Etheridge Hall, located on south quad, is the newest addition to Miami’s LEED certified (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) residence halls. It is located next door to Maplestreet Station, Miami’s newest dining center and the Performing Arts Center. Just short distances away are both the REC Sports and Armstrong Student Centers.
Gil Siegel, a colleague of Etheridge in Miami’s administration, spoke at the dedication of the residence hall last Nov. 7 and recalled him as a man who “lived honestly, lived selflessly, lived meaningfully.”
“He taught us to understand that there are different ways of seeing the world around us,” Siegel said, calling Etheridge’s accomplishments “extraordinary.”
He said Etheridge’s vision resulted in first, co-ed dining halls and then co-ed residence halls. He saw the student population rise from 6,000 students to 16,000 and was sensitive to changes in the nature, needs, interests and concerns of students, Siegel said.
“He almost single-handedly supported recreational sports in his early days, and, thanks to his consistent advocacy, Miami today benefits from an exceptional sports facility and excellent recreational sports programs,” Siegel said, adding that Etheridge’s leadership led to a learning assistance program for those seeking to improve academic performance as well as a women’s center, minority student center, women’s health clinic and parents office.
Siegel said Etheridge encouraged admissions representatives to reach out to students in other states and other countries and was always an advocate for students. That was the theme of one anecdote included in a memorial written about him shortly after his death in 2010:
“That day in January, 1978, the snow was falling heavily, driven horizontally by gusts up to 70 mph. Before the storm ended, snow would cover everything to well over two feet, with drifts more than head-high. It was the great Ohio blizzard, when the temperature fell to more than 20 degrees below zero, and not only were roads closed, but Miami shut down for the first time in most memories. Two young women, student teaching somewhere beyond Hamilton, called the University in distress. They were isolated, and how would they get back to Oxford? The call was forwarded to Robert Etheridge, Vice President for Student Affairs. Bob and Veda had just bought a Chevy Blazer, 4-wheel drive, high off the road, and Bob, confident of his vehicle and his skill and always loving a challenge, set out with Dean of Men Bill Hollingsworth on a successful rescue mission.”
Siegel said in his remarks at the hall dedication that Millett brought Etheridge to Miami with a focus of bringing men’s and women’s campus life programs together. Etheridge realigned the division of student affairs, breaking the traditional separate services for men and women into those that addressed the needs of both. He established Miami’s Student Life Research Service, which was designed to assess student opinions and attitudes to be used in the university’s decision-making process. In addition to his administrative duties, he held the rank of professor of education.
“Let there be no doubt that Bob Etheridge oversaw the development of one of the best residence hall programs in the country,” Siegel said. “He built a strong first-year experience that supported academic success and his accomplishments are remembered and celebrated even today.”
Siegel indicated that it was appropriate the residence hall named for Etheridge is located on the south campus area.
“Bob always advocated for smaller, more intimate residence halls, as opposed to large high-rise dormitories you see on many campuses today,” Siegel said. “He oversaw the planning for Miami’s south campus, always making undergraduates the true focus of the Miami University Experience throughout his professional life.”
Etheridge served as a Navy pilot in World War II. He earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Southern Illinois University. He earned his doctorate in 1958 from Michigan State University.
In 1991, the Etheridge Center for Reflective Leadership was established in his honor. The endowed center is designed to prepare students for the effective leadership of cities, schools, and businesses and to engage students in thoughtful and deliberate reflection on how the choices they make and the actions they take impact themselves, the organizations they lead, and the communities in which they live. It has supported academic symposiums and speakers, the Scholar Leader program and the LeaderShape Institute at Miami.
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