James Lee Fisher (June 2, 1931September 7, 2022) was an American academic administrator and psychologist. He served as the ninth president of Towson State University (now

Towson University Towson University (TU or Towson) is a public university in Towson, Maryland. Founded in 1866 as Maryland's first training school for teachers, Towson University is a part of the University System of Maryland. Since its founding, the university h ...

) from 1969 to 1978.

Early life

Fisher was born in

Decatur, Illinois Decatur ( ) is the largest city and the county seat of Macon County in the U.S. state of Illinois, with a population of 70,522 as of the 2020 Census. The city was founded in 1829 and is situated along the Sangamon River and Lake Decatur in Ce ...

, on June 2, 1931. He initially studied at

Millikin University Millikin University is a private university in Decatur, Illinois. It was founded in 1901 by prominent Decatur businessman James Millikin and is affiliated with the Presbyterian Church (USA). Media Decaturian The ''Decaturian'', also known as ...

but dropped out due to poor academic performance in 1950. He subsequently enlisted in the

US Marine Corps The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for conducting expeditionary and amphibious operations through combi ...

and served for four years. After being discharged, he resumed his studies and graduated with honors from

Illinois State University Illinois State University (ISU) is a public university in Normal, Illinois. Founded in 1857 as Illinois State Normal University, it is the oldest public university in Illinois. The university emphasizes teaching and is recognized as one of th ...

in 1956. He was awarded a Doctor of Philosophy in psychology from

Northwestern University Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston, Illinois. Founded in 1851, Northwestern is the oldest chartered university in Illinois and is ranked among the most prestigious academic institutions in the world. Charte ...

seven years later.

Career

Fisher was first employed in the administration of Northwestern while he was completing his doctorate there. After six years in that capacity, he became president of Towson State College in 1969, succeeding

Earle Hawkins Earle Taylor Hawkins (March 5, 1903 – June 1972) was the eighth president of Towson State College (now Towson University). Earle Hawkins advanced through the state educational system from the level of teacher to top supervisory positions. H ...

at the age of 38. During his tenure, Fisher instituted a winter academic session and created new positions for five academic deans and four vice presidents. He also oversaw the development of the campus with the construction of thirteen buildings. Student enrollment almost doubled under his leadership from 5,727 to 10,762. The college was eventually renamed Towson State University in 1976. Fisher was dubbed a "master educational politician" by ''

The Baltimore Sun ''The Baltimore Sun'' is the largest general-circulation daily newspaper based in the U.S. state of Maryland and provides coverage of local and regional news, events, issues, people, and industries. Founded in 1837, it is currently owned by Tr ...

'' as a result of his success, and he was even urged to run for

governor of Maryland The Governor of the State of Maryland is the head of government of Maryland, and is the commander-in-chief of the state's National Guard units. The Governor is the highest-ranking official in the state and has a broad range of appointive powers ...

by the leaders of the state's Democratic and

Republican Republican can refer to: Political ideology * An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law. ** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...

parties. He ultimately stepped down as university president in 1978, to become president of the

Council for Advancement and Support of Education The Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) is a nonprofit association of educational institutions. It serves professionals in the field of educational advancement. This field encompasses alumni relations, communications, marketing ...

(CASE). As CASE president, Fisher undertook hundreds of institutional reviews for universities, and consulted with over 300 post-secondary institutions. He also contributed to a daily radio show on WBAL for a few years. He was conferred 12 honorary degrees and wrote or edited 11 books. The outstanding thesis award at Illinois State (his alma mater) is named in his honor, as is CASE's distinguished service to education award.

Personal life

Fisher was married to Kimberly. He had four children: Kerry, Kathy, Kurt, and John. He initially resided in the

Baltimore metropolitan area The Baltimore–Columbia–Towson Metropolitan Statistical Area, also known as Central Maryland, is a Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) in Maryland as defined by the United States Office of Management and Budget (OMB). As of the 2010 United Sta ...

before relocating to

Vero Beach, Florida Vero Beach is a city in and the seat of Indian River County, Florida, United States. Vero Beach is the second most populous city in Indian River County. Abundant in beaches and wildlife, Vero Beach is located on Florida's Treasure Coast. It is thi ...

, during his later years. Fisher died on September 7, 2022, at his home in Vero Beach. He was 91 years old.

References

External links

Presidential Biographies – Towson Archives
{{DEFAULTSORT:Fisher, James L. 1931 births 2022 deaths Illinois State University alumni Millikin University alumni Northwestern University alumni People from Decatur, Illinois Presidents of Towson University United States Marine Corps reservists