, was admired as an elegant thinker of great intellect. His clear, logical vision of both the promise and problems of modern higher education influenced generations of political and education leaders, from California Gov. Edmund G. "Pat" Brown to Presidents Eisenhower, Kennedy and Johnson.
"Every student and every campus leader alive today owes Clark Kerr a great debt of gratitude - for it was his vision and his bold determination that helped create the modern university, and the idea that students from all walks of life should have access to college," said David Ward, president of the American Council on Education and former chancellor of the University of Wisconsin at Madison, upon learning of Kerr's death.