Walter T. Cox Presidential Records
Collection
Identifier: Series-0035
This series contains the records of the office of Walter T. Cox, President of Clemson University, July 1985-March 1986. The series contains correspondence, minutes, reports, and speeches. Many of the files continue those begun by Cox's predecessors Bill Atchley and Robert C. Edwards. For this reason, the records span the time period 1970-1989.
Topics within the series include the administration and reorganization of athletics and the participation of Clemson University in the Atlantic Coast Conference; the files contain letters from alumni and fans for or against participation.
Several files deal with the Strom Thurmond Institute. Included are various proposals for construction of the building and for development of programs.
Frequent correspondents include executive assistant to the president, Edward Byars; legal counsel, Ben Anderson; and Provost, David Maxwell. Deans of several Colleges are represented as well.
Access to certain files is restricted. Restricted are those files dealing with students and personnel. The restrictions are provided for in the South Carolina Freedom of Information Act, S. C. Code Ann. §30-4-40 (a) (2) and §30-4-40 (a) (4).
Walter Thompson Cox was born 19 September 1918 in Belton, South Carolina to Walter T. and Grace Campbell Cox. He entered Clemson College in 1935 and graduated in 1939 with a degree in general science. In 1940 Cox was hired as assistant coach and business manager of athletics.
After serving in the United States Army during 1942 and 1943, Cox returned to Clemson. In 1950 he assumed dual responsibilities as Director of Public Relations and Alumni Affairs as well as assistant to President Robert F. Poole. Five years later, after the institutional study done by Cresap, McCormick, and Paget, Cox was named Dean of Student Affairs (later Vice-President for Student Affairs). Cox served in this post until 1985.
On 1 July 1985, after the resignation of President Bill Atchley, the Board of Trustees elected Cox to the presidency of Clemson University. In the 249 days of his presidency, Cox handled the aftermath of the conflict involving the president and athletic director, as well as other personnel matters. Cox concluded his term of office in March 1986. That same year, Cox was appointed by President Max Lennon as Acting Vice-President of Institutional Advancement. He served in this position until March 1987. Cox officially retired from the University on 30 April 1987.
4 Cubic Feet (including 13 photographs; 1 audio cassette; 3 oversize items)
English
The files have been arranged alphabetically according to subject.
Office of the President
The following photographs have been separated for purposes of preservation:
Board of Visitors, 1983
Clemson Rangers with Cox, 1988
Cox family, no date
Cox retirement, 1987 (2)
Drug Science Foundation Awards, 1984 (6)
Lennon inaugural, 1986
Byron Vaigneur, 1984 (SEE: Football in CU photographs)
Betts and Elsie Wilson, 1987
Dennis S. Taylor, University Archivist, November 1992
The conversion of this finding aid to Encoded Archival Description format was made possible with a grant from the South Carolina State Historical Records Advisory Board in 2009-2010. The finding aid was prepared for encoding by Kristi Roberts.
Part of the Clemson University Libraries Special Collections and Archives Repository