Daydreaming gets the OK from one Stetson professor
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The Stetson University Alumni Newspaper Vol. 15 No. 4 (USPS 990-560) Summer 1987
H. Douglas Lee becomes eighth
president of Stetson Univ.
A former professor of Christian
ethics, who believes in strategic planning and reads books on historical
geology, biology and anthropology for
relaxation, is the eighth president of
Stetson University.
Dr. H. Douglas Lee has been preparing for the Stetson presidency for a
full year as president-elect. He came to
Stetson in 1978 as vice president for
development, was named vice president for planning and development in
1980, and became executive vice president in 1983.
Dr. Lee has a strong academic and
administrative background. He holds a
bachelor's degree in English, with a
minor in business administration, from
the University of Richmond in Richmond, Va.; a master of theology degree
and a bachelor of divinity degree from
Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, Wake Forest, N.C; and a doctorate in religion from the University of
Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa.
His doctoral dissertation dealt with
Christian ethics and he was a research
assistant in that area while at the University of Iowa. As a professor of religion
at Virginia Intermont College, he
taught courses in ethics and politics and
he originated courses in psychology
and religion. He remains a member of
the Society of Christian Ethics.
Dr. Lee became heavily involved in
academic long-range planning at Wake
Forest University, where he designed
the process for relating academic priorities directly to university-wide fund
raising programs. He brought this
interest to Stetson, developing the university's first comprehensive long-range
plan and five-year budget.
Associates say determination is a
major characteristic of Lee, who prominently displays above his desk the picture of an exhausted long distance
runner. Discipline and determination
sound in his voice as he speaks of his
aspirations for Stetson: "We have built
a strong academic program and we
have achieved financial stability. Our
critical task now is to capitalize on our
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Dr. Lee and wife Margaret, their children Elizabeth and Gregory, and dog, Barkey.
Maris, Whittaker, Parson assume new leadership positions
The search is over for a new dean and
reorganization has taken place in the
development division.
Dr. Gary L. Maris, '62, has been appointed dean of the College of Arts and
Sciences at Stetson. He was acting dean
during the 1986-87 academic year.
"Dr. Maris has distinguished himself
at Stetson as a faculty member, as chair
of the Faculty Senate and as acting dean
of the College of Arts and Sciences,"
said Stetson President Dr. H. Douglas
Lee. "He is totally committed to the
mission of the university, and I am
delighted that he will be a part of our
administrative team."
Noting that the search for a dean was
conducted nationwide, Dr. Louis
Brakeman, provost, said that, "Dr.
Maris' knowledge of the college, when
combined with his proven administrative skill, made him an obvious first-
choice candidate for the dean's position. He will play a major role in
charting the future of the college and
the university."
An expert in international law, Dr.
Dr. Gary Maris F. Mark Whittaker Linda R. Parson
Maris has been a member of the Stetson ,, .
faculty since 1965 and is a professor of New development team
political science. He holds the doctor's F. Mark Whittaker, vice president for
and master's degrees from Duke Univer- college relations at Sweet Briar Col-
sity and a bachelor's degree from Stetson, lege, Miss Linda R. Parson, director of
He received Stetson's highest faculty development at Stetson, and Mrs.
honor, the McEniry Excellence in Teach- Patricia Germelman, research assistant
ing Award, in 1984. He has chaired the at Sweet Briar College will be assuming
Faculty Senate three times. He is one of new positions in the development divi-
the founders of the university's unique sion at Stetson University in prepa-
college-level Model Senate program ration for a comprehensive campaign,
and of the Model U.N. program and is a Whittaker has been named vice presi-
memberofPhi Beta Kappa and of Omi- dent for university relations, Miss
cron Delta Kappa leadership fraternity. Parson, '73, has been promoted to asso
ciate vice president for development;
and Mrs. Germelman is director of
development services.
"Mr. Whittaker is known nationally
as one of the top advancement officers
in the country. The Board is very excited about his coming," said Mark
Hollis, chairman of Stetson's Board of
Trustees.
Whittaker's appointment is part of a
reorganization of the university's advancement division, Dr. H. Douglas Lee said.
Whittaker, 41, will lead the campaign
effort and be responsible for coordinating the development program,
alumni relations, and public relations.
He has been at Sweet Briar since
1971 where he directed two national
campaigns, including a five-year $15.2
million comprehensive campaign, and
assisted in the completion of a third
capital gifts program. He also directed
five challenge grant campaigns.
Miss Parson, a native Floridian, received her bachelor's degree from Stetson.
She earned a master's degree in insti-
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