Biographical Note

Like his predecessor, Donald Dedmon was born in Missouri and received his undergraduate degree from Southwestern Missouri State College. He pursued his M.A. and Ph.D. at the University of Iowa. His career included teaching experience at both the high school and college levels before he moved into university administration at Colorado State University and Marshall University. Prior to coming to Radford, Dr. Dedmon served as Marshall's executive vice president and acting president.

During the two decades that Dr. Dedmon served as Radford's president, the university experienced unprecedented growth in campus size, curriculum, and student population.   The school made the  transition from a womans college to admitting its first male undergraduates in the 1972-1973 academic year and to university status in 1979.  

Dr. Dedmon was a staunch supporter of the importance of faculty teaching at a time when many other institutions were emphasizing research over classroom work.

Dr. Dedmon retired in 1994.  Vice President of Academic Affairs Charles Owens served as Acting President until Douglas Covington took office in 1995.

Scope and Content Note

Record Group 3, Series 4, Official Papers of Donald Dedmon, is comprised of two subseries:

Subseries 1: Commencement Programs, arranged chronologically

Subseries 2: Administrative and Subject files, arranged alphabetically.

Subseries 1: Commencement Programs

1972-1978, 1992-1994

Subseries 2: Administrative and Subject Files

Folder List

American Association of University Professors
(Radford Chapter)

Appalachian Educational Laboratory

Arms Control and Disarmament Agency

Awards and Recognition

Inaugural Convocation

Internal Governance Council and Committee Membership List

New College of Global Studies (2 folders)

State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV) 
(3 folders)

SCHEV—Automated Data Processing Project

SCHEV—Budget Materials

SCHEV—Committee on Public Affairs

SCHEV—Coordination of Continuing Education

SCHEV—Environmental Quality in Virginia 
(National Science Foundation report)

SCHEV—Statewide Planning in Higher Education 
(conference)

Shaner Report (on proposed re-merger of Radford 
                          and Virginia Tech in  the mid-1970s)  

Speeches

Task Force on Innovation

Task Force on Internal Governance

Task Force on Internal Governance—Final Report

Task Force on Purpose

University Center in Virginia

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