1977-1979 Foster F. Diebold

Photo of Foster F. Diebold
Photo of Foster F. Diebold

Foster F. Diebold, 45, came to the University of Alaska in mid-1976 to assume the new position of executive secretary to the Board of Regents, created to provide the governing body with staff support it felt it needed to carry out its growing responsibilities. On December 30, 1977, on the eve of former President Neil D. Humphrey's departure from the university, the regents assigned Diebold the task of maintaining university operations pending the appointment of a new president. He was designated chief administrator and given the full powers of the office of the President. On February 23, 1978, the regents appointed him president of the statewide institution, for a term ending June 30, 1979.

From 1969 until Diebold and his wife Patricia and infant daughter moved to Alaska, he was director of the Division of College Development and served as one of four executive officers at 30,000-student Kean College of New Jersey (formerly Newark State College). When he left Kean, his division consisted of eight departments with a total staff of 40. His major responsibilities were in the areas of legislative liaison, collective bargaining and contract management, grants and contracts, development, public and community relations, institutional research and planning, Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action, policy determination and decision-making, and Board of Trustees liaison.

From 1965-1969 Diebold was assistant superintendent in New Jersey's Neptune Township public school system, which served approximately 15,000 students. While serving in this position he was also a member of Kean College's part-time faculty, teaching graduate-level courses in personal management and collective bargaining, administration and organization of schools, and innovations and education through federal-state assistance programs. From 1959-1964 he was an English and psychology teacher in the Neptune Township public school system.

Diebold had received his Bachelor of Science degree in 1959 from Monmouth College where English education was his major and psychology his minor. His Master of Arts degree in education administration was conferred by Seton Hall University in 1966. He received his Doctor of Education degree in labor studies and collective bargaining at Rutgers University.

He was born in Orange, New Jersey on October 24, 1932 and grew up in that state. He was honorably discharged from the U.S. Air Force in 1954 after four years of service.