Webster University was owned and operated by the Sisters of Loretto from 1915 to 1967. In 1967, permission was granted by the Catholic Church to transfer ownership to an independent board of directors, the first time such a change had ever been made at a Catholic college. This change in status was controversial at the time and drew national headlines.

Three main reasons were given for the change:

1. "It is becoming more and more difficult for a religious order to finance a college adequately from internal resources."
2. "The administration of an expanding college where lay faculty members constitute seventy-five percent of the faculty is becoming far too complex to be adequately directed by a Board of Directors made up exclusively of members of a religious order, charged with many and diverse responsibilities."
3. "We currently lack adequate and qualified sister-personnel to continue to fill all the administrative and faculty posts in the college which were formerly filled by sisters."¹

The request for the transfer coincided with that of then Webster College President Jacqueline Grennan to be released from her vows. The reason given was that "she has continued to experience a personal conflict between her administrative responsibilities for an institution in the public sector and her voluntary submission to external juridical control by the church."¹

Permission to transfer ownership was granted in May, 1967.² By October, 1967, a chairman of the board had been announced: Sanford J. Zimmerman, president of Famous Barr (a local department store).³ On November 17, 1967, Sister Mary Luke Tobin, Superior General of the Sisters of Loretto, announced that the transfer had been legally concluded.⁴

Notes

¹ Webster College news release dated January 12, 1967.

² Formal degree of alienation of property of Webster College, May 10, 1967.

³ Memo re appointment of Sanford Zimmerman as first chairman of the board of directors, October 11, 1967.

⁴ Memo and press release announcing completion of transfer and new board of directors, November 16, 1967.

References

President announces institutional move to secular. (1967, January 18). The Web, vol. 44, no. 7, p. 1.

Dornblaser, Judy. (1967, January 18). Sr. J. obtains dispensation from vows. The Web, vol. 44, no. 7, p. 1.

Problematic structure change result of self-analysis by college. (1967, January 18). The Web, vol. 44, no. 7, p. 1.

Astin, Kathy. (1967, January 18). Lay board established to ensure growth. The Web, vol. 44, no. 7, p. 1.

Eden, Webster faculty considers import of recent announcement. (1967, January 18). The Web, vol. 44, no. 7, p. 3.

Varied reactions accompany change. (1967, February 3). The Web, Vol. 44, no. 8, p. 1, 4.

Legally secular status becomes a reality for Webster College. (1967, November 17). The Web , vol. 45, no. 5, p. 1.

Board of Trustees includes many prominent people. (1967, November 17). The Web, vol. 45, no. 5, p. 1.

Lay board established to insure growth. (1967, November 17). The Web, vol. 45, no. 5, p. 1, 3

Before Webster became independent in 1967, the institution was owned and operated by the Sisters of Loretto. In 1967, Webster transferred ownership to a lay board, the first time such a change had ever been made at a Catholic college. Below are the members of that first historic Board of Directors (names and positions in 1967 are given).

• Sanford J. Zimmerman, president of Famous-Barr Co. in St. Louis and vice president of the May Department Stores Co. (Webster Board chairman)
• Sr. Francetta Barberis S.L., president emeritus of Webster College
• Detlev W. Bronk, president, Rockefeller University
• Patrick F. Crowley, attorney, Chicago
• R.H. Dean, president, Ralston Purina Co.
• Alvin C. Eurich, president, Academy for Educational Development Inc., New York
• Jane Hart, wife of Senator Philip A. Hart, Michigan
• Leonard Hornbein, public relations consultant, Webster Groves
• Peg Jostedt, executive, Gardner Advertising Co., New York (Webster class of 1947)
• Lee M. Liberman, vice president of marketing, Laclede Gas Co.
• Francis V. Lloyd Jr., director, Laboratory School, University of Chicago
• Margie May, wife of Morton D. May, St. Louis
• Wayne L. Millsap, attorney, St. Louis
• George D. O'Neill, firm of Train, Cabot and Associates, New York
• Sr. Rose Maureen Sanders S.L., Provincial, Webster Groves
• Monte C. Throdahl, vice present of technology, Monsanto Co.
• Michael Witunski, director of external relations, McDonnell Douglas Corp.
• Harris Wofford, president, State University of New York, Old Westbury, NY

Before Webster became independent in 1967, the institution was owned and operated by the Sisters of Loretto. In 1967, Webster transferred ownership to a lay board. Listed below are the individuals who have served as chairperson since 1967.

• 1967–1977: Sanford Zimmerman, president of Famous-Barr Co. in St. Louis and vice president of the May Department Stores Co.
• 1978–1981: Monte C. Throdahl, Senior vice president, Monsanto
• 1982–1986: Robert C. West, President, Sverdrup Corp.
• 1987–1991: George Herbert Walker III, Stifel, Nicolaus & Co., Inc
• 1992–1993: Laurance L. Browning, Jr., Emerson Electric Co. board member
• 1994–1997: Richard A. Liddy, President and CEO, General American Life Insurance Co.
• 1998–2002: Charles W. Mueller, President and CEO, Ameren Corp.
• 2003–2006: Edward L. Glotzbach, President and CIO, SBC Communications, Inc.
• 2007–2009: Douglas E. Hill, Partner, Edward Jones
• 2009–2011: Mark Burkhart, President and CEO, Cassidy Turley
• 2011–2013: Brenda Newberry, Founder and Chairman (Ret.), The Newberry Group, Inc.
• 2013–2015: Steven O. Swyers, Partner (Ret.), PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLP
• 2015–2017: Amelia J. Bond, President and CEO, Greater Saint Louis Community Foundation
• 2017–2019: Lynn Britton, President and CEO of Mercy