Philip Austin The 13th president of the University of Connecticut (UConn). He has been president since Oct. 1, 1996. He served for seven years as chancellor of the University of Alabama. He was president of Colorado Sate university and chancellor of Colorado State University. Austin served in the U.S. Army from 1969-1971. He was awarded the bronze star, the Joint Service Commendation Medal and the Army Commendation Medal.
Austin served as deputy assistant secretary for education for the Dept. of Health and Welfare in Washington D.C. From 1971 to 1973 he served as an economist in the director's office of the U.S. Office of Management and Budget.
Austin has been credited with a remarkable transformation of the University of Connecticut, and helped lobby former Connecticut Governor John Rowland to support building programs like UCONN 2000 and 21st Century UConn, which have led to the $2.1 billion, 20-year transformation.
Austin has also been criticized for significant lapses in construction oversight. Several university officers have been forced to resign over the affair. In addition student resent for Austin has increased as he has repeatedly fought the efforts of legislators to institute a freeze on tuition. In September 2005 the student-run newspaper, The Daily Campus, asked for Ausin's resignation.
His official web site: http://president.uconn.edu/
