Chief Academic Officers at Mansfield

1920 to the present

The various titles for the role of chief academic officer are well delineated on the preceding chart. Prior to 1920 we can only speculate about academic responsibility. There was no change of leadership in 1920, but Principal William Straughn evidently realized an academic officer was an institutional necessity when he hired Arthur Belknap.

Briefly in the mid-1940s during World War II, James Morgan was both president and dean of instruction.

There were several vice-principals between 1862 and 1912, but there is no mention of their role being strictly academic affairs. In fact, every principal and vice-principal had classroom teaching responsibility. For example, both Principle Straughn and Dean Belknap had teaching loads while completing administrative duties.

At least seven of the officers listed were chosen from the ranks of professors at Mansfield.

Three who served in this capacity also had a role as President or acting President at Mansfield later in their careers.

Many other individuals have had roles as chief academic officers at Mansfield in acting or interim settings. The two included on the chart are there because their tenure was longer than one full calendar year. In fact each served longer than several of the regularly appointed officers did.

As a position, the chief academic officer is one of the most stable on campus. Since a total of seventeen individuals have held the position over 85 years, the average tenure is five years. Having four with eight or more years of service and another four with at least four years has brought the average time of service higher. During the same timeframe there have been fifteen presidents, four of them in a relatively short acting capacity.

Prepared by Les Achey, University Archivist, 2006