List of Books by William B. Allen. See all books authored by William B. Allen
About William B. Allen
William B. Allen was born in Fernandina Beach, Florida, in 1944, as the oldest of twelve children of a Baptist preacher. During high school, he studied science at Virginia Union University, but his interests shifted to politics and philosophy, and he moved to Pepperdine College, where he graduated in 1967 (B.A.) and received the M.A. (1968) and Ph.D. (1972) from Claremont Graduate University. In 1970–71, he was Fulbright Advanced Teaching Fellow at the University of Rouen in France. He was appointed assistant professor at the School of Government and Public Administration at American University in 1971 and the next year he became Assistant Professor of Government at Harvey Mudd College in 1972, with tenure in 1976. He was promoted to Associate Professor in 1976 and served as full Professor from 1983 to 1994.[1][2][3]
Allen was a member of the National Council on the Humanities 1984–87. He resigned to take a seat on the United States Commission on Civil Rights, on which he served until 1992. He was chairman of the commission from August 8, 1988, to October 23, 1989.
Allen was Dean and Professor at James Madison College, Michigan State University, 1993–98. Under his leadership, the college gained broad national recognition as a center of liberal education, faculty and student life was vivified, and faculty productivity saw a dramatic increase.[2] The following year, he was executive director of the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia. During his tenure, Council staff and operations were thoroughly reorganized, focusing on its two statutory obligations – public policy recommendations, and administration of educational programs. Under his guidance the agency developed major strategic planning, funding formula, program assessment, and general education recommendations. He successfully put questions like making colleges more accountable for the state money they get on the agenda in Virginia.