Records of the President, F. Don James (Rcg. Gr 1.10)

Biographical note

F. (Forrest) Donald James, Acting President of the University of Rhode Island from July 1, 1967 to June 30, 1968, was born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma on September 14, 1927 and educated in the public schools of that city. In 1945 he enlisted in the Navy and served for three years before returning to Oklahoma City University to further his education. He received an A.B. in English from that institution in 1951, then continued on to receive an S.T.B. from the Boston University School of Theology in 1954 and a Ph.D in Biblical Literature from Boston University in 1959.

Although ordained as a Methodist minister, his entire professional career was spent in academia. Prior to coming to the University of Rhode Island as the Academic Vice-President in 1965, James had served in a series of progressively more responsible posts at Miami University of Ohio. He joined Miami's Department of Religion as an Instructor in 1958, advancing to the rank of Associate Professor by 1964. During this time, he also began to assume administrative responsibilities, first as Assistant Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences in 1961, later adding the directorship of Miami University's Undergraduate Center of International Studies to his portfolio. In 1964, he was appointed Acting Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. A desire to return to New England and a vacancy in the University of Rhode Island administration brought James to Kingston on August 16, 1965 to assume the position of Vice-President for Academic Affairs. When then President Francis Horn resigned in the summer of 1967, the Board of Trustees named James Acting President as of July 1. He was also a candidate for the permanent position, but the Board chose to go outside the University in picking Dr. Werner A. Baum as its seventh president. James resigned as Acting President and Vice-President for Academic Affairs to assume the presidency of Central Connecticut State College on July 1, 1968.