Clifford, Earle W., Jr., 1925-1988

Beginning in 1925, the Dean of Men of the New Brunswick Colleges supervised the nonacademic side of student life at Rutgers University. Therefore, the management of the men enrolled in the College of Arts and Sciences, Engineering, Agriculture and Education was very centralized. These four institutions became known collectively as the "Colleges for Men." Douglass College, exclusively female, was almost completely independent in its operations and functions. (1)

After World War II there was an expansion of Rutgers and an attempt to centralize all nonacademic parts of student affairs into one administrative body. Thus, the Office of University Director of Student Life was established. Unfortunately this coordinating body did not last long and the Dean of the Men's Colleges resumed responsibility for student life. By 1954, the concept of having a single office oversee all nonacademic components of student life regained popularity and this time the office was combined with that of the Dean of Men. (2)

In 1963 these two positions were again separated and the position University Director of Student Life was renamed University Dean of Student Affairs. The Board of Governors of Rutgers University approved the appointment of Earle W. Clifford, Jr. as the first University Dean of Student Affairs in June 1963. (3) This was an exciting time to join the Rutgers community for the leadership of the University was in the throes of creating a proposal for a new college to be built on surplus land in Piscataway at Camp Kilmer (today known as Livingston College). (4)

As the Dean of Student Affairs, Clifford organized and coordinated all nonacademic activities and programs at Rutgers University. At this time Rutgers comprised the Colleges for Men (called Rutgers College since 1957), Douglass College, Rutgers College of South Jersey, Rutgers-Newark Colleges, University College and the Graduate and Professional Schools of Education, Social Work, Law, Medicine and Library Science. (5) Each of these divisions employed a Dean of Students who in turn reported to the Office of the President of the University through the University Dean of Student Affairs. In addition, the heads of the Office of Student Financial Aid; University Health Services; University Placement Services; the Psychological Service Center and the University Chaplain also all conveyed information to the President of the University through the University Dean of Student Affairs. (6) In a letter from 1966, Dean Clifford estimated that the Office of University Dean of Student Affairs served approximately 26,000 students with a staff of about 130 individuals. (7) This is a ratio of one staff member for every 200 students.

Throughout the late 1960s there was much discussion at Rutgers on how future colleges should be structured and organized. In the face of increasing enrollments and the planning of new divisions important decisions needed to be made such as how to establish each discipline, what the relationship between the colleges would be, and how to coordinate this complex system. (8) Yet, these issues had to be balanced by the fact that many of the Rutgers staff wanted to make sure that each college retained its own individual character and relative autonomy.

While disagreement continued about collegiate planning, questions regarding the very core administration of the colleges also arose. By 1970, it was decided that the President, Vice President and Provost of Rutgers University were responsible for too many students and too many matters. To alleviate this problem three Vice President positions were created: Vice President for Academic Affairs, Vice President for External Affairs and Vice President for Student Affairs. (9) The position of Vice President for Student Affairs actually entailed the functions and duties of the University Dean of Student Affairs. Therefore, in 1970 Clifford was promoted to the position of Vice President of Student Affairs at Rutgers University.

As Vice President for Student Affairs Dean Clifford became a member of the Provost's Cabinet, he also established the Student Affairs Cabinet (comprised of himself and various other key personnel in the student life field) and a University Hearing Board. In Clifford's own words the Vice President for Student Affairs was "the chief university officer for the student affairs arena. He is a staff officer who acts as the principal advisor to the central administration on student affairs." (10)

Under the guidelines of this new position of Vice President for Student Affairs reported directly to the Provost. He was the voice of the University in matters pertaining to nonacademic components of student life. The Vice President for Student Affairs was also responsible for coordinating policy advisory bodies, budget development, university planning, and personnel administration. (11)

Dean Clifford left Rutgers University in 1972 and coincidently the position of Vice President for Student Affairs was abolished that same year. Instead, its tasks became part of the duties of the Executive Assistant for Student Affairs (1972), a position that quickly disappeared. Yet another attempt at centralizing the functions of student life occurred in 1973 with the creation of the Office of the Associate Provost for Student Affairs. But by 1976 this position was also eliminated and the responsibility for the nonacademic portions of collegiate life at Rutgers University were transferred to the College Deans. (12)

(1) See Richard P. McCormick, Academic Reorganization in New Brunswick, 1962-1978: The Federated College Plan. (New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University, 1978), p. 2.

