Harold E. North (MFA ’67), who served as chair of the sculpture department for 30 years, has passed away at the age of 89. North became chair in 1968, overseeing the hire of beloved faculty members José Puig, Myron Helfgott, Chuck Henry, Lester Van Winkle and Joe Seipel, as well as department secretary Connie Brown. His leadership helped the newly titled VCU School of the Arts achieve national recognition.
“There was a sense that the students were the most important thing and that we were there to help students,” Seipel said. “The university and the department were there to be of assistance to the faculty, but the faculty were there for the students. That was the prevailing way of thinking across the entire department. I think that that kind of graciousness and openness to students was part and parcel of what made us a little bit unique and much of that had to do with Harold’s leadership.”
North equally loved his department and faculty, Seipel said.
“I think we were a rather unusual department in that there was such camaraderie,” Seipel said. “He was a real loyal, positive chair and in every moment I dealt with him was a most fair and honorable man both with students and with faculty. … There will be a lot of our alumni who will miss him dearly, as we will in the faculty.”
Read more about North’s life and influence at VCU News.
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