Hired to calm the political tensions of the early 1960s, Joseph Smiley faced the even greater unrest of the end of the decade with patience and understanding.

The regents lured Joseph Smiley away from the presidency of the University of Texas in Austin in hopes that the soft-spoken academician would bring an “era of calm” to CU with his non-partisian approach.

CU continued to experience a large influx of students – from 13,380 in 1964 to 20,387 students in 1969 – resulting in further expansion of the campus and of the Denver and Colorado Springs extension centers.