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News

Lence leaves strong legacy

Beloved political science professor taught, inspired generations 
of University students

by James Bolen
The Daily Cougar

Longtime political science professor Ross M. Lence died Tuesday morning after a long bout with pancreatic cancer. He was 62.

Lence began teaching at UH in 1971. He quickly became known as one of the most rigorous instructors at the University and was respected by students and faculty members alike. He was so loved, in fact, that a group of former students who called themselves °°Lencians°± visited Lence over the last several months, some of them coming from as far away as Colorado and Virginia. One student stayed with Lence 24 hours a day for six weeks.

Something all of Lence's students could attest to was his impressive intelligence and razor-sharp wit. When former student Tom Kirkendall asked Lence, his mentor, what his primary goal in teaching was, the professor's answer was simple, but profound: °°Tom, my goals are modest. All I want is to teach my students how to think, and the difference between right and wrong.°±

Lence was particularly known for the amount of time he would devote to each individual student. Honors College Dean Ted Estess said he estimated Lence gave 30-minute advisory sessions to at least 10,000 students over his 35-year career. 

Lence received many honors during his career, among them UH's John and Rebecca Moores Professorship, the Provost's Core Curriculum Teaching Excellence Award, the George Magner Excellence Award for Undergraduate Academic Advising, the Houston Alumni Organization's Outstanding Faculty Award and the College of Social Sciences Teaching Excellence Award. Lence was also a member of the Philadelphia Society.

One of the most unusual honors came in 2002, when several of Lence's ex-students joined together to create the Ross M. Lence Distinguished University Teaching Chair Endowment, an endowed chair in his honor.

°°He was by far the most celebrated faculty member the university has ever had,°± Estess said.

Lence had also authored, edited or co-authored several publications. 

Lence earned his bachelor's degree from the Univeristy of Chicago, completed graduate studies at Georgetown University and earned his doctorate from Indiana University.

Visitation will be held from 5 to 8 p.m. today at Settegast-Kopf, 3220 Kirby Drive, with a rosary set for 7:30 p.m. A burial mass will be said at 10 a.m. Friday at St. Anne's Catholic Church, 2140 Westheimer Road.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Ross M. Lence Scholarship Fund in The Honors College at the University of Houston, 212 M.D. Anderson Library, Houston, 77204-2001.

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