Gifted writer and prolific scholar dies at the age of 83 On a hot August afternoon in 2005 Cameron Fincher stood at the podium and addressed a crowd of former students, colleagues, family, and friends. His closing remarks on the day of his retirement celebrated 54 years of service as a faculty member within the University System of Georgia, including over 40 years at the Institute of Higher Education. In his 30 years as IHE director, Dr. Fincher worked with over 200 different institutions of higher education at all levels. As blacks and women began to establish a place in the University System, he was called on to start an accelerated training program for minority and female administrators. “He helped decide where to locate new junior colleges and how to manage the system’s desegregation,” said Tom McDonald, a former University System vice chancellor for student services. Director Libby Morris recounts working with Dr. Fincher: “Quietly and without fanfare, Dr. Fincher led in the development of higher education as a field of study. His legacy is the high standards in scholarship and collegiality that continue to be central values of the Institute today.” Dr. Fincher’s influence extended well beyond UGA and the University System. “He was one of the most influential figures in higher education in Georgia and also had a real impact on higher education in the region,” said Tom Dyer, former IHE director and colleague. “He cared first and foremost about improving quality in higher education in this state and beyond.” Grady Bogue, professor at the University of Tennessee, remembers Cameron Fincher as a friend and colleague. “I admired his scholarship and the esteem he earned among higher education scholars… He was most importantly a man of character a model of caring and integrity for all who traveled within the circle of his influence. His legacy is one of nobility.” Dr. Fincher’s work was recognized by numerous awards and citations from every major higher education organization, and in 1986 the Georgia General Assembly passed a resolution recognizing his “many valuable and important contributions to higher education and to the state of Georgia.” His teaching and research interests covered a plethora of areas in the fields of higher education and psychology, and his list of publications included books, monographs, national and international journal articles, reports, and over 230 newspaper articles. John Smart, long-time editor of Research in Higher Education worked with Fincher as one of the associate editors. “Cameron Fincher was a prolific scholar. I was always amazed by the insights in his many ‘Between the Forums’ contributions to Research in Higher Education. He was instrumental in the founding of the journal and supporting it throughout its formative years.” Pat Terenzini recounts his years at the IHE before joining the faculty at Penn State. “Cameron’s friendship, colleagueship, knowledge, experience, and wisdom all had important effects on me and my career. Without his and the IHE’s support, the first volume of How College Affects Students might never have happened.” Cameron Fincher was known for his collaboration with colleagues across the nation. Alton Taylor, professor emeritus from the University of Virginia, knew him both professionally and personally. “He welcomed me to the Association for Institutional Research, the study of higher education, joined me in many research and publication endeavors and served as the best mentor and role model as a professor. I couldn’t have asked for a better friend, too.” A strong work ethic, developed from a depression-era childhood, and a high quality education from the University of Minnesota (MA) and The Ohio State University (PhD) played important roles in his efforts to lay the foundation for the Institute to become one of the premier higher education programs in the nation. Excerpts from Athens Banner-Herald, March 17, 2010 by Lee Shearer “From his office on the historic northwest corner of the University of Georgia, he advised chancellors and presidents as well as blue ribbon commissions and governmental agencies; yet he never ventured far from the place in academe that he loved the most, the Institute of Higher Education.” —Libby V. Morris Type of News/Audience: 2010 IHE Report
