Wayne State University Office of the President: George E. Gullen Jr. Records

thenning — Mon, 28 Mar 2022 13:26:30 -0400

George E. Gullen Jr. was the sixth president of Wayne State University. An alumnus, he first joined the university in an official capacity as Vice President of University Relations in 1966 after serving ten years as a vice president of American Motors Corporation. Gullen was named acting president of Wayne State in 1971 and fully appointed as university president in 1972. He stepped down as President in 1978.

During Gullen’s presidency, many developments were made both academically and physically to Wayne State University. Academic units were reorganized and the university broke ground on many structures and buildings. Under his leadership, the Wayne State University School of Medicine became the largest single-campus medical school in the nation. During this time, the university also took steps to address gender inequality and inequity by adopting an affirmative action policy, establishing the President’s Commission on the Status of Women, creating a Women’s Center, and making salary equity adjustments for women. Gullen also appointed the first woman vice president in the university’s history.

This collection consists of correspondence, memoranda, meeting minutes and agendas, financial records, proposals, agreements and contracts, committee rosters and reports, speeches, photographs, and news clippings documenting George Gullen Jr.’s presidency and the work of the Office of the President during his tenure. Particularly well documented are the university’s affirmative action policy, the organization and administration of colleges and schools, the development of the University Clinics Building and the School of Medicine, university committees, and relations with the Michigan legislature.

Wayne State University. Office of the President

Wayne State University Office of the President: George E. Gullen Jr. Records