Richard J. Grosh assumed the office of President of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute on July 1, 1971. The former President Richard Gilman Folsom retired at that time.

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute describes its administrative structure in the "Act of Incorporation and By-Laws" (which supercede the Constitution and By-Laws of 1825). The Board of Trustees appoints the Officers of the Corporation which include a President; a Director (the President may also be the Director); Vice Presidents as may be designated by the President; a Treasurer; and a Secretary. Additional offices may be appointed at the discretion of the Board.

The President is defined as "the chief executive officer of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and shall be charged with the supervision of all interests of the Institute subject to the direction of the Board. It shall be the President's duty to execute on behalf of the corporation all documents covering transactions which shall have been authorized by the resolution of the Board". * The administrative offices on the Vice Presidential level were as follows, when Grosh assumed office as RPI's 13th President:

Vice President for Student Affairs Vice President for External Affairs Vice President, RPI of Connecticut. A fourth Vice Presidential position had not been filled since the retirement of Clayton Dohrenwend (Vice President and Provost) in November 1971. (Stephen Wiberley was appointed Vice Provost and Acting Provost in the interim.) In 1974-1975 Robert G. Loewy was named as Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs. A fifth position was created in the administrative structure in 1973-1974 when John L. Green, Jr. was named as Vice President for Administration and Budget. In 1974-1975 the office of Vice President for Student Affairs was renamed Vice President and Vice Provost for Student Affairs. Specific goals and achievements of the Administration are found described in the Annual Reports of the President's Office and can be consulted for further details. Grosh was born in Fort Wayne, Indiana October 29, 1927; he married in 1950 and had six children. He received the following degrees and held the subsequent appointments: B.S.M.E. Purdue University, 1950; Fellow, Purdue Research Foundation, 1951-1952; M.S.M.E., 1952; Graver Research Fellow, 1952-1953; Ph.D. Mechanical Engineering, 1953; Researcher, Capehart Farnsworth Corp. 1950-1951; Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering, Purdue, 1953-1956; Associate Professor, 1956-1958; Professor, 1958-1971; Head, School of Mechanical Engineering, 1961-1965; Director, Industrial Development, Research Foundation, 1964- 1965; Associate Dean, Schools of Engineering, 1965-1967; Dean, 1967-1971. Upon his resignation of the Presidency of RPI in 1976 Grosh joined Ranco Incorporated as chief executive officer.

*from, "Act of Incorporation Together with the By-Laws of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, October 1966".