Charles Richard Van Hise (May 29, 1857 – November 19, 1918) was an academic and president of the University of Madison from 1903 to 1918.

Van Hise was born in Fulton, Wisconsin. He received his bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering in 1879, and was the first to graduate with a Ph.D. from the school in 1892, receiving a doctorate in geology. He also received a B.S. in 1880 and a M.S. in 1882.

He entered the faculty of the University immediately after graduating, as instructor. He held the positions of instructor in chemistry and metallurgy (1879-1883), assistant professor of metallurgy (1886-1888), professor of mineralogy and petography (1888-1892), professor of Archaean and applied geology (1890-1892), and professor of geology after 1892.

He was elected by the Board of Regents to become the president of the University of Wisconsin on April 21, 1903 Van Hise succeeded Charles K. Adams, who had died in 1901, and Edward A. Birge , who had served as acting president for the past two years. Van Hise was helped in his election by the support of Governor Robert La Follette.

In 1904, as president of the university, he declared that “the beneficent influence of the university [be] available to every home in the state,” later articulated as the “Wisconsin Idea.” He was instrumental in the formation of the University of Wisconsin Extension division, which later grew into the University of Wisconsin System. During his tenure, UW's medical college was established, the number of faculty doubled and the university's revenue increased four-fold.

He served as the president of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in 1916.

Van Hise died unexpectedly in 1918 after minor surgery in Milwaukee.

External links

• Biography of Van Hise at the Wisconsin Electronic Reader
• Biographies of the chancellors and presidents of the Univeristy of Wisconsin
• Short blurb about Van Hise at AAAS.org