University of Connecticut, President's Office Records [Philip E. Austin Papers]

Philip E. Austin was born on March 25, 1942, and served as the thirteenth president of the University of Connecticut. Austin grew up in Fargo, North Dakota and attended North Dakota State University, receiving a bachelor of science degree in 1964. He remained at the university receiving an M.S. in Agricultural Economics in 1966. In 1968 he received a Ph.D in Economics from Michigan State University.

Before entering the academy Austin served in the United States Army as an economist in the office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Economic Affairs at the U. S. Military Headquarters in Saigon, Vietnam. Following his service in Vietnam Austin served as an Economist in the Director’s Office of the U.S. Office of Management and Budget, from 1971 to 1974. He also served as the Health, Education, and Welfare (HEW) Department's Deputy Assistant Secretary for Education from 1974-1977. From 1978 to 1984 Austin served as Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, and Professor of Economics and Finance, at Bernard Baruch College in New York City.

In 1984 Austin was appointed President of Colorado State University, serving in that capacity until 1989. in 1989 he began working as Chancellor of the University of Alabama system, remaining in that postition for the next seven years. On October 1, 1996, Austin was appointed as the thirteenth president of the University of Connecticut. Austin remained at UConn until 2007, when he resigned his office. Upon Michael Hogan's departure as president in 2010, Austin returned to the President's Office as interim president. After Susan Herbst was selected to be the next president of the University, Austin assumed the position of the Interim Vice President for Health Affairs at the University's Health Center, a position he held for the next year. Austin currently lives in West Hartford, Connecticut.