The University of Massachusetts Amherst
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Marcus, Joseph S.

Joseph S. Marcus Papers

1954-1977
2 boxes 3 linear feet
Call no.: FS 081
Depiction of Joseph S. Marcus
Joseph S. Marcus

Joseph Sol Marcus arrived at UMass in 1948 as an Instructor in Civil Engineering and graduate student (MS 1954), remaining there for the rest of his career. Born in Oct. 29, 1921, he was educated at Worcester Polytech (BS 1944) and after war-time service with the Navy, he joined the rapidly growing engineering program at UMass. Although chemical engineer, he took responsibility for the fluid mechanics laboratory and taught in civil and mechanical engineering, and after gaining experience through courses from the Atomic Energy Commission and a year spent at Oak Ridge National Laboratories, he introduced nuclear engineering into the curriculum. As he rose through the academic ranks, Marcus became a key figure in university administration, serving as Associate Dean of Engineering, as preceptor for Emily Dickinson House on Orchard Hill, and Special Assistant to the Chancellor for long-range planning, while serving on committees for military affairs, Engineering hopnors, transfers and admissions, discipline, and Continuing Education. Marcus died of cancer on Nov. 1, 1985. Marcus Hall was named in his honor.

The Joseph Marcus Papers document Marcus’s extensive involvement in campus affairs at UMass Amherst, with an emphasis on the period 1965-1975. A small quantity of material relating to his profession activities and academic appointments is joined by well organized files relating to his participation in committees of Engineering honors, Military Affairs (1967-1968), the Orchard Hill residential college and Emily Dickinson House (1964-1969), ROTC and AFROTC curricula, transfers and admissions, the library, Upward Bound, Discipline (1964-1971), and Continuing Education (1970-1977).

Background on Joseph Marcus

Joseph Sol Marcus arrived at UMass in 1948 as an Instructor in Civil Engineering and graduate student (MS 1954), just as the University was beginning a large scale expansion and reorganization of its engineering programs. Born in Oct. 29, 1921, Marcus received his undergraduate education in chemical engineering at Worcester Polytechnic College (BS 1944) before serving a three year tour in the Navy at the tail end of the Second World War.

While studying for his masters degree in civil engineering, Marcus assumed responsibility for the fluid mechanics laboratory and taught courses in both civil and mechanical engineering, foreshadowing some of the versatility he would demonstrate throughout his career. Climbing up the academic ranks over the next fifteen years, Marcus took a series of courses offered by the Atomic Energy Commission and spent a year’s leave in 1962 working as a Research Engineer at the Oak Ridge National Laboratories. With this preparation, and with his research turned toward nuclear engineering, Marcus introduced nuclear engineering into the UMass curriculum and he became the principle investigator on three major grants from the AEC and co-director of AEC-NECEP workshops on nuclear power.

Rising to become Assistant (later Associate) Dean of the School of Engineering in 1964, Marcus became an active presence in university administration, serving as preceptor for Emily Dickinson House on Orchard Hill, becoming a staunch proponent of residential college concept; Chair of the Faculty Senate; and Special Assistant to the Chancellor for long-range planning. He was also a key member of the committees for military affairs, engineering honors, transfers and admissions, discipline, and Continuing Education, among others. Always engaged with students and interested in raising the position of future engineers, he was deeply involved in educational initiatives in the Commonwealth, helping to direct two National Science Foundation Institutes for high school science teachers (1968, 1969) and serving on the accrediting boards of the New England Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools (1969-1971).

In recognition of his commitment to students, Marcus was recognized with the Metawampe Award and Distinguished Teaching Award in the 1960s, and in 1984, he received the Chancellor’s Medal for “exemplary and extraordinary service.” Marcus died of cancer on Nov. 1, 1985, shortly after his retirement. Marcus Hall was named in his honor.

Contents of Collection

The Marcus Papers document extensive involvement in campus affairs at UMass Amherst, with an emphasis on the period 1965-1975. A small quantity of material relating to Marcus’s profession activities and academic appointments is accompanied by well organized files relating to his participation in University committees, ranging from Engineering honors, ROTC and AFROTC curricula, Military Affairs (1967-1968), the Orchard Hill residential college and Emily Dickinson House (1964-1969), transfers and admissions, the library, Upward Bound, Discipline (1964-1971), and Continuing Education (1970-1977).

