Through DU’s 150-year history, the university has seen the leadership of 17 chancellors, each with their own success and legacies they have left behind. By June of this year, the university’s 18th chancellor will begin a new chapter in DU’s history. As the university looks forward to new leadership, the Clarion looks back at several of those who have come before.

Robert Coombe: 2005 – 2014

Coombe began his career with DU in 1981, when he was hired as a chemistry professor. He would go on to advance through the positions of assistant dean of Graduate Studies, a chair in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry and dean of the Division of Natural Sciences, Mathematics and Engineering. Coombe was named provost of the university in 2001 before become chancellor in 2005. During his time, Coombe oversaw the implementation of the ASCEND campaign, a funding campaign that has so far raised over $450 million for the university. Coombe announced in January that he will step down from his position in June of 2014, leaving room for the hiring of DU’s 18th chancellor.

Daniel Ritchie: 1989 – 2005

Ritchie began his career at DU in the middle of an economic downturn affecting both Denver and the university, presenting a steep challenge as Ritchie joined the university as vice chairman of the board and chair of the development committee. In 1989 he became the university’s 16th chancellor. He would go on to oversee the largest fundraising campaign in DU’s history, bringing in over $270 million for university projects and renovation programs. The success of the fundraising allowed for construction of a series of new buildings on campus, including student housing buildings, law and music buildings. Ritchie was also involved in restructuring and rejuvenating DU’s study abroad program based on the results of a task force put together by Ritchie to review the existing international programs.

Ten years after retirement, Ritchie’s legacy still continues on campus today through the thriving study abroad program and the Ritchie Center, which completed construction in 2000.

Henry Augustus Buchtel: 1899 – 1920

Buchtel served in a variety of positions before becoming a DU chancellor, including working as a missionary in Bulgaria and pastor in several states, including Indiana, New York, New Jersey and Colorado. He began serving as chancellor of DU in 1900, coming in at a time the university faced tremendous debts that prompted Buchtel to immediately initiate a fundraising campaign.
The campaign would prove successful enough to pay off the university’s debts within three years. During his term at DU, Buchtel would go on to serve as the seventeenth governor of Colorado for one term. Buchtel would resign as chancellor in 1920 after suffering a stroke.

David Hastings Moore: 1880 – 1889

A former member of the Union army during the Civil War and a Pastor, Moore became president of the Cincinnati Wesleyan Female Seminary (today Cincinnati Wesleyan College) until 1880 before moving to Colorado and becoming president of the Colorado Methodist Seminary, which later became the University of Denver.
In 1900, More was made a Bishop and assigned as Bishop of China, Japan and Korea, where he served for three years.