The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit: A Critical Portrait of Dr. Cloyd Heck Marvin

With a career in higher education that spanned more than four decades, the legacy of Dr. Cloyd Heck Marvin (1889-1969) remains one of the most controversial among university administrators. Through depression, war, and reconstruction, Marvin’s leadership as president of the University of Arizona (1922-1927) and The George Washington University (1927-1959) witnessed tremendous growth and expansion as the two institutions progressed into greatness. His conservative beliefs, his violations of faculty tenure, his support of segregation, and his educational philosophy, however, attracted many dedicated critics over the years. This book tells the story of Marvin’s tumultuous years as educational administrator and thinker. It also tells the story of his a dean that led an impeachment crusade against Marvin’s administration in Tucson, a young professor of English who sacrificed her career to launch a revolution against his tight-fisted rule, and dozens of students, faculty members, and alumni who chafed under his leadership. His complex legacy is recorded here for future generations and all who are interested in the history of educational administration.