(2) See "History: Student Life/Student Affairs," in Administrative Histories, Biographies and Chronologies Rutgers University, Special Collections and University Archives, New Brunswick, NJ (hereafter cited as SC/UA).

(3) See Richard Schlatter to Earle W. Clifford, Jr., Personal letter, June 10, 1963. Records of the Dean of Student Affairs (Earle W. Clifford, Jr.). SC/UA.

(4) See McCormick, pp. 4-11.

(5) See McCormick, pp. 2-3.

(6) See Clifford to Elizabeth Jessen, Memorandum "Regarding areas of responsibility-Office of the [University] Dean of Students," June 23, 1964. Records of the Dean of Student Affairs (Earle W. Clifford, Jr.). SC/UA.

(7) See Clifford to George W. Kelsey, Correspondence "Concerning Clifford's possible appointment to staff of Rhode Island College," December 2, 1966. Records of the Dean of Student Affairs (Earle W. Clifford Jr.). SC/UA.

(8) See McCormick, p. 21.

(9) See "Chronology of Significant Changes in University Administration," in Administrative Histories, Biographies and Chronologies. SC/UA.

(10) See Clifford, "Insert to job description," [1971]. Records of the Dean of Student Affairs (Earle W. Clifford, Jr.) SC/UA.

(11) See Clifford, "Insert to job description," [1971] in Records of the Dean of Student Affairs (Earle W. Clifford, Jr.) SC/UA.

(12) See "History: Student Life/Student Affairs," in Administrative Histories, Biographies and Chronologies 1980 SC/UA.

Earle Winchester Clifford, Jr. was born in Rutland, Vermont, on September 12, 1925, the son of Earle Winchester Clifford, Sr. and Florence U. (Phillips) Clifford. He attended the University of Maine for the fall semester in 1943 before joining the army. From 1943 to 1946 he served with the 86th Infantry as a rifleman and later as a noncommissioned officer with an Engineer Depot Company in the Southwest Pacific. (13) In 1946 Clifford returned to the academic world, which he remained a part of until 1982. Clifford received an Associate in Arts degree with highest honors from Rutland Junior College in 1948. From Rutland, Clifford transferred to Syracuse University, where he graduated Magna Cum Laude with an AB in 1950 and received an MS in 1951. On November 15, 1952, he married Marie T. Mondella with whom he had two children: Karen and Philip. (14)

Clifford began his professional academic career at Syracuse University in 1949 as a Resident Assistant. He also served as Administrative Assistant, and Assistant Dean of Men, prior to becoming the Dean of Men at the University of Vermont in 1957. In 1961 Clifford returned to Syracuse to become the Dean of Men. This was his last position before joining the administrative staff of Rutgers University. (15)

On July 1, 1963 Earle Clifford began his career as the Dean of Student Affairs, a position that had existed off and on in the past as University Director of Student Life, and had been combined with the office of Dean of Men prior to his arrival. (16) In this position Clifford was "responsible for all aspects of the university's educational program outside of the classroom." The following offices reported to the Office of the President of the University through the Dean of Student Affairs: Dean of Men, Rutgers College; Dean of Students, Douglass College; Dean of Students, Rutgers College of South Jersey; Dean of Students, Rutgers-Newark Colleges; Dean of Students, University College; Graduate Schools Student Personnel Programs; Office of Student Financial Aid; University Health Service; University Placement Service; Office of the University Chaplain; The Psychological Service Center . (17) In addition to his responsibilities as dean, Clifford was a member of the Rutgers College Sociology Department. Effective October 1, 1970 Clifford was promoted to Vice President of Student Affairs, a position that included membership on the Provost's Cabinet. (18)

Clifford oversaw and witnessed great changes during his time at Rutgers. When Clifford first came to Rutgers, he was responsible for the students of four campuses: two single-sex residential campuses in New Brunswick (one male, one female); and two coeducational commuter campuses, one in Newark and one in Camden. By the time he left, Camp Kilmer had been purchased and developed into Livingston College as the first coeducational, liberal arts college of Rutgers University to study issues of diversity; and plans had been made to create Cook College. In a letter to Mr. George W. Kelsey, Chairman of the Rhode Island Board of Trustees of State Colleges dated December 2, 1966, Clifford refers to his "unique opportunity to participate in the planning of experiments with educational innovations that, if successful, have the potential for major impact on the field itself." (19) The Board of Governors agreed to one such innovation March 14, 1969. It was at this meeting that they decided to "open the doors of Rutgers University in Newark, Camden and New Brunswick to all economically and educationally deprived students who graduate from high schools in these three cities and have taken the college preparatory course."

