William M. Sangster served as dean from 1974 to 1991. He oversaw profound growth in the College -- from 4,500 students in 1974 to 8,000 students in 1991. Faculty and staff increased from 260 to 500. Money secured through grants and contracts for research increased ten-fold under his leadership. 

In 1991, he was named director of international programs at Georgia Tech due to his association with universities in Korea, the Middle East, South Africa, and India, as well as his work in raising the level of engineering education at institutions involved with the Pan-American Union of Engineering Associations based in Venezuela.