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  • Oral Histories

Interview with Thomas B. Day Ph.D., Transcript, 2006

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DAY-2006T
Interview with Thomas B. Day Ph.D., Transcript, 2006
2006-08-15
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Interviewer: Resnik, Susan
An oral history conducted by Susan Resnik, Ph.D. with former San Diego State University President Thomas B. Day on August 14-15, 2006.

In 1978, Day moved to San Diego and became the sixth President of San Diego State University. Although controversial among students, faculty and staff for tuition increases and faculty lay-offs, Day's eighteen-year tenure saw the creation of six joint doctoral programs. He also lobbied for affirmative action and promoted a "teacher-scholar" model, emphasizing faculty research. This focus on research greatly increased the number of grant contracts for San Diego State University. In addition, Day expanded the SDSU campus, creating a School of Public Health, the School of Communication, and a North County campus, which eventually became CSU San Marcos.

In his oral history, Day discusses his early life growing up in New York City and attending several boarding schools and summer camp. He then details his work at the University of Maryland, both as a professor and an administrator. Day also examines his presidency at SDSU, focusing on the administration of and the difficulties associated with running a large California State University campus, including budget cuts, tuition increases, and campus expansion. He concludes his oral history by discussing his family of nine children, reflecting on their accomplishments and successes.

This oral history was made possible by a grant from the John and Jane Adams Endowment for the Humanities and is part of the University Archives Multimedia Collection.
Alice Brennock Day; Camp Saint Agnes; Mt. Saint Michael High School; Ladycliff; Joan Day Mallamo; Priscilla Day Boekelheisde; Family history of suicide; Welder's flash; Photokeratitis; High-energy physics; Student/faculty ratio; Teacher-scholars; Open admissions; Notre Dame University; Patience Day; Abbyann Day; Cornell University; Sinclair Dakens; Irving Boekelheisde; Charles Misner; Phil Morrison; Anne Day; Anne Elizabeth Kohlbrenner; Hans Bethe; Joe Sucher; George Snow; Frank Solmitz; TVGP; Three-view geometric programs; Squaw programs; Tepee programs; University of Maryland; Charles Bishop; Jim Cobble; Harry Albers; Brage Golding; Al Johnson; Bill Erickson; Alma Marosz; Barbara Hartung; Marcia Crandall; Leslie Yerger; Proposition 13; Glenn Dumke; Budget cuts; National Science Board; Mary Berry; Harriet Kopp; Bill Craven; Western Athletic Conference; Mary Alice Hill; Early retirement; Anne Reynolds; Monica Day Berenter; Timothy Day; Patrick Day; Barry Munitz; Fredrick Day
5500 Campanile Drive
California - San Diego - San Diego State University
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  • Oral Histories
San Diego State Oral Histories
MS-0296
English
Text
164 pages
Yes
DAY-2006; NEG-09-615; slide-4668; slide-6785; slide-3531; fs-a-am-022; slide-3974; NEG-04-289; slide-3532; de-ws-007; fs-h-ha-078; acu-jsi-039; per-tr-006; fs-kn-ky-031; csa-sm-003; fs-he-hu-018; NEG-09-447
  • San Diego State University Library and Information Access, Special Collections and University Archives
San Diego State University Library and Information Access, Special Collections and University Archives
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