The University of Iowa

Boyd Law Building

Williard L. Boyd

Honoree: Willard L. Boyd

1927–2022

Achievements:

  • Willard L. Boyd is a Rawlings-Miller Professor of Law at the University of Iowa and President Emeritus of the University of Iowa and The Field Museum of Chicago
  • Professor, The University of Iowa College of Law from 1954 to 1964; during this time he earned his S.J.D. from Michigan in 1962
  • Beginning 1964, he served as Associate Dean of the College of Law before becoming Vice President of Academic Affairs and Dean of the Faculties for The University of Iowa, a position he held from 1964 to 1968
  • From 1969-1981, Boyd served as the fifteenth President of The University of Iowa.
  • Chairman of the American Association of Universities from 1979 to 1980
  • Following his tenure as a university president, Boyd served as the President of the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago from 1981 to 1996. During this time, he was one of the first recipients of the Charles Frankel Prize (now the National Humanities Medal) in 1989, honoring his efforts to bring history, literature, philosophy and other humanities disciplines to general audiences
  • From 2002 to 2003, Boyd served the UI as interim president
  • He was a Chester Phillips Research Fellow at the Tippie College of Business at Iowa from 2003 to 2006
  • Longest-serving member on the Carver Charitable Trust board of trustees
  • Additional information

Boyd Law Building

 

Description of facility:
Having first outgrown Gilmore Hall and then the Law Commons (International Center), the College of Law moved to its current home, Boyd Law Building, in 1986. Named after law professor, past provost, and past University of Iowa president Willard L. Boyd, the building contains two trial courtrooms (with jury room and judge’s chambers), a 300-seat appellate courtroom also used as an auditorium, classrooms, faculty offices, and a 1,100,000-volume law library.

Address: 130 Byington Road
Year built: 1986
Additional building information and map: Boyd Law Building

Aerial View of Building