Sidney Boutwell Collection

Sidney Boutwell was born on June 14, 1933 in Macon, Georgia and on died August 9, 2007 in Springfield, Missouri at the age of 74.

He graduated from Vanderbilt’s College of Arts and Science in 1955. After graduation Boutwell became a resident adviser while working towards a master’s in history and economics. In 1957 he joined the Office of the Dean of Men, from 1960 to 1962 he was a development officer, and finally in 1962 he became the Dean of Men. At the time, Boutwell was the youngest dean of a major university in the United States at only 30 years old.

For eight years Boutwell served as Dean of Men until the Mens’ and Womens’ Deans were integrated. He and the former Dean of Women, Margaret Cuninggim, were made co-deans in 1970. Boutwell became the executive assistant director for the annual fund of the Development Office. In 1984 Boutwell left Vanderbilt University to work in real estate in Eureka Springs, Arkansas.

Boutwell contributed to the creation of many aspects of Vanderbilt’s modern student life, including the Impact Symposium, student volunteerism, independent student communications and the Sarratt Student Center. He founded the VUceptor program to facilitate the freshmen orientation process. During his tenure, Vanderbilt underwent the desegregation of its previously single-gender housing. Furthermore, the University began to racially integrate its undergraduate population and Boutwell directed the creation of the Afro-American Association, which led to the Black Student Alliance and Bishop Joseph Johnson Black Cultural Center.

Sidney F. Boutwell was born in 1933 and received his BA from Vanderbilt University in 1955. He started working as a student adviser in the residence hall system at Vanderbilt shortly after his graduation. While serving in that position, he earned a master’s in history and economics from Vanderbilt. In 1957, Boutwell joined the Office of the Dean of Men. Between 1960 and 1962, he worked as a development officer before being appointed dean of men in 1962. He served as dean of men for the next eight years, until the offices of the dean of men and the dean of women were consolidated into the Office of Student Life. In 1970, he and former Dean of Women Margaret Cuninggim were named co-deans of student life. In 1979, he became associate executive director for the annual fund in the Development Office, a post he held until he left Vanderbilt in 1984. Boutwell is credited with inspiring or implementing many of the mainstays of current student culture, including the Impact Symposium, student volunteerism, independent student communications, and the Sarratt Student Center. He died on August 9, 2007, in Springfield, Missouri