Professors McEnroe and Simon Appointed to Endowed Chairs

Hamilton College Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of the Faculty David Paris announced the appointment of two of Hamilton's most outstanding teacher-scholars to endowed chairs. Professor of Art History John McEnroe was appointed to the John and Anne Fischer Professorship in Fine Arts, and Professor of Philosophy Robert L. Simon was named the Marjorie and Robert W. McEwen Professor of Philosophy.

John McEnroe

The Fischer Professorship was established in 1997 with a gift from Dr. Peter B. Fischer '63, to recognize an artist or historian in the fine arts noted for excellence in teaching and prominence in the field of endeavor In making the announcement, Paris said of McEnroe, "He has been a fine teacher, a productive scholar who has broadened his work over the years and a willing and thoughtful campus citizen."

McEnroe, who has been a member of the Hamilton faculty since 1983, earned his Ph.D. from the University of Toronto. His research interests are ancient, medieval and Renaissance art; historiography and theory. McEnroe has published 35 reports in "Pseira IV. Minoan Buildings in Areas B, C, D, and F" (The University Museum Press) to culminate his 10-year project as architect for the Pseira, Crete, excavations. He is co-editor of Artists, Writers and Musicians, An Encyclopedia of People Who Changed the World (Oryx Press, 2001). He has also published Pseira V: The Architecture of Pseira, (University of Pennsylvania Museum, 2001), and Critical Perspectives on Art History, (Prentice Hall, 2002), co-edited with Associate Professor of Art Deborah Pokinski. McEnroe has written numerous articles, reviews and excavation reports on the Minoan period. Professor of Art Bob Palusky was the first holder of the Fischer chair.

Robert L. Simon

In making the announcement of Simon's appointment to the McEwen Chair, Dean Paris said, "Bob Simon is one of the most popular teachers and productive scholars on our faculty. His classes always have waiting lists, and his students praise his 'love of teaching, wealth of knowledge and consideration for all of the Hamilton community.'"

Simon, who joined the Hamilton faculty in 1968, holds a Ph.D. from the University of Pennsylvania. A past Rockefeller Foundation and National Endowment for the Humanities fellow, he has also served as president of the Philosophic Society for the Study of Sport. He was the beloved coach of the men's varsity golf team from 1986-2000 and is the author of Fair Play (Westview Press) on sports and social values. Simon is the recipient of numerous teaching awards and sits on the editorial board for the Journal of the Philosophy of Sport. He received Hamilton's Samuel & Helen Lang Prize for Excellence in Teaching in 2004.

The McEwen Professorship honors a senior member of the faculty who has demonstrated distinguished service to the College, and it has been held for the past five years by Professor of History Esther Kanipe.