Ruffer implemented a strategic planning process that helped define the institution’s vision while fostering a participatory management style, engaging faculty, administrators, and trustees in decision-making.
His tenure was marked by efforts to improve academic programs and strengthen the college's long-term sustainability before he transitioned to become the president of the University of Tampa in 1991.
Following discussions between Ruffer and Col. Lamar Crosby of the U.S. Army, the university negotiated a compromise that allowed Gagne to take an alternative leadership course taught by senior faculty members rather than Army officers, though it remained a point of contention as Gagne argued it did not provide equivalent military experience.
[4] As part of the university's efforts to support leadership stability and institutional growth, Ruffer received a comprehensive housing allowance in 1993–94, which included funds for maintenance and a forgivable home-improvement loan.
Alongside other university leaders, he lobbied against proposed regulations that sought stricter accountability measures for institutions with low graduation rates.