Robert L. Caret records
Scope and Contents
This collection which dates from 2003 to 2006 contains correspondence to and from Robert L. Caret during his tenure as President of Towson University.
Dates
- Creation: 2003-2006
Creator
- Caret, Robert L., 1947 - (Person)
Conditions Governing Access
Some materials in this collection may be restricted due to the presence of confidential or sensitive content. Please contact Special Collections & University Archives for more details regarding access.
Conditions Governing Use
Towson University Special Collections and University Archives (SCUA) is the owner of the original materials and digitized images in our collections; however, the collection may contain materials for which copyright is not held. Patrons are responsible for determining the appropriate use or reuse of materials. Consult with SCUA to determine if we can provide permission for use.
Biographical Note
When Robert L. Caret agreed to become the 12th president of Towson University, he did so at a time of great anxiety on campus because of the fallout over the presidency and resignation of Mark L. Perkins. Caret was not a new face to Towson. He started his career at Towson State College in 1974 as a chemistry professor after receiving his PhD in Chemistry from the University of New Hampshire. By 1982 he’d been named Dean of the College of Natural and Mathematical Science, and in 1988 he was appointed Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs for the University. He remained as Provost until 1994, when he was named President of San Jose State University. With Perkins’ departure, Caret’s name alone was sent by the Presidential Search Committee for approval to the Board of Regents. At first, Caret turned down the offer, but after spending some time reconsidering, Caret was named Towson University President in April of 2003. The task before Caret was daunting. Due to the “baby boom echo” enrollment was projected to increase while at the same time standards for new students were raising which concerned administration who feared the school was becoming too elite. The campus desperately needed to expand to make room for all those incoming students, but the State had not been a strong ally in support and other fundraising ventures had to be created. Caret needed to raise the profile of the university while also creating more opportunities for students and finding sources of revenue to attain all those challenges. The accomplishments made by the school while Caret was in office are notable. Towson was targeted as a growth institute by the Board of Regents, and during Caret’s tenure enrollment increased by 4,000 students and dormitory space increased by 2,000 beds. Currently, Towson is expected to surpass the University of Maryland at College Park’s undergraduate enrollment. Caret envisioned Towson as a “workforce engine” supplying the state with the majority of its teachers, health care workers, and business people and worked to increase the number of graduate and doctoral programs the university offered. This met with some controversy when Towson and the University of Baltimore proposed offering a joint Masters of Business Administration program in 2005. Morgan State University, a historically black Maryland university, had until that time had the only public MBA program in the area and argued that TU and UB’s program would re-segregate schools. Private colleges in the area that also offered MBAs opposed the program as well. However, the state gave TU and UB the green light to begin offering the MBA program in the fall of 2005. And a year later, Towson cemented its commitment to business offerings by establishing the Towson University Business Globalization Center, now known as the TowsonGlobal Business Incubator, to aid local and international entrepreneurs get support for their fledgling corporations. Towson’s expansion also proved to be problematic when dealing with neighborhoods surrounding the school. Neighbors complained about parking, students renting houses, and the appearance of new buildings and renovations of old ones. Caret reached out to neighborhood associations with newsletters and meetings about upcoming campus projects and created a policy placing the Student Affairs office in charge of handling complaints about off-campus student residents and giving that office the ability sanction problem students. One of the last projects Caret undertook at Towson was the construction of the new 5,000 seat Tiger Arena to be completed by August 2013. The arena was the culmination of many years of effort on Caret’s part to take the athletics programs at Towson to a more competitive level, and therefore increase the reputation of the school on a national scale. The Arena was the last of many building projects the campus underwent during Caret’s tenure. Other buildings included four residence halls, a new student center, a new childcare center, and a brand-new state-of-the-art College of Liberal Arts building, the first new academic building on campus since 1977. This building was also the first building on campus to be LEED Silver certified, demonstrating Towson’s commitment to environmentally conscious construction. Other buildings, like the Center for the Arts, Hawkins Hall, Psychology, the Towson Center, the Union, Albert S. Cook Library, and both the Union and Towsontown garages, underwent extensive renovations and expansions. Also underway were two plans to expand beyond the campus’ borders: a facility to be constructed in Bel Air, Maryland, for Harford Community College students to transition to a bachelors program at Towson, and the leasing of building spaces in the Towson business area to be used as classroom space by those in the health professions. But not all of Caret’s initiatives were about physical expansion. He also developed programs to support minority students on campus, raising the graduation rates of black students from 45.9% to 69.9%. And during his time, research funding increased to $32 million. All of this was done with increasing support from the state. Caret’s relationship with the Board of Regents, unlike most of his predecessors, was congenial, and the Regents supported the initiatives and expansions Caret proposed. By the end of his time at Towson, the state was financing about 35% of the university’s budget, a marked increase from the 29% it was giving at the start of Caret’s presidency in 2003. In July of 2004, Towson launched its “Growing a University” fundraising campaign with the goal of raising $50 million by 2011. By March of 2011, Towson University Foundation, Inc.’s total assets were over $50 million with an endowment of over $40 million. This was the largest fundraising campaign ever undertaken at Towson, and Caret’s support helped make it successful. While Caret served 8 years as president of Towson University, his success was due in no small part to his twenty years of experience on the campus as professor, dean, and provost. He was familiar with the faculty, the relationship between the university and the state, and was able to address the most pressing concerns that Towson had in trying to achieve its next level of growth.
