Vivian Bull, former Linfield College president, dies Aug. 12, 2022
McMinnville N-R/News-Register Aug 16, 2022
Linfield’s first and only female president, Vivian A. Bull, died Friday at age 87 in a retirement center in Pennsylvania.
She became president of Linfield College, now University, in 1992. Her 13-year tenure saw expansions both in the campus and its offerings.
She also was active in the McMinnville community, for which she was named co-winner of the Woman of the Year Distinguished Service Award in 2005.
Bull is known for bringing the college’s use of technology into the internet age. She also worked for more inclusion and diversity for all groups, including LGBTQ-plus students; increased support for international studies, and more collaborative research between students and faculty.
“Dr. Bull led Linfield through a critically important time in its history,” said President Miles Davis.
He took over from Bull’s successor, Thomas Hellie, in 2018. Marv Henberg had served as interim president between Bull and Hellie.
“Many members of our community remember her fondly, and I consider her a personal friend,” said Davis, who ordered flags to be flown at half-staff in her honor on Linfield’s campuses in McMinnville and Portland.
“Her legacy will forever be a part of this institution and community,’ he said.
Bull broke down barriers literally, as well.
She was known for gleefully taking part in groundbreaking ceremonies whenever there was a construction project. She would drive a bulldozer or other heavy equipment to knock down walls or dig up the first scoop of earth.
The biggest projects came after Linfield acquired the former Hewlett-Packard after the technology company announced in 1996. Bull made a deal to take over its site, adjacent to Linfield’s campus.
And she oversaw the conversion of several former H-P buildings into the college library, theater and art center. The Vivian A. Bull Music Building also is located on the former H-P site.
Bull and her husband, the late Robert Bull, were known for their presence on campus and in the community. They were active in the local Methodist Church.
She was a member of the Rotary Club, the Chamber of Commerce and the Newberg-Dundee Bypass Committee. She was the first woman to serve on the McMinnville Water & Light Commission.
She often walked the campus in her white tennis shoes, visiting with students. She periodically taught a class in economics, her specialty.
Bull, who grew up in a multi-cultural area in Michigan, graduated from Albion College in her home state, earned a doctorate from New York University, did graduate work at the London School of Economics on a Fulbright Scholarship, and studied in Norway, Great Britain and the Netherlands.
With her husband, she also participated in numerous archaeological expeditions in the Middle East
Bull taught economics and was an associate dean at Drew University in New Jersey before being chosen by Linfield when President Charles Walker retired in 1992.
After retiring from Linfield, Bull returned to New Jersey, where she served as interim president of Drew University from 2012 to 2014.
She had lived on the East Coast, mostly in New Jersey, since leaving McMinnville in 2005. She visited McMinnville from time to time, however, most recently for Linfield’s 2017 Homecoming.
Arrangements are under the direction of Minshall-Shropshire-Bleyler Funeral home in Media, Pennsylvania.
# End of story posted by the McMinnville N-R online and 8/16/2022 in its print edition.#
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Postscript commentary from Wildcatville –
Cutline for a photo (see photo posted here) with a story entitled “Vivian Bull’s legacy” in Linfield Magazine Fall 2004 reads: “Vivian Bull can add heavy equipment operator to her resumé. She’s driven backhoes and track hoes, breaking ground, breaking walls and tearing down fences. Here, she breaks ground for the Ad and Joan Rutschman Field House.”
That cutline indicates a positive part of the Vivian Bull-Ad Rutschman relationship. It was not all positive. In her Linfield presidential tenure, 1992-2005, Ad Rutschman retired as the college’s athletic director in 1996 leaving that job after his 25 years of service. Some contend she precipitated his retirement and naming him athletic director emeritus was to placate those, including alumni, who disagreed with her alleged action to make him retire.
