Richard Rose, 10th president of Alfred University, passes away at 88

Richard Rose, who served as Alfred University’s 10th president, passed away Saturday, April 10, at his home in Florida at the age of 88.

Rose served as Alfred University president from 1974 until 1978, when he left to become president of Rochester Institute of Technology. He came to Alfred after serving two years as Assistant U.S. Secretary of Defense for Education.

While at Alfred University, Rose helped establish and served as president of the Alfred University Research Foundation, Inc. The foundation took ideas generated by faculty and students and presented them for commercialization. It helped create viable businesses, like Tufty-Swain Ceramics (now Tufty Ceramics, Inc.) and Hi-Tech Ceramics. During his tenure at Alfred, Rose also served as vice chairman of the Board of Trustees of the New York State Commission of Independent Colleges and Universities (CICU).

Rose earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Slippery Rock State University in Pennsylvania in 1955 and in 1962 earned a Master of Science degree in counseling from Westminster University. After serving in the United States Marine, where he rose to the rank of colonel, he taught briefly in Lakeview, PA. He was a 1971 recipient of the Distinguished Civilian Award from both the U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force, and was presented the Department of Defense Distinguished Civilian Service Award in 1976.

He was at the University of Pittsburgh from 1962-72, serving as assistant vice chancellor for regional campuses, coordinator for regional programs, associate professor of education, and assistant provost. In 1968, while working at Pitt, he earned a Ph.D. in higher education administration.