Clifford's career at Rutgers coincided with many social struggles, which he became involved in due to his responsibilities. The subject of coeducation was debated on more than one occasion. The racial issues of the African American and Puerto Rican Rutgers students became tense at times, including a series of demands issued by the Black Student Unity Movement. Drug use and legalization are other issues raised by students throughout Clifford's Rutgers career.

Clifford was active in professional organizations, including: American Council on Education; National Association of Student Personnel Administrators, including a term as the Region II Vice President; American Personnel and Guidance Association; American College Personnel Association; National Education Association; American Association for Higher Education; and Alpha Phi Omega, a national service fraternity for which he served six years on the national executive board. Clifford was one of the national draftsmen of the American Association of University Professors' Joint Statement on the Rights of Students. He has also published several articles and presented many papers at conferences. In addition to the professional associations, Clifford was also civic minded. New Brunswick Mayor Patricia Sheehan requested that Clifford participate in the Citizen's Advisory Committee on Recreation. He promptly accepted the invitation and served as committee chairman in 1967 and 1968. Other civic minded organizations in which Clifford participated include; Advisory Board of Directors, Saint Peter's Hospital, New Brunswick, New Jersey; Board of Directors, New Brunswick Chapter Red Cross; and United Hospitals Appeal, New Brunswick, New Jersey.

Clifford was highly regarded outside the Rutgers community as well. He was considered for and offered positions with several other universities. Prior to 1972 he turned all of them down, opting to remain with Rutgers in the position that he found both rewarding and challenging. On January 15, 1968 Clifford was awarded an "Honorary Degree of Doctor of Laws, honoris causa" from Saint Peter's College "in recognition of his outstanding work in the field of student personnel."

Clifford retired from Rutgers, effective June 30, 1972, but remained in academics for several years. Upon his retirement, the position of Vice President of Student Affairs was dissolved at Rutgers, with the responsibilities taken over by a Presidential Assistant. From 1972 to 1974 Clifford served as the President of the Association of Independent Colleges and Universities in New Jersey. His next position was as Fairleigh Dickinson University's Vice President of University Resources and Public Affairs from 1974 to 1978. Clifford's final academic position was as the Executive Assistant to the President of Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, Florida. He served in this position from 1978 to 1982 before moving on to the banking industry. (20) Clifford died on December 15, 1988.

(13) See Earle W. Clifford, Jr. Biographical sketch of Earle W. Clifford, Jr., Dean of Student Affairs, Rutgers, The State University, 1964. Rutgers University, Special Collections and University Archives, New Brunswick, NJ (hereafter cited as SC/UA).

(14) See Who's Who in America (Chicago: Marquis Who's Who, 1990).

(15) See Clifford. Resume of Earle W. Clifford, 1972. Records of the Dean of Student Affairs (Earle W. Clifford, Jr.), SC/UA.

(16) See Administrative Histories, Biographies, and Chronologies, SC/UA.

(17) See Clifford to Elizabeth Jessen, Memorandum "Regarding areas of responsibility-Office of the [University] Dean of Students," June 23, 1964. Records of the Dean of Student Affairs (Earle W. Clifford, Jr.), SC/UA.

(18) See Richard Schlatter to Clifford, Memorandum "to Vice President Earle W. Clifford, Jr, From the Provost," October 12, 1970 Records of the Dean of Student Affairs (Earle W. Clifford, Jr.) SC/UA.

(19) See Clifford to George Kelsey, Correspondence "concerning Clifford's possible appointment to staff of Rhode Island College," December 2, 1966. Records of the Dean of Student Affairs (Earle W. Clifford Jr.), SC/UA.

(20) See Who's Who in America (Chicago: Marquis Who's Who, 1990).

From the guide to the Inventory to the Records of the Rutgers University Dean of Student Affairs (Earle W. Clifford, Jr.), 1952-1973, (Rutgers University. Special Collections and University Archives)