Stetson Cupola 1977-6-1

VOL 6 NO. 1 STETSON UNIVERSITY, DELAND, FLORIDA July, 1977 Trustees Elect President — Dr. Pope A. Duncan - Dr. Pope A. Duncan, president of Georgia Southern College, Statesboro, Ga., was elected president of Stetson University at a special meeting of the board of trustees in April. The 56-year-old educator and administrator has served as president of Georgia Southern since 1971. He assumes his responsibilities as the seventh president of Florida's oldest institution of higher learning this month. The announcement of the election of Dr. Duncan came during a news conference at Stetson and climaxed a nine-month search by a special trustee search committee to fill the post. Dr. John Pelham, chairman of trustees, and Dr. Earl B. Edington, chairman of the trustee search committee, made the announcement. "The trustees are convinced that Dr. Duncan will provide the necessary leadership which will enable Stetson University to maintain and •strengthen its posture as a Christian university committed to the highest goals of academic excellence," Dr. Pelham stated in making the announcement. "Dr. Duncan has an outstanding reputation as both a scholar and an administrator. He has nearly 20 years of experience in teaching on a university level and 15 years in university administration. His laurels in scholarship are most eminent." Dr. Duncan stated, "I look forward to joining with the trustees, faculty, students, alumni, and supporters in continuing the strong tradition of quality at Stetson." "None of us associated with the University will be satisfied with less than our being the very best in all our programs," he continued. "The commitment expressed in the motto, 'For God and for Truth,' is very deeply embedded in Stetson's tradition and is one which I cherish." "The years leading to the celebration of the Centennial in 1983 should be especially exciting and productive ones. With the support of all our constituencies, including especially alumni, the DeLand community and Florida Baptists, we shall continue to fulfill the expectations of greatness." Dr. Duncan received a B.S. from the University of Georgia in 1940 with PRESIDENTIAL CHOICE ANNOUNCED - Stetson's board of trustees announced the election of Dr. Pope A. Duncan, second from right, as president of the university at an April press conference in DeLand. Dr. George R. Borders, '61, right, and trustee Earl B. Edington joined board chairman John Pelham, '50, in the announcement. Stetson president and new first lady Margaret Flexer Duncan a masters in physics in 1941. He received a Th.M. from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in 1944 and a Ph.D. from that school in 1947. He has had post doctoral studies at Union Theological Seminary, the University of Zurich and research at Oxford University. The election of Dr. Duncan as president of Stetson will be a reunion for the new chief executive. He served on the faculty of Stetson in the late 1940's as professor of religion. "I am personally delighted, and I know I express the feelings of members of the university community when I say how pleased we are to have a man of the quality, character and ability of Dr. Pope Duncan," Dr. George R. Borders, '61, the university's chief administrative officer, pointed out. "He possesses all of those qualities necessary to lead Stetson as it continues its tradition of excellence in Christian higher education." An ordained Baptist minister, Dr. Duncan served pastorates in Kentucky and interim pastorates in numerous churches including the First Baptist Church in DeLand and the Wieuca Road Baptist Church in Atlanta. Dr. Duncan is listed in Who's Who in America, Who's Who in American College and University Administration, Dictionary of International Scholars Directory and the Dictionary of American Scholars. He is a member of Phi Beta Kappa and has served in numerous positions of leadership in that prestigious fraternity of scholars. Dr. Duncan has served as president of the Georgia Association of Colleges and the Georgia Association of Educators. He has served as chairman of the Council of Presidents of the Southern Consortium for International Education. He serves on the committee on workshops and conferences of the American Association of State Colleges and Universities, the Georgia Committee for the Humanities, the Georgia State-wide Advisory Committee for the American Issues Forum and as a consultant for the National Endowment for the Humanities. The son of a Baptist minister, Dr. Duncan is a native of Glasgow, Ky., and is married to Margaret Flexer Duncan of Brunswick, Ga. They have three daughters, Mary Margaret, Annie Laurie and Katherine Maxwell, and two grandchildren.