Clements has served as acting vice president for economic and community outreach since February 2004.
Tuesday President Robert Caret announced Clements' permanent appointment to the position.
"I'm having a lot of fun," Clements said. "This job gives me the opportunity to connect the University to the business community."
While Clements has chaired several search committees, including the one that brought Caret to campus in 2003, the University did not conduct a search for the DECO vice president position.
Caret said Clements has the necessary background, commitment and connectivity to the region to serve in the position permanently.
"I do not feel I could have found a better fit," Caret said. "He has shown that he can do the job and should do the job."
Clements joined Towson in 1989 as an assistant professor of computer science, and worked his way up to chair the department of computer and information sciences. He became executive director of the Center for Applied Information Technology in 1999, and led the center until he was named acting vice president last year.
In the last 14 months, Clements has restructured the division and hired directors for various efforts.
"We've rolled many of our outreach units into one, giving the external world a bridge to the campus," Clements said.
Clements expects to move forward with an International Business Incubator, a Metropolitan Leadership Studies Institute, and efforts related to homeland security. Caret said Towson will need a much stronger research base as the University grows and matures.
"We have targeted applied research as our forte, and DECO will lead the charge in that effort," he said.
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