1960

President Houston resigns following a heart attack. Carey Croneis, provost and chair of the geology department, becomes acting president until the post can be filled.

1960

The Board of Governors, echoing President Lovett's long-held belief the that word "institute" no longer conveys the the scope of Rice's educational program or its status in the academic world, proposes that the Rice Institute change its name to William Marsh Rice University. In the face of only minor opposition, the new name becomes effective on July 1.

1960

President Dwight D. Eisenhower visits the campus to give a non-political address.

1960

The English department starts a new quarterly academic journal, Studies in English Literature: 1500-1900.

1960

The dreaded "Math 100" course is split into a section for scientists and engineers and a section for nonscience majors.

1961

Kenneth Pitzer, who had been a professor of chemistry at Berkeley, is inaugurated as the third Rice president. Although Pitzer wants Rice to remain modest in size, he proposes enlarging undergraduate enrollment and encourages growth in the graduate school–from 400 to 800 students. In an effort to attract the best graduate students, he increases the number of graduate fellowships. Pitzer also believes that a faculty of great distinction, consisting of outstanding teachers who also are eminent in research, is the key to a university's reputation. He predicts that an upgraded faculty will benefit the undergraduate as well as the graduate programs, helping to attract good students. In addition, he wants to see several new buildings–one for architecture, one for fine arts, and two for new colleges. And last, he proposes a professional school for business administration.

1962

Rayzor Hall is built to house humanities and is named in honor of trustee J. Newton Rayzor.

1962

James R. Doty is awarded a Rhodes Scholoarship.

1962

A semi centennial celebration similar to the opening celebration of 1912 is held on October 10-12. Hundreds of scholars and distinguished representatives from universities worldwide visit the campus to hear special speakers, to attend lectures, and to participate in ceremonies commemorating the university. The highlight of the event is the formal installation of Kenneth Pitzer as Rice's third president. The low point is a football game against the University of Oregon that the Owls lose 31-12.

1962

The colleges develop their own internal judicial systems and create the Inter-College Court to handle disputes between colleges.

1962

On September 12, President John F. Kennedy delivers his space exploration address in Rice Stadium, promising that the U.S. will send a man to the moon by the end of the decade: "We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things not because they are easy but because they are hard…. And I am delighted that this university is playing a part in putting a man on the moon as part of a great national effort of the United States of America."

1963

Rice becomes the first university to establish a space science department.

1963

A new committee on educational policy begins running official course evaluations.

1963

The Dean's List is renamed the President's Honor Roll.

1963

Robert E. Johnston is awarded a Rhodes Scholarship.

1963

In January, the board approves, for the first time, a formal tenure policy and, by March, has assigned all faculty tenure or one-to three-year appointments. The board also addresses several connected issues of vital concern: rising costs, a need for increased capital expenditures, and a difficulty in securing grants because the university is perceived as not using all its possible financial resources to the fullest. A unanimous board files a lawsuit to alter the university's charter to permit Rice to charge tuition. The suit, filed on February 21, also contains a second important provision allowing Rice to admit qualified students without regard to race or color.

1964

The university issues a 10-year plan that outlines improvements and enhancements that will be required for Rice to meet its own needs and expectation. These include increased fund raising, new academic buildings, new residential college, major purchases of laboratory equipment, and library acquisitions. Even more than in the past, students are to be selected for their high intellectual abilities, motivation, and personal qualifications, while professors are the ablest that Rice can attract. New departments are created and others strengthened, and the foreign language curriculum is expanded.

1964

Fred Hansen '63 wins an Olympic gold medal in the pole vault at the 1964 Games in Tokyo for a vault of 16' 8.75".

1964

In February, the court finds in favor of the petition filed the year before to allow Rice to modify its charter to charge tuition and to admit students of all races. Although tuition will now be charge, the university places strong emphasis on providing scholarship aid for all qualified students who need financial help.

1964

Rice and the Jefferson Davis Association begin a major historical study of Davis, expected to result in some 15 volumes of reference works. This project will be ongoing.

1965

Ryon Engineering Lab is built with funds from the estate of Professor and Mrs. L. B. Ryon.

1965

The Department of Architecture is renamed the School of Architecture.

1965

Jacqueline McCauley and Charles Edward Freeman III are the first African American undergraduate students to attend classes at Rice.

1965

Tuition ($1,200) is charged for the first time.

1965

A $33 million fund-raising campaign is launched.

1965

Brown College opens as the second residential college for women.

1966

Rice's G.E. College Bowl team–Gordon Braden, Don Des Jarlais, Bill Kennedy, Harriet Mauzy, and Lawson Taitte–coached by Ferdinand Levi, is crowned undefeated champion on national television.

1966

The Space Science and Technology Building is completed.

1966

The first Tea-Trike race for women is held.

1967

The Brown Foundation establishes the George R. Brown Program for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching at Rice University. The program will recognize faculty members whose teaching has been rated best by alumni and will make possible seminars and experimental programs to promote superior teaching.

1967

A new campus social spot opens in Hanszen College, its name–Corner for the Dreaming Monkey–reflecting the tenor of the late '60s. It lasts until 1975, when Willy's Pub opens.

1967

KHCR (which will become KTRU) broadcasts to Hanszen residents from the basement of the college.

1967

Allen Center for Business Activities is built. Housing the university's business offices, it is name dafter donor and Rice governor Herbert Allen and his wife, Helen.

1968

The pass/fail option is approved.

1968

Hanszen College students start KOWL student radio, replacing KHCR, in the Rice Memorial Center basement.

1968

Lovett College, named in honor of Edgar Odell Lovett, opens; Herman Brown Hall, named for the cofounder of Brown and Root, is built; and Fondren Library gets a major addition.

1968

Kenneth Pitzer resigns as president of Rice to become president of Stanford University. The trustees announce on February 20 their choice for the new president, William H. Masterson, historian and former dean of humanities, but most faculty and students protest because they were not consulted in the decision. The "Masterson Crisis" ends five days later as Masterson resigns. History professor Frank E. Vandiver is appointed interim president until the post can be filled officially.

1968

The Office of Continuing Studies opens. Its first class, held in June, is on the low-temperature processing of petroleum products. Thomas W. Leland of Rice's Department of Chemical Engineering is class coordinator, and other instructors include Riki Kobayashi and Gary Fisher from Rice's chemical engineering department and two faculty members from other universities.

1969

Rice radio KOWL changes its call letters to KTRU.

1969

The Institute for the Arts is founded. Intended to open the Rice community to artistic and media courses, lectures, and exhibitions, the institute is backed by the resources of the Ménil Foundation art collection.

1969

The MOB (Marching Owl Band) forms.

1969

By the end of the decade, Rice's total enrollment exceeds 3,000, yet the student-teacher ratio improves 10 to 1.

1969

The first Graduate Student Associate Council meets.