[2] He was a child in Vienna, Austria, and his family had to escape Europe after the rise of Adolf Hitler and the start of World War II.
[3] He served with the US Army in Korea, and then completed his degree at Oberlin College on the G.I.
[3] He earned his doctorate in English Literature at Harvard University on a national fellowship.
[3][4] After completing his doctorate in 1964, he began an academic career of teaching and administration at Cornell University from 1964 to 1967.
[3] Prior to being named dean, he was the Director of Continuing Education and University Extension from 1975 to 1977.