M. Richard Rose

Merle Richard Rose (born 1933) was the tenth president of Alfred University from 1974 until 1978, when he left to become the seventh president of the Rochester Institute of Technology from 1979 until 1992.

He was born in Fredonia, Pennsylvania in 1933 and earned a bachelor's degree from Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania, a Masters in Counseling from Westminster College, Pennsylvania, and a PhD in Higher Education Administration from the University of Pittsburgh. Rose married Clarice Ratzlaff and raised three sons.

He served briefly in the United States Marine Corps and as a schoolteacher, eventually leaving to become a Professor of Education and Assistant Provost at the University of Pittsburgh. He was appointed a Deputy Assistant U.S. Secretary of Defense for Education in 1972.

In 1972, Rose published An Educational Road Map to Human Goal Fulfillment. In 1975, he wrote, ''Educating the American Military Officer. The System and Its Challenges: An Overview'.'

Rose is a Trustee Emeriti at Roberts Wesleyan College.

Leadership at Alfred University
Rose came into his tenure at Alfred University with a shrinking applicant pool with the national economy in a recession and inflation threatening private institutions.

Edward G. Coll, Jr, the twelfth President of Alfred University, described Rose's tenure as bold, in the face of this economic crisis. During this time academic programming was not cut and admissions standards were kept high in order to stay competitive with the nation's leading institutions. Rose was quoted as saying, "Alfred University has a proud heritage, one not built on size. I do not believe the future of our institution rests in number of students, but rather on quality."

Leadership at Rochester Institute of Technology
Under Rose's leadership, RIT incorporated Eisenhower College and expanded liberal arts and humanities programs. The first PhD program (imaging science) was launched during his tenure in 1988.

In 1991, Rose touched off a firestorm of controversy by allegedly accepting a covert position working for the CIA at its headquarters in Langley, Virginia while simultaneously serving as President. The resulting outcry and investigations by the local paper effectively ended his career at RIT, and he resigned, ending his presidency at the close of the 1991-92 school year.

In 1998, Rose was inducted into the RIT Athletic Hall of Fame. He is honored for his distinguished service. His dedication describes: "With Rose’s encouragement in the 1980’s, RIT intercollegiate athletics steadily gained national prominence.... RIT virtually transformed its athletics program from one that seldom saw national championship play to one where NCAA appearances became commonplace in such sports as hockey, soccer, lacrosse, basketball, volleyball, wrestling, cross country and swimming."