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Death
October 24, 2006, Volume 53, No. 9

Dr. Clelland, Emeritus Professor and Deputy Provost

Richard Clelland

Dr. Richard C. Clelland, professor emeritus of statistics and operations research and deputy provost emeritus, died October 8 at the age of 85.

Born in Camden, New York, Dr. Clelland attended Hamilton College where he earned his A.B. in 1944. During his senior year he taught mathematics in an Air Force Pre-Meteorology program and then served two years in the Army Signal Corps. After discharge with the rank of Master Sergeant, he earned a master’s degree from Columbia University in 1949. Before earning his Ph.D. from Penn in 1956, he taught at both Hamilton College and Syracuse University.

Dr. Clelland began his career at Penn in the Wharton School in 1953 as a research investigator. He was promoted to assistant professor of statistics three years later. After service in operations analysis with the Alaskan Air Command in the late ’fifties, Dr. Clelland became associate professor in 1961 and was named full professor and chair of his department in 1966. He chaired the graduate group in operations research in 1969-70; served as acting dean of the Wharton School in 1971-72, and was its associate dean from 1975 to 1981. He also held faculty appointments in SAS, SEAS, and the School of Nursing, and was a trustee of the Presbyterian Medical Center. He taught numerous courses including mathematics, mathematical statistics, applied statistics and operations research. Dr. Clelland also administered and taught in the Ford Foundation summer program for the mathematics education of business school faculty members at the Wharton School. After serving as acting associate provost in 1981, Dr. Clelland was appointed the University’s first deputy provost in 1982. Dr. Clelland retired from the University in 1992 after serving Penn for nearly 40 years.

Dr. Clelland’s other activities included serving as a consultant for various business and governmental activities, and serving as chairman and member of numerous university and school committees. He was also a Fellow of the American Statistical Association.

His extensive publications include major articles on planning and decision-making as well as studies in ecology and health. While serving as the associate editor of The American Statistician from 1963 to 1970, Dr. Clelland published widely in health journals here and abroad (including Lancet, and the Journal of Indian Medical Profession) as well in journals of mathematics and statistics such as American Mathematical Monthly, Behavioral Science, and the Journal of Accounting.

Dr. Clelland is survived by his wife, Anne; son, Richard; daughter, Susan; and grandchildren, Kevin and Valerie.

Contributions can be sent to Hamilton College Endowment Fund, Clinton, NY 13323 for scholarship endowment.

To Report A Death

Almanac appreciates being informed of the deaths of current and former faculty and staff members, students, and other members of the University community.

However, notices of alumni deaths should be directed to the Alumni Records Office at Room 545, Franklin Building, (215) 898-8136 or e-mail record@ben.dev.upenn.edu.

Almanac - October 24, 2006, Volume 53, No. 9