Former DePauw President Robert Bottoms Dies at 81

PUTNAM COUNTY, Ind.–The longest-serving President at DePauw University, Dr. Robert G. Bottoms, died this week in Athens, Georgia.

Bottoms was DePauw University’s 18th president. He served in that capacity from 1986 to June 30, 2008. He became president emeritus of the university and head of the new Janet Prindle Center for Ethics, serving until January 1, 2010. During Bottoms’ presidency, enrollment at DePauw increased, as did its standing in national college and university rankings. The university endowment went from $83.2 million to $521.9 million during his presidency.

“Those who had the privilege of working alongside him remember a man of deep faith and commitment to the transformative power of higher education. President Bottoms’ impact on DePauw is immeasurable. He loved this university, and he gave much of his life and career to advancing its mission of nurturing the finest scholars, innovators and leaders. I am grateful for the chance to see him recently when he was on campus, and I will fondly remember his intellect, humor, compassion, and courage. DePauw stands on the legacy of this great man. He will be missed by all of us,” said DePauw’s 21st and current President Lori S. White.

Ken Owen graduated from DePauw University and, after a career in television news, was persuaded by Bottoms to return to DePauw. Owen served as the Executive Director of Media Relations from January 2001 through July 2017 and then was Special Advisor to the President from July 2017 through January 2020.

“It’s the best non-decision I ever made. Bob was pretty persuasive. I worked there 19 years and I was working for a President who was a real visionary, someone that saw big picture things and was not a micromanager. In the best sense of higher education, he wanted to provide opportunities for people and took DePauw to new heights. To be a passenger on that plane was a pretty remarkable thing. We remained great friends. We talked last week actually and it hit me hard,” said Owen.

Bottoms became affectionately known around campus as “Bob the Builder” because of how he helped oversee the construction of several new buildings at the university. One of those spaces was the 520-acre DePauw University Nature Park, which provides science research and study opportunities for students and faculty members alike. It is also now home to the Janet Prindle Institute for Ethics, which was one of his greatest passions.

“You needed modern dorms. You needed modern amenities. You needed something to get students excited about studying in a small community, so yeah I think he was pretty aggressive about seeing around the corners and saying, ‘We need to do this,” said Owen.

Owen also remembers Bottoms as a champion of diversity and opportunity. In one instance, Owen remembers how Bottoms helped a DePauw student who needed a nice outfit for a job interview, but didn’t have one.

“Bob said, ‘Come on over to the Presidential house and we’ll figure this out.’ So the young man gets there. Bob takes him to his walk in closet and says ‘Pick a suit.’ Literally, this young man, who is the same size as Bob Bottoms, went to the job interview and kept the suit. That just shows Bottoms’ commitment to helping people and doing things that are way out of the ordinary,” said Owen.

Under his leadership, DePauw partnered with The Posse Foundation – a youth leadership development and college access organization that sends teams (Posses) of students from diverse backgrounds to selective colleges and universities across the country. In 2004, DePauw became the first college in the nation to host two Posse groups, one from New York City and another from Chicago.

Beyond Greencastle, Bottoms achieved national recognition and influence on issues of education and leadership. He served on the boards of the Posse Foundation, Seabury-Western Theological Seminary in Chicago, the Joyce Foundation in Chicago and the Center for Leadership Development in Indianapolis. In addition, he was a consultant to the Lilly Endowment, the Arthur Vining Davis Foundations and the Fund for Theological Education. His book “A Story of Vision and Values: Memoirs of DePauw’s Eighteenth President” was published in 2020, allowing new audiences to learn from his experience and expertise.

“The call I took from Bob changed the trajectory of my life,” said Dave Hoover ’67, who was recruited by Bottoms to join DePauw’s Board of Trustees in 2002 and subsequently served as its chair at the time of Bottoms’ retirement. “Bob was my friend, and he was interested in DePauw University being the best it could be. He was a natural at dealing effectively with people, understanding problems, and bringing together the resources to come to the best outcome. I’m saddened at his passing, but I’m also very thankful for his service as president of the university.”

In honor of President Bottoms, university bells rang throughout campus on January 29 at 4:58 p.m., followed by a moment of silence.

“A memorial service will be held on February 14th at Emmanuel Episcopal Church in Athens, Georgia. We will announce the date of a campus celebration of his life and leadership in the coming weeks,” said White.