Pitman cuts the ribbon

UI unveils Bruce M. Pitman Center with ceremony

Bridget Pitman-Wilkinson made a bet with her father before his dedication speech that he would be too humble to say the words “Bruce Pitman Center.” She lost that bet, but only because Pitman shared that anecdote during Thursday’s dedication ceremony in the lobby of what was formerly known as the Student Union Building. 

The story resonated with the warmly nostalgic crowd of friends, family, co-workers and community members — many of whom had known Pitman’s humility for decades.

University of Idaho President Chuck Staben said when Pitman officially retired two weeks ago, he left the university better than he found it.

During his more than 40 years with the University of Idaho, first as the Greek adviser, then as the dean of students and finally as the vice president of Student Affairs, Pitman initiated programs that addressed campus safety, mental illness, sexual assault, student drinking and drug abuse.

“He helped the university move forward,” Staben said. “His dedication and service resulted in a stronger campus community, a healthier Vandal family and literally decades of learning for so many.”

Former ASUI President Max Cowan first met Pitman at a university recruiting event in his hometown of Portland. Cowan said he was instantly struck by how genuine the former dean of students seemed — as was his mother, who Cowan said still asks how Pitman is doing.

Cowan said he didn’t get to really know Pitman until he began working with ASUI, which only deepened his respect for him. Cowan said Pitman was dedicated, helpful and every bit as genuine as he’d first thought.

Pitman, who is adjusting to retirement by filling his time with non-profit work, said he couldn’t be prouder to have his name on the former Student Union Building.

“My passion for student affairs started in student union work when I was an undergraduate at Purdue University,” he said. “I was first a student worker, and then able to be on the Student Union Board. That was the place I first realized learning outside the classroom could be a real joy.”

It was on the same Student Union Board at Purdue that Pitman met his wife, Kathy. When Pitman arrived on the UI campus in 1973, he said the Student Union Building was the center of campus life — home to a bowling alley, a game center, restaurants, ASUI and the Outdoor Recreation Center.

“This was the heart of campus,” Pitman said. “This building has had an incredible impact on campus life at UI, and it’s a privilege to have my name on this building.”

Though Pitman’s career with UI has stretched over decades, he said his greatest accomplishment has been advocating for what he calls an ethic of caring. Pitman even helped to start the Alternative Service Break program at UI, instilling a commitment to service in a generation of students.

“Our university is blessed to have a lot of students who come here with strong work ethics, who play hard, but work hard,” Pitman said. “I think that will certainly be the case well into the future, and I think we have really created a culture of those values.”

At the end of the ceremony, as Pitman cut the ribbon on the Bruce M. Pitman Center surrounded by loved ones, Cowan remarked that the legacy he leaves is a great one, and that no one understands the university quite like Pitman does.

“He’s been here longer than anyone else can claim,” Cowan said. “He really understands what it means to be a Vandal.”

Hannah Shirley can be reached at [email protected]