William David Maxwell

William David Maxwell
Dean, College of Liberal Arts
1970-1980

William David Maxwell, the first dean of Texas A&M’s College of Liberal Arts, died Monday (Dec. 12, 2005) at his home in Tamassee, SC. He served as professor of economics and dean from 1970 to 1980. During that time university enrollment climbed from 13,000 to 30,000. The College, which contained the Departments of Economics, English, History, Journalism, Modern Languages, Philosophy and Humanities, Political Science and Psychology, added the Department of Sociology and Anthropology. A doctorate in sociology was developed as was a B.A. in theater arts, but the greatest growth took place within anthropology as the B.A. and M.A. degrees were approved. In 1976 the American Institute of Nautical Archaeology moved to Texas A&M from the University of Pennsylvania.

Born in Fayetteville, NC, Maxwell earned both his A.B. and M.A. degrees from the University of North Carolina where he was elected to membership in Phi Beta Kappa. He received his Ph.D. in political economy from Johns Hopkins University. After serving in WWII and the Korean Conflict, Maxwell taught at the University of South Carolina, Tulane University, Thammasat University in Bangkok, Thailand, and Indiana University before coming to Texas A&M. He was widely recognized for his teaching effectiveness, receiving an early award for his teaching contributions to the graduate programs of Indiana University. He was a member of many professional and academic organizations and his research publications cover a broad range of knowledge from economic theory to the humanities.

In 1980, he joined Clemson University and served as its first provost and vice president for academic affairs until his retirement in 1991. He spent one year of that tenure as vice president of business and finance.