Extent
1.25 Linear Feet
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
Robert L. Caret was President of Towson University from 2003 to 2011. This collection which dates from 2003 to 2006 contains correspondence to and from Caret during this period of time.
Bibliography
Alec MacGillis. "Ex-provost returns to Towson as president ; Caret to start in July; school's image a priority :[FINAL Edition]." The Sun, April 4, 2003, http://www.proquest.com/ (accessed April 27, 2011).
Mike Bowler. "Academies right for downtown ; Partnership: Proponents of using Port Discovery for city schools' business programs are pushing to make agreement official :[FINAL Edition]." The Sun, April 6, 2003, http://www.proquest.com/ (accessed April 27, 2011).
Laura Barnhardt. "A golden legacy begins on a new playing field ; Dedication: Towson University renames its stadium in honor of Colts legend Johnny Unitas :[FINAL Edition]." The Sun, October 12, 2003, http://www.proquest.com/ (accessed April 27, 2011).
Alec MacGillis. "He's restoring order at Towson ; University: Robert L. Caret will be installed today as president, with the mission of raising the school's profile :[FINAL Edition]." The Sun, November 7, 2003, http://www.proquest.com/ (accessed April 27, 2011).
"City/County Digest :[FINAL Edition]." The Sun, February 9, 2004, http://www.proquest.com/ (accessed April 27, 2011). June Arney. "Maryland Business Council launched as a needed advocate ; Hale's brainchild to assist small to mid-size firms :[FINAL Edition]." The Sun, April 20, 2004, http://www.proquest.com/ (accessed April 27, 2011).
Jason Song. "Towson holds rare outdoor commencement :[FINAL Edition]." The Sun, May 20, 2004, http://www.proquest.com/ (accessed April 27, 2011).
Don Markus. "Towson's Kennedy has 2-fold plan ; Basketball: Once a rising star in the coaching ranks, he hopes to get the Tigers and his career back on track :[FINAL Edition]." The Sun, May 23, 2004, http://www.proquest.com/ (accessed April 27, 2011).
Jason Song. "Towson University drops shuttle service that drove students around area for free ; $30,000 amenity is cut over budget concerns :[FINAL Edition]." The Sun, September 10, 2004, http://www.proquest.com/ (accessed April 27, 2011).
Lisa Goldberg. "Proposal fosters college, town link ; Housing for Towson U.'s students, staff is possible for site near the mall; Leaders seeking better relations :[FINAL Edition]." The Sun, November 7, 2004, http://www.proquest.com/ (accessed April 27, 2011).
Ben Pillow. "Funding for new Towson University complex OK'd ; Board of Public Works approves $38.4 million contract for liberal arts building; News; education :[BALTIMORESUN.COM Edition]." The Sun, December 15, 2004, http://www.proquest.com/ (accessed April 27, 2011).
Jason Song. "Morgan tries to protect its MBA program :[FINAL Edition]." The Sun, May 19, 2005, http://www.proquest.com/ (accessed April 27, 2011).
Gary Lambrecht. "For Tigers' Combs, it's fourth-and-long ; Coach: Coming off a trying season in a difficult conference, the program's longtime leader enters the final year of his contract in need of a big gain.; COLLEGE FOOTBALL '05; MORGAN STATE & TOWSON :[FINAL Edition]." The Sun, September 1, 2005, http://www.proquest.com/ (accessed April 27, 2011).
MATT PAPUCHIS. "Towson's Combs making progress ; Coach hoping success translates into extension; College Football; State Notebook :[FINAL Edition]." The Sun, October 20, 2005, http://www.proquest.com/ (accessed April 27, 2011).
GARY LAMBRECHT. "Neal expected to join Towson :[FINAL Edition]." The Sun, November 26, 2005, http://www.proquest.com/ (accessed April 27, 2011).
