Flash

He says the entire University community is responsible for major accomplishments of past eight years

On June 30, Denny Brown concluded his eighth and final year of service as the fifteenth President of Clarkson. Under his leadership, the University launched significant new academic initiatives, consolidated programs on its hill campus, and achieved and sustained substantial gains in enrollment. In addition, Clarkson dramatically strengthened its financial resources, concluding its biggest fund-raising effort in history, The Campaign for Clarkson, a year ahead of schedule after garnering more than $115 million on a goal of $70 million.

Anne Williams and Denny Brown
Anne Williams and Denny Brown, who received honorary doctorates from Clarkson in May.

In awarding Dr. Brown an honorary doctorate in May, St. Lawrence University declared that he "brought Clarkson to a new level of pre-eminence among institutions with special emphasis on science and technology."

As president, he oversaw the shaping of the curriculum to develop student skills in collaboration, communication, creative problem solving, and leadership through emphasis on hands-on, multidisciplinary team projects. Academic initiatives included a University Honors Program, a master's degree in Physical Therapy and other interdisciplinary degree programs, and development of minors and concentrations to broaden and enhance academic offerings.

During the first year of his presidency, departments in engineering were reunited in the CAMP-Rowley complex and in 2000 the Schools of Business and Liberal Arts also migrated to the hill when they moved into Bertrand H. Snell Hall. Other physical improvements include the Deneka Family Fitness Center; Adirondack Lodge; major upgrades to the Alumni Gymnasium, science laboratories, student engineering team project facilities, and residence halls; and aesthetic enhancements to the grounds, including a new main gate, created through the generosity of Joel '57 and Lynda Goldschein.

In an interview following Commencement, Dr. Brown reflected on his years at Clarkson. Excerpts follow:

What was your most satisfying achievement?
Probably the increase in morale and spirit, both on campus and among the alums. There's a more positive and constructive attitude, I think. More a sense of cohesiveness, of people working together.

What are the biggest strengths of the University?
We've got the right programs. We've got a great campus culture, and people with a work ethic, all across campus, including students. The other strength is the quality of the students and alums.

After you arrived, you pushed hard and fast for consolidation on the hill.
There were people on the board who believed it would be cost effective in the long haul to make this move. Nobody knew how we would do it. After the first [fall 1995] board meeting, I challenged the engineering school to see if they could fit into the CAMP-Rowley complex, which would mean vacating Old Main and Clarkson Hall.

By the February board meeting, we had basically outlined fairly modest renovations to the CAMP building that would allow everybody to move up there. Frankly, Bill Wilcox really did a fantastic job of organizing the whole discussion. The board authorized the expenditures for those renovations that created the computer labs and the combined laboratory space that you see through the windows [from the CAMP atrium] today.

Then a building for business and liberal arts emerged as a top priority. In fact, that discussion was already underway by the summer of 1996 when engineering moved.

When did you begin to sense that leadership is a special characteristic of Clarkson alumni?
As I started meeting alums, it seemed anecdotally as if we had a lot of people in significant positions. I asked the Alumni Office to do some searching in the database to identify people by titles and positions. And that put the data behind it.

What have been the most significant changes over the past eight years?
I guess the big picture significant change is getting most of our departments, classrooms, offices and facilities up on the hill. Discussions are underway about how to get the rest of this up there.

What was your most difficult decision?
In terms of operations, I would say the whole set of decisions and challenges that we had in regard to information technology over the years was probably the most difficult. The specific decision to go with PeopleSoft was a very difficult decision. And yet we implemented it maybe better than anyone has in higher education.

What would you like most to be remembered for?
Probably as somebody who got everyone to work together — and work for the same goals. And then for contributing to the increase in morale and spirit on campus.

Historically, people will remember the capital campaign. They'll remember the Coulter gift. And they'll probably remember the migration to the Hill. But should I be remembered for those things? [He laughs.] Everybody should be.

Is there any other single point that ought to be made about your experience here?
That we had a lot of fun. And we enjoyed it the whole time.