Peter H. Armacost, 1957
B.A., Denison University
Ph.D., University of Minnesota
Citation awarded on Saturday, June 5, 1971
As president of Ottawa University, Dr. Peter Hayden Armacost spearheaded innovative educational ideas and undertakings that led the university to new levels of excellence, both in education and student to faculty relationships.
Entering higher education as a teaching assistant at the University of Minnesota, he became dean of students, professor of psychology, and chairman of the department at Augsburg College before joining the staff of the Association of American Colleges as program director. As a member of the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators, he was one of the framers of the Joint Statement on the Rights and Freedoms of Students, which was adopted by many institutions, and more recently the Statement on Optimal Working Conditions for Administrators, which is gaining attention.
Throughout his career he has been a leader in the clarification of both rights and freedoms for students and administrators. His investigations and publications have focused further upon the improvement of management in higher education and the development of individualized programs of instruction. His career has been paralleled by keen participation in educational foundations and church boards.
The quality of his leadership as dean and college president is marked by extremely decisive thinking and acting in the complex areas of higher education and has earned the respect of many peer institutions, including Denison.
