David Outcalt, 1935-2013
Members of the UW-Green Bay community and friends of the University are pausing to remember Chancellor Emeritus David L. Outcalt, who passed away last Thursday (Nov. 7, 2013) in his native California at the age of 78.
Outcalt was the University’s second chancellor, serving from September 1986 through December 1993. Upon stepping down as chancellor, he joined the Business Administration faculty and served through early 1998. Although he made his retirement home in Hawaii and later California, in recent years he periodically returned to the Green Bay area for special events including the annual University retirees dinner. (The photo above was snapped several years ago during one such visit; see the gallery at the end of this post for additional images from his time as chancellor.)
A graveside burial service will take place at 11 a.m. EST Monday (Nov. 18) at Mound View Cemetery in Mount Vernon, Ohio, the hometown of Outcalt’s first wife, the late Marcia (Beach) Outcalt. Friends may call prior to the service at Flowers-Snyder Funeral Home, 619 High E. Street in Mount Vernon, starting at 9:30 a.m. EST.
On the UW-Green Bay campus, the University carillon will ring in tribute at 10 a.m. CST Monday to coincide with the timing of the Ohio service. Three pieces will play. The first is the famous Bach work for strings, “Air in G,” reflecting the former chancellor’s talents as a classical violinist. Next, in recognition of his turn as The Fiddler in the student production of “Fiddler on the Roof,” is “Sunrise, Sunset.” The closing selection reflects his faith and involvement with his church, with the traditional hymn “A Mighty Fortress is Our God” from the Presbyterian hymnbook.
The family indicates a second memorial service is likely to take place later in November at the Pacific Palisades Presbyterian Church near his home in Pacific Palisades, Calif., just north of San Francisco.
Tenure as UW-Green Bay chancellor
Outcalt was the University’s second chancellor, serving from 1986 through 1993. His tenure was highlighted by enrollment and facilities growth for the University including construction of the Weidner Center for the Performing Arts, a half dozen new residence halls and an expanded Student Union.
“He was chancellor during a very important period in the University’s development,” says former UW-Green Bay Associate Chancellor Donald Harden. “Enrollment demand was increasing. Housing did well. Athletics did well. We opened the Weidner Center.”
Don Harden also remembers Outcalt as an administrator who held employees accountable but was flexible in allowing them to manage their own operations.
“It would be very difficult to find someone that Dave didn’t enjoy a warm relationship with,” Harden recalls. “He was a truly genuine individual, a gentleman who earned respect because of the way he respected others.”
Outcalt’s interests as chancellor included economic development, locally and around the globe, distance education, and international education. He traveled widely on behalf of those interests, and signed new partnership agreements with institutions in Russia and the Ukraine. He also supported international education at UW-Green Bay by naming a director of international studies.
He was active with the International Association of University Presidents and the American Association of State Colleges and Universities.
A fan of intercollegiate athletics, Outcalt was chancellor of UW-Green Bay during the ascent of the men’s basketball program under former Coach Dick Bennett in the late 1980s. Outcalt led the University’s delegation to Arizona when the Phoenix — led by Bennett’s son, Tony — earned its first NCAA Division I Tournament Bid in March 1991. Active with the National Collegiate Athletic Association, he served as chair of the NCAA Peer Review Team and also as president of the Mid-Continent Conference.
Upon his retirement as chancellor effective Dec. 31, 1993, Outcalt joined the Business Administration faculty and was named Philip J. and Elizabeth B. Hendrickson Professor for Business. He retired in early January 1998, and was awarded the title chancellor emeritus.
In Green Bay, Outcalt was active with the Green Bay Area Chamber of Commerce, serving on its board of diretors, various committees, Technology Council and Advance board. He was president of the Brown County Industrial Development Corp., which made the first forays toward launching a technology park near the University. He was also active with the Green Bay Symphony Orchestra, Boy Scouts of America, and other community organizations
Chancellor of UA, Anchorage
Outcalt came to UW-Green Bay from the University of Alaska, Anchorage, where he had been chancellor since 1981.
Outcalt began his career at Anchorage as vice chancellor of academic affairs. After only one year in that position, he was named chancellor. While at UAA he became a member of the International Association of University Presidents and received an honorary doctorate from Kyung Hee University in Seoul, Korea for his efforts in developing international student, curriculum, research, and professor exchanges programs. While in Alaska, he also negotiated an exchange agreement between UAA and the Siberian Branch of the Soviet Academy of Medical Sciences.
Early years, college studies
David Lewis Outcalt was born in Los Angeles on Jan. 30, 1935 to Earl Kenyon Outcalt and Alberta Estes Ferguson Outcalt. He grew up in La Jolla, Calif. but, as a son to a U.S. Navy officer he also spent time in Vallejo, Calif., and Norfolk, Va., before returning to graduate as part of La Jolla High School’s class of 1952. An accomplished violinist at a young age, he was a member of the San Diego Philharmonic Orchestra while still in high school, and was later concertmaster of his college orchestra.
Outcalt attended Pomona College and graduated with a bachelor’s in mathematics. He went on to receive his master’s from Claremont McKenna Graduate School and doctorate from Ohio State, both degrees in mathematics.
During the summer before his senior year he met Marcia L. Beach while both were working at Yellowstone National Park and they married on July 1st, 1956.
Career as a professor of mathematics
Outcalt began his higher education career as a professor of mathematics at Claremont and Scripps College near Los Angeles before moving to the University of California, Santa Barbara where he worked for 15 years, including two years as an exchange professor with the University of Hawaii, as a math professor, chairman of the mathematics department and dean of instructional development.
He wrote five college calculus and algebra text books while he and Marcia raised four sons.
Retirement
After leaving Green Bay in 1998, David and Marcia Outcalt retired to Kapaa, Kauai where he enjoyed an active outdoors lifestyle and was president of the local Rotary Club. Marcia passed away in 2005.
Following the death of his wife of 48 years, Outcalt moved to Pacific Palisades to be near his sons. In 2011 he married for the second time to Maria Mangold who had been a college sweetheart when he was at Pomona College 56 years earlier before their paths separated.
He remained active as a violinist playing with the Santa Monica Symphony Orchestra, the Topanga Symphony Orchestra and most recently with the Mill Valley Symphony Orchestra as well. Since returning to California he was active with the Pacific Palisades Presbyterian Church and heavily involved there with spiritual education and the Stephen Ministries outreach to parishioners struggling with health or personal issues.
Survivors and memorial contributions
David L. Outcalt is survived by his wife Maria and four sons Jeffrey (Gail), Kevin (Debbie), Gregory (Kathy), Eric, and nine grandchildren.
Friends may contact the funeral home in Mount Vernon at 740-392-6956 for more details. Memorial contributions can be made to: The Pacific Palisades Presbyterian Church at 15821 Sunset Blvd., Pacific Palisades, CA 90272.
(Information from this post is derived from the University Communication archives and also the obituary published Nov. 12, 2013 at the Green Bay Press-Gazette website.)
Click thumbnails to enter slideshow view.