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Inventory of Collection
Admissions and Record Board 1970 Box 1: 1
Air Force ROTC curriculum 1967-1968 Box 1: 2
Army ROTC curriculum 1967-1968 Box 1: 3
Board of Higher Education. Planning Committee of Faculty and Curriculum 1970 Box 1: 4
Board of Higher Education. Planning Committee of Faculty and Curriculum 1971 Box 1: 5
Communication Skills Committee 1972-1973 Box 1: 6
Community Outreach and Course-Related Field Work Ad Hoc Committee 1972 Box 1: 7
Continuing Education Committee: Annual Report 1972-1973 Box 1: 8
Continuing Education Committee 1972-1973 Box 1: 9
Continuing Education Committee 1972-1973 Box 1: 10
Continuing Education Committee 1973 Box 1: 11
Continuing Education Committee 1974-1975 Box 1: 12
Core Requirements Sub-Committee 1973-1974 Box 1: 13
Emily Dickinson House 1965-1965 Box 1: 14
Emily Dickinson House 1965-1965 Box 1: 15
Emily Dickinson House 1965-1966 Box 1: 16
Emily Dickinson House 1965-1966 Box 1: 17
Emily Dickinson House 1966-1967 Box 1: 18
Emily Dickinson House 1966-1967 Box 1: 19
Emily Dickinson House 1968-1969 Box 1: 20
Discipline Board 1964-1965 Box 1: 21
Discipline Board 1966-1967 Box 1: 22
Discipline Board 1967-1968 Box 1: 23
Discipline Board 1968-1969 Box 1: 24
Discipline Board 1969-1971 Box 1: 25
Honors Colloquia 1965-1968 Box 1: 26
Honors Colloquia 1966-1967 Box 1: 27
Honors Council 1961-1962 Box 2: 1
Honors Council 1963-1965 Box 2: 2
Honors Council 1967-1969 Box 2: 3
Joint Ad Hoc Study Committee 1966-1967 Box 2: 4
Library Master Plan Committee 1965 Box 2: 5
Marcus, Joseph S. Appointments, promotions, etc. 1948-1958 Box 2: 6
Military Affairs Sub-Committee 1967-1968 Box 2: 7
Military Affairs Sub-Committee 1967-1968 Box 2: 8
Orchard Hill calendars 1968 Box 2: 9
Orchard Hill Residential College 1970 Box 2: 10
Reactor analysis (notes) 1962-1963 Box 2: 11
ROTC 1966-1967 Box 2: 12
Search Committee: Director of Freshman Admissions 1977 Box 2: 13
Search Committee: Director of Placement Services 1978 Box 2: 14
Search Committee: Director of Rhetoric 1975 Box 2: 15
Search Committee: Director of Transfer Affairs 1975 Box 2: 16
Search Committee: Vice Chancellor for Administration and Finance 1976-1977 Box 2: 17
Transfer Affairs Committee 1972 Box 2: 18
Transfer Affairs Compact 1971-1973 Box 2: 19
Undergraduate Library Services Subcommittee 1965-1966 Box 2: 20
UMass and Continuing Education 1966 Box 2: 21
UMass Boston Faculty Policies Committee 1964-1965 Box 2: 22
Upward Bound Academic Advisory Committee 1968-1969 Box 2: 23
WFCR: Fred and Diana Calland Case 1970 Box 2: 24
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Provenance

Gift of Joseph S. Marcus.

Processing Information

Processed by I. Eliot Wentworth, Feb. 2013.

Copyright and Use (More informationConnect to publication information)

Cite as: Joseph S. Marcus Papers (FS 081). Special Collections and University Archives, University of Massachusetts Amherst Libraries.

Subjects

Continuing educationResidential collegesUnited States. Army. Reserve Officers' Training CorpsUniversity of Massachusetts Amherst--FacultyUniversity of Massachusetts Amherst--StudentsUniversity of Massachusetts Amherst. Department of Civil Engineering