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Garden created in honor of Oswald Tippo (1911-1999), professor of botany (1971-1972), former provost (1964-1970), and first chancellor (1970-1971) of the University of Massachusetts system. The garden was dedicated on 11 October 1999.

Oswald Tippo Garden, view from the library, 2017.

Oswald Tippo Garden, view from the library, 2017.

Oswald Tippo Garden, view from the library, 2017.

Oswald Tippo Garden, view from the library, 2017.

Oswald Tippo Garden.

Oswald Tippo Garden.

Oswald Tippo at his desk, ca. 1970.

Oswald Tippo at his desk, ca. 1970.

Oswald Tippo shakes hands with Lyndon B. Johnson, October 8, 1964.

Oswald Tippo shakes hands with Lyndon B. Johnson, October 8, 1964.

Drucker, Jeffrey (photographer). Oswald Tippo (Provost, UMass Amherst) speaks at open meeting with school administration, Curry Hicks Cage, regarding protests against war in Vietnam, ca. February 19, 1968. From a series of images of the mass studen

Drucker, Jeffrey (photographer). Oswald Tippo (Provost, UMass Amherst) speaks at open meeting with school administration, Curry Hicks Cage, regarding protests against war in Vietnam, ca. February 19, 1968. 
From a series of images of the mass studen

Dedication of Tower Library, 1974. (left to right, Prof.Oswald Tippo, Trustee Fred Troy speaking, Chancellor R.W.Bromery, Alums William Manchester, Student Kenneth Freed)

Dedication of Tower Library, 1974. (left to right, Prof.Oswald Tippo, Trustee Fred Troy speaking, Chancellor R.W.Bromery, Alums William Manchester, Student Kenneth Freed)

Also See: Tippo, Oswald

Chancellor, UMass Amherst: 1970-1971

Oswald Tippo became the first Chancellor of the University of Massachusetts Amherst, following the re-organization of the university system administration in 1970. As a result of the re-organization, the President of the university system became responsible for policy and the operation of the three campuses, while the Chancellor was responsible for the Amherst campus.

A UMass graduate, Tippo was a noted botanist. He wrote a college botany textbook and once served as the president of the Botanical Society of America. After working as provost at the University of Colorado, Tippo returned to Amherst to serve as provost here, from 1964 to 1970. During his tenure as provost, several academic innovations emerged, including a program in Asian studies, classes in Afro-American studies, a new bachelor’s degree with individual concentration, and the continuing education program. The College of Arts and Sciences was split into three pieces, and the campus as a whole was re-organized into five areas. 

After retiring from campus administration in 1971, Tippo was named Commonwealth Professor of Biology and taught on campus until 1982.  Tippo was also known as an advocate for the campus library. The library currently honors him with the Oswald Tippo Library Courtyard and Sculpture Garden. 

Resources

Credits:

  • Cary, H. (1962). The University of Massachusetts: A History of 100 Years. Amherst: University of Massachusetts.
Oswald Tippo. YouMass. http://scua.library.umass.edu/youmass/doku.php?id=t:tippo_oswald&s[]=oswald&s[]=tippo&s[]=garden.