Vernon Roger Alden

Fifteenth President of Ohio University, 1962-1969

Dr. Alden was educated at Brown and Harvard universities. He came to Ohio University at age 38 from his position of associate dean at the Harvard Business School. His administration saw a doubling of enrollment and faculty, a great expansion of the campus area through urban renewal, and the continuation of a construction program that included a new regional airport. There was a great expansion of research, symbolized by the acquisition of a tandem accelerator, and a broadening of academic and related programs as evidenced by the Honors College, the Cutler Program of Individualized Study, sabbatical leaves, the Ohio University Press, and area studies including funding a Black Studies Institute. There were new endowed chairs, and increased emphasis on voluntary support. Increased rights for faculty and students were evidenced by a Faculty Senate and Student-Faculty Mediation Board. The University assumed an activist role in regional development and expanded its international programs. Significant progress was made in adjusting to the demands of students for participation in governance and for self-regulation of their lives, the demands of minorities for rights and equal opportunity, and the demands by employees for union representation.

Dr. Alden left the University to assume a position with the Boston Company from 1969-1978, has served on several other corporate boards, and has worked extensively in Japan.