November 2005

CBBS Remembers Hugh Macaulay

Alumni Professor Emeritus Hugh Macaulay passed away on October 19, 2005 at the age of 81. He had been hospitalized for several weeks following cancer surgery.

Professor Macaulay was an inspiration to generations of Clemson students and faculty. He demanded much of them, and gave immensely of his time and knowledge in return. He was famous for his lectures, his wit, his vast knowledge of world events and literature, and for his love of economics and free markets. In addition to being an exemplary teacher, he was also a leader in research. He was one of the first in the College to obtain a significant research grant, for his work on environmental policy. He was one of Clemson's most respected faculty members.

In many ways, Professor Macaulay is the father of Clemson's Economics Department. He was a founding member of the Department when the College was formed in 1964. Though Professor Macaulay held administrative positions at Clemson and the US Treasury Department, he led primarily by example. His strength of character, his thirst for knowledge, and his kindness form a model for others to follow.

Professor Macaulay retired from teaching in 1983, but was engaged to the very end of his life with scholars at Clemson, his monthly reading group, and the Piedmont Economics Club in Greenville, where he was Program Chair for many years. From his retirement to the present, Hugh inspired Clemson's junior faculty in their monthly lunch meetings.

Professor Macaulay left a legacy which is deeply felt by his former students and colleagues. Shortly after his retirement, the Macaulay Chair endowment was established. This endowment has been used to bring world class scholars to Clemson and to reward outstanding work by students. Distinguished economists such as Ronald Jones of the University of Rochester and Sherwin Rosen of the University of Chicago have taught courses at Clemson as The Macaulay Professor of Economics.

In recent days, former students and colleagues have written and reinforced our belief that Hugh's spirit should be maintained in the Department, and have asked how they might contribute. We welcome testimonies of the effect that Professor Macaulay had on people's lives and contributions to the Macaulay Chair endowment so that we can preserve his legacy.

The Hugh Macaulay Endowed Professorship was created by friends of Hugh shortly after his retirement in 1983. Since then, the endowment has been used to bring distinguished economists to Clemson to teach. Economists such as Ronald Jones, a leading theorist in International Trade and Xerox Professor of Economics at Rochester, and the late Sherwin Rosen of Chicago, one of the world's great labor economists and price theorists, have taught courses to Clemson students as the Macaulay Professor.

Hugh's family, his students, and his colleagues have all expressed a keen interest in securing his memory at Clemson through this endowment. Our goal is to raise the level of the endowment to the size required for an endowed chair. The endowment currently stands at three hundred fifty thousand dollars. A fully funded endowed chair requires one and a half million dollars, so reaching this goal requires broad and generous support from people who wish to preserve Hugh's memory and the passion for economics on teaching that was his gift to Clemson. To contribute to the endowment, please visit the Hugh Macaulay Endowment site.