Richard Herman

Herman was raised in his grandfather's house in Brooklyn. He attended Stevens Institute of Technology where he received a B.S. in mathematics in 1963. He later received his Ph.D. in mathematics from University of Maryland, College Park, in 1967.[11][12]

After graduating from Maryland, Herman taught mathematics at the University of California, Los Angeles from 1968 to 1972.[13] He moved to Pennsylvania State University in 1972 and later served as chairman of the Mathematics Department from 1986 to 1990. In 1990, he returned to University of Maryland in College Park to serve as dean until 1998.[14][15]

Herman is an Eagle Scout and a recipient of the Distinguished Eagle Scout Award.[16][17]

In 2008 Herman was elected a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.[18]

The Rainbow Push Program named Herman as Educator of the Year in 2009.[19]

Herman received the Malone Award from APLU in 2009.[20]

The Chicago Tribune reported on Friday, May 29, 2009 that several students had been admitted to the University based upon connections or recommendations by Board of Trustees, Chicago politicians, and members of the Rod Blagojevich administration. The improprieties occurred, according to the Tribune, on the Urbana-Champaign campus headed by Herman. The Tribune obtained through a FOIA request several emails between Herman, then law dean Heidi Hurd and others spanning a number of years and establishing without any doubt that preferential treatment had been given to well-connected students. The Tribune also reported on one case in which the University's president, B. Joseph White, had received a recommendation for a relative of the (subsequently convicted) fundraiser Tony Rezko to be admitted. The Tribune posted emails of Herman to admissions staff pushing for less qualified students to be accepted, citing particularly an exchange between Herman, admissions officers, and then-dean of the college of law Heidi Hurd. The controversy has sparked condemnation from student trustee Paul Schmitt and state lawmakers.[21] It is quite unusual for deans, let alone provosts, to interfere with admissions staff in deciding whether or not to admit individual applicants. Their usual role is to provide guidance and direction as to admissions policies.

As a result of the "clout controversy," several state lawmakers including Representatives, Naomi Jakobsson, Chapin Rose, and Bill Black have called for legislative investigations.[22] Chairman of the Illinois House of Higher Education Committee, Representative Mike Boland, has called for Herman's and White's removal, as well as several administrators including and members of the Board of Trustees, saying "They were trusted to protect our university. In my eyes, they failed in that regard and they should resign."[23]

In September 2009, Urbana alumni in the Chicago area wrote to the governor and board of trustees praising Herman for his many accomplishments during his term as Chancellor. These included highlighting his fundraising leadership and efforts to raise the campus' share of the Brilliant Futures $2.25 billion campaign, his efforts to increase Urbana's research presence including leading in creating the Energy Biosciences Institute, a $500 million research program to study converting plant biomass to fuel, helping to create an outreach effort with Chicago Public Schools to increase recruitment of students and increasing diversity on campus, among other accomplishments.[24]

After months of calls for his resignation, on 20 October 2009 Herman announced he would resign as Chancellor for his role in the controversy. He was replaced in August 2011 by Phyllis Wise, the former Interim President and current Provost of the University of Washington.[25]

• Richard Howard Herman @ The Mathematics Genealogy Project