GARY LAMBRECHT. "Neal joins Towson, will practice today ; COLLEGE BASKETBALL :[FINAL Edition]." The Sun, December 5, 2005, http://www.proquest.com/ (accessed April 27, 2011).
"NAMES IN THE NEWS :[FINAL Edition]." The Sun, December 16, 2005, http://www.proquest.com/ (accessed April 27, 2011).
LARRY WILLIAMS. "Towson University has room to grow and big ambitions :[FINAL Edition]." The Sun, December 25, 2005, http://www.proquest.com/ (accessed April 27, 2011).
KEN MURRAY. "Towson names new AD ; Hermann sees big things for university's growing sports program :[FINAL Edition]." The Sun, March 8, 2006, http://www.proquest.com/ (accessed April 27, 2011).
LIZ F. KAY. "Regents approve housing rate hike ; Costs will go up at all but one state school as tuition stays level :[FINAL Edition]." The Sun, April 8, 2006, http://www.proquest.com/ (accessed April 27, 2011).
"Baltimore County Digest :[FINAL Edition]." The Sun, April 28, 2006, http://www.proquest.com/ (accessed April 27, 2011).
ALLISON CONNOLLY. "Towson U. due international business incubator :[FINAL Edition]." The Sun, June 17, 2006, http://www.proquest.com/ (accessed April 27, 2011).
LAURA BARNHARDT. "College sets policy on off-campus rowdiness ; Towson University to hold students accountable :[FINAL Edition]." The Sun, August 17, 2006, http://www.proquest.com/ (accessed April 27, 2011).
"[ IN BUSINESS ] :[FINAL Edition]." The Sun, October 21, 2006, http://www.proquest.com/ (accessed April 27, 2011).
Ken Murray. "TOWSON GOES FOR UPGRADE ; SCHOOL HOPES RENOVATION OF ARENA BOOSTS PROGRAMS :[FINAL Edition]." The Sun, December 13, 2006, http://www.proquest.com/ (accessed April 27, 2011).
[JENNIFER CHOI]. "FIVE THINGS I HAVE TO HAVE NOW :PRESIDENT OF TOWSON UNIVERSITY; ROBERT CARET." The Sun, January 27, 2008, http://www.proquest.com/ (accessed April 27, 2011).
Stephen Kiehl. "SELLING TOWSON :ROBERT CARET, TOWSON UNIVERSITY'S PRESIDENT, IS BULLISH ON GROWTH OF THE FACILITIES, STUDENT BODY AND FACULTY." The Sun, February 22, 2009, http://www.proquest.com/ (accessed April 27, 2011).
Childs Walker. "SEX COLUMN FLAP FORCES STUDENT EDITOR'S EXIT :JUNIOR RESIGNS AFTER STANDOFF WITH TOWSON U. PRESIDENT." The Sun, October 7, 2009, http://www.proquest.com/ (accessed April 27, 2011).
Sloane Brown. "BOB CARET, TOWSON UNIVERSITY :MY DESK, MY LIFE." The Sun, October 4, 2010, http://www.proquest.com/ (accessed April 27, 2011).
SLOANE BROWN. "TOWSON UNIVERSITY'S 'TOWSONOPOLY'." The Sun, November 21, 2010, http://www.proquest.com/ (accessed April 27, 2011).
Childs Walker. "TOWSON PRESIDENT A CANDIDATE TO RUN UMASS SYSTEM, REPORT SAYS." The Sun, January 5, 2011, http://www.proquest.com/ (accessed April 27, 2011).
Childs Walker. "TOWSON U. PRESIDENT TO HEAD UMASS." The Sun, January 14, 2011, http://www.proquest.com/ (accessed April 27, 2011).
Childs Walker, and Ken Murray. "SEEKING A TURNAROUND IN TOWSON ATHLETICS :ADVOCATES SAYS WINNING TEAMS WOULD BOOST NATIONAL IMAGE." The Sun, April 10, 2011, http://www.proquest.com/ (accessed April 27, 2011).
Childs Walker. "TOWSON FLOURISHED UNDER CARET :IN HIS 8 YEARS, 'THE STATE'S OTHER GREAT UNIVERSITY' HOPEFUL EXPANDED STUDENT BODY, PROGRAMS." The Sun, April 24, 2011, http://www.proquest.com/ (accessed April 27, 2011).
- Title
- Guide to the Robert L. Caret records
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Created by Felicity Knox, revised and transferred to ArchivesSpace by John Esh
- Date
- 2011, 2020
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the Towson University Special Collections and University Archives Repository