Samuel Kern Alexander Jr. is Professor of Excellence at the

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC, U of I, Illinois, or University of Illinois) is a public university, public land-grant university, land-grant research university in the Champaign–Urbana metropolitan area, Illinois, United ...

, where he is endowed by the O'Leary Endowment and Editor of the ''Journal of Education Finance'', published by the

University of Illinois Press The University of Illinois Press (UIP) is an American university press and is part of the University of Illinois System. Founded in 1918, the press publishes some 120 new books each year, thirty-three scholarly journals, and several electroni ...

and Project MUSE of Johns Hopkins University.

Personal life

Samuel Kern Alexander Jr. was born in Marrowbone, Kentucky in 1939. Kern earned his Bachelor of Arts degree with a double major in English and History from

Centre College Centre College, formally Centre College of Kentucky, is a Private college, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Danville, Kentucky, United States. Chartered by the Kentucky General Assembly in 1819, the col ...

in 1961. While at Centre, Alexander was quarterback and captain of Centre's football team and was initiated into

Delta Kappa Epsilon Delta Kappa Epsilon (), commonly known as ''DKE'' or ''Deke'', is one of the oldest Fraternities and sororities, fraternities in the United States, with fifty-six active chapters and five active Colony (fraternity or sorority), colonies across No ...

. In 1960, he was named Honorable Mention All-American. While a senior at Centre, Kern Alexander met his first wife, Ruth Hammack. Hammack was a native of Paint Lick, Kentucky, and she graduated from Milligan College in 1960. Hammack moved to

Danville, Kentucky Danville is a list of Kentucky cities, home rule-class city and the county seat of Boyle County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 17,236 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. Danville is the principal city of the Danville Micr ...

for a teaching job after graduating from college. They married in 1961. The Alexanders moved to

Bowling Green, Kentucky Bowling Green is a city in Warren County, Kentucky, United States, and its county seat. Its population was 72,294 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, making it the List of cities in Kentucky, third-most populous city in the stat ...

, where Kern earned a master's degree from

Western Kentucky University Western Kentucky University (WKU) is a public university in Bowling Green, Kentucky, United States. It was founded by the Commonwealth of Kentucky in 1906, though its roots reach back a few decades earlier. It operates regional campuses in Glas ...

in 1962. Kern and Ruth Alexander had two children Samuel Kern Alexander III and Fieldon King Alexander, and then the Alexanders moved to Indiana, where Kern completed his Ed.D. in Educational Administration from

Indiana University Indiana University (IU) is a state university system, system of Public university, public universities in the U.S. state of Indiana. The system has two core campuses, five regional campuses, and two regional centers under the administration o ...

in 1965, and a Diploma in Educational Studies from Oxford University, with distinction, 1977. The Alexanders went on to have two more children: Klinton West Alexander and Wesley Kane Alexander.

Academic career

Prior to coming to the University of Illinois he served as President of two American state universities (

and

Murray State University Murray State University (MSU) is a public university in Murray, Kentucky, in the Southern United States. In addition to the main campus in Calloway County in southwestern Kentucky, Murray State operates extended campuses offering upper-level an ...

), was a tenured distinguished professor at the

University of Florida The University of Florida (Florida or UF) is a public university, public land-grant university, land-grant research university in Gainesville, Florida, United States. It is a senior member of the State University System of Florida and a preem ...

, Gainesville, University Distinguished Professor at

Virginia Tech The Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, commonly referred to as Virginia Tech (VT), is a Public university, public Land-grant college, land-grant research university with its main campus in Blacksburg, Virginia, United States ...

and held the Robinson Eminent Scholar Chair at the

University of North Florida The University of North Florida (UNF) is a public university, public research university in Jacksonville, Florida, United States. It is part of the State University System of Florida and is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern ...

, Jacksonville. As President of Western Kentucky University, 1985–88, he founded the institution’s community college and opened the Glasgow, Kentucky, branch of the university. His time at WKU was marked by multiple controversies, ending with a failed attempt to install faculty editors to oversee the independent student newspaper and yearboo

As President of Murray State, Alexander began a

residential college A residential college is a division of a university that places academic activity in a community setting of students and faculty, usually at a residence and with shared meals, the college having a degree of autonomy and a federated relationship ...

system and founded the Hopkinsville, Paducah, and Henderson campuses of Murray State. Alexander Hall at Murray State is named after him and his presidency at that institution. He is the author or co-author of 25 books on education finance and law and has served as finance expert in state school finance litigation in 22 American states. Alexander founded the Oxford Round Table, a series of interdisciplinary conferences held at various colleges in the

University of Oxford The University of Oxford is a collegiate university, collegiate research university in Oxford, England. There is evidence of teaching as early as 1096, making it the oldest university in the English-speaking world and the List of oldest un ...

, in 1989. He has been closely involved with the Round Table ever since, often serving as its president. In his

autobiography An autobiography, sometimes informally called an autobio, is a self-written account of one's own life, providing a personal narrative that reflects on the author's experiences, memories, and insights. This genre allows individuals to share thei ...

, '' My Life'', President

Bill Clinton William Jefferson Clinton (né Blythe III; born August 19, 1946) is an American politician and lawyer who was the 42nd president of the United States from 1993 to 2001. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, ...

quoted Alexander and described him as a nationally recognized expert on education policy. Alexander holds a graduate diploma (with distinction) from the

and an Ed.D. from

Indiana University Bloomington Indiana University Bloomington (IU Bloomington, Indiana University, IU, IUB, or Indiana) is a public university, public research university in Bloomington, Indiana, United States. It is the flagship university, flagship campus of Indiana Univer ...

Books

*2019. Alexander, K. and M. D. Alexander, American Public School Law, 9th Edition. West Academic Publisher: St. Paul, MN *2018. Alexander, S., Alexander, w., David, M. The Law of Schools, Students and Teachers in a Nutshell, 6th Edition. West Publishing Company: St. Paul, MN. *2017. Alexander, K. Higher Education Law: Policy and Perspectives, 2nd Edition. Routledge/Taylor & Francis: New York, NY. *2015. Alexander, K., Salmon, D., and F. King Alexander, Financing Public Schools: Theory, Policy, and Practice.. Routledge/Taylor & Francis: New York, NY. *2012. Alexander, S., Alexander, M. American Public School Law, 8th Edition. Wadsworth Cengage Learning: Belmont, CA. *2008. Alexander, S. Education and Economic Growth: Investment and Distribution of Financial Resources. Linton Atlantic Books, Ltd: Yarnton, Oxon. United Kingdom. *2004. Alexander, S., Hunter, R. Administering Special Education : in pursuit of dignity and autonomy. Elsevier: Amsterdam. *1995. Alexander, S. Public School Finance. Allyn and Bacon: Boston, MA. *1972. Alexander, S., Solomon, E. College and University Law. Michie Co: Charlottesville, VA.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Alexander, Kern 1939 births Living people American educational theorists University of Florida faculty Presidents of Western Kentucky University Presidents of Murray State University People from Cumberland County, Kentucky Writers from Kentucky Centre College alumni Indiana University Bloomington alumni Western Kentucky University alumni