Remembering Theodore "Ted" K. Miller, CAS Founding President

Founding CAS editor and president, Ted Miller, passed away in August 2016. CAS remembers Ted for his many contributions to our association and the field of student affairs at large.

Theodore “Ted” K. Miller, a trailblazer in the field of student affairs and higher education, died on Saturday, August 20, 2016 at age 84. Ted was the founding president of the Council for the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education (CAS), a role in which he faithfully served for 10 years. As the inaugural and long-time CAS editor, Ted shepherded the first five editions of the CAS Professional Standards “Blue Book.”

Ted was born January 1, 1932, and he grew up in Wellman, IA and Goshen, IN. He married his wife of 60 years, Gay, in August 1956. Receiving his bachelor's degree from Ball State Teacher's College in Business and English in 1954, Ted then served in the U.S. Army for two years. Upon his return from the service, Ted completed a master's in Counseling and Guidance in 1957, also from Ball State. He proceeded in 1962 to complete his Ed.D. in Counseling and Personnel Services at the University of Florida (UF). During his time at UF, Ted was a counselor to men in the Division of Housing, research assistant, teaching assistant, and counseling intern. In 1972, Ted moved from Florida to New York to be a counseling psychologist, psychology lecturer, and assistant professor of education with an emphasis on College Student Personnel Preparation at the State University of New York at Buffalo.

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In 1967, Ted began his 30-year career at the University of Georgia as an associate professor in the Student Personnel in Higher Education Program in the Department of Counseling and Human Development Services. Promoted to full professor in 1976, he held numerous leadership roles including program coordinator, department chair, and director of the UGA Office of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) Self-Study. In July 1997, Ted retired from UGA as Professor Emeritus. 

Ted influenced the field of student affairs in many ways, as he invested much of his energy and time into professional associations and endeavors to help ensure quality practice in student programs and services. In 1969, he was the founding president of the Georgia College Personnel Association. Also, Ted was the 36th president of ACPA: College Student Educators International (then known as the American College Personnel Association) in 1975-1976. Through his ACPA involvement, Ted was engaged with the Tomorrow's Higher Education (T.H.E.) Project task force, chairing it during his president-elect term. Over time, Ted also co-chaired the ACPA Task Force for Group Procedures, chaired ACPA's Continuing Education Committee (professional development), served on the APGA Accreditation Committee, represented ACPA to the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) as secretary and board member, and chaired ACPA's Professional Standards Committee.

When ACPA began work on its first statement on ethics and professional standards in 1975, Ted sought recommendations from ACPA leadership for individuals interested in professional standards of preparation and practice. As ACPA president, he convened representatives of 13 professional organizations in 1975 to promote inter-association communication and collaboration.

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The ensuing initiative led to the establishment of the Council for the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education (CAS) in 1979. The CAS consortium brings together 43 higher education associations to collectively establish and promulgate professional standards of practice for student affairs and higher education. Ted was the founding CAS president, and he served in the position from 1979 to 1989. In addition, he served as the long-time Publications Editor for CAS until his retirement from CAS in 2004. To recognize Ted's 25 years of service, CAS developed the Ted K. Miller Achievement of Excellence Award. 

"The founding of CAS and the nurturing of the organization through its early years was Ted Miller's crowning achievement of his career. Despite the literal definition of the word penultimate (meaning next to last), Ted might have said that this was his 'penultimate achievement,' suggesting his best effort. If establishing CAS was his next to last achievement, one wonders what this last achievement might have been," mused CAS Past President Don Creamer. "Ted published (extensively), he taught (effectively), and he mentored (lovingly). But best of all, at least to me, he was my friend."

Throughout his career, Ted was recognized for his contributions to the field. Akin to CAS, the Georgia College Personnel Association honored Ted by naming their highest professional award after him. He received the SACSA Mel Hardee Award for Outstanding Achievement, the ACPA Esther Lloyd-Jones Professional Service Award, the ACPA President's Award, the Robert H. Shaffer NASPA Award for Academic Excellence, the ACPA Contribution to Knowledge Award, and the ACPA Lifetime Achievement Award. Also, Ted was designated as an ACPA Senior Scholar and Senior Scholar Diplomate 

Ted was a prolific writer and editor. Notably, he co-authored with Roger B. Winston, Jr. and Diane Cooper the Student Developmental Task and Lifestyle Assessment (SDTLA). Overall, Ted is credited with authoring, co-authoring, and editing over 30 refereed journal articles, 29 professional books, and 40 invited book chapters and reviews. 

Ted's obituary is available at http://www.obittree.com/obituary/us/georgia/athens/lord--stephens-funeral-home-east/theodore-miller/2687537/. The CAS Board of Directors reflected on Ted's life at its November 2016 board meeting.
 
References
ACPA biography at http://www.myacpa.org/theodore-k-miller

BGSU archives at http://www2.bgsu.edu/sahp/pdfs/millert.pdf

Cooper, D.L., & Dean, L. A. (1998, April). The Past, Present, and Future of Student Affairs: A Professional Profile of Theodore K. Miller. Journal of Counseling and Development, (76)2, pp. 198­-201. 

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