John W. Ryan
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John William Ryan (August 12, 1929 – August 6, 2011) was an American academic administrator who most notably served as the President of
Indiana University Indiana University (IU) is a system of public universities in the U.S. state of Indiana. Campuses Indiana University has two core campuses, five regional campuses, and two regional centers under the administration of IUPUI. *Indiana Universit ...
for sixteen years.


Early life and career

Ryan was born in
Chicago, Illinois (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...
and earned a B.A. from the
University of Utah The University of Utah (U of U, UofU, or simply The U) is a public research university in Salt Lake City, Utah. It is the flagship institution of the Utah System of Higher Education. The university was established in 1850 as the University of De ...
in 1951, where he was a 1950 initiate of the
Kappa Sigma Fraternity Kappa Sigma (), commonly known as Kappa Sig, is an American collegiate social fraternity founded at the University of Virginia in 1869. Kappa Sigma is one of the five largest international Fraternities and sororities in North America, fraterniti ...
. He earned master's and Ph.D. degrees from Indiana University in 1958 and 1959, respectively. While in graduate school, Ryan served in two professional roles: first as a research analyst in the Kentucky Department of Revenue, then in establishing the graduate public administration program at
Thammasat University Thammasat University (Abbreviation, Abrv: TU th, มธ.; th, มหาวิทยาลัยธรรมศาสตร์, , ) is a public research university in Thailand with campuses in Tha Phra Chan area of Phra Nakhon District near the ...
. After graduating, he taught political science at the
University of Wisconsin–Madison A university () is an educational institution, institution of higher education, higher (or Tertiary education, tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several Discipline (academia), academic disciplines. Universities ty ...
. In 1962, he became executive assistant to the president of the
University of Massachusetts Amherst The University of Massachusetts Amherst (UMass Amherst, UMass) is a public research university in Amherst, Massachusetts and the sole public land-grant university in Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Founded in 1863 as an agricultural college, it ...
before moving to
Arizona State University Arizona State University (Arizona State or ASU) is a public research university in the Phoenix metropolitan area. Founded in 1885 by the 13th Arizona Territorial Legislature, ASU is one of the largest public universities by enrollment in the ...
at Tempe to assume the vice presidency for academic affairs. He returned East to serve as the first chancellor of the
University of Massachusetts Boston The University of Massachusetts Boston (stylized as UMass Boston) is a Public university, public research university in Boston, Massachusetts. It is the only public research university in Boston and the third-largest campus in the five-campus Un ...
from 1965 to 1968.


Indiana University

In July 1968, Ryan returned to Indiana University to become vice president for regional campuses and became its fourteenth president on January 26, 1971. His 16 years of service to the university saw the establishment of two new IU campuses in New Albany (
Indiana University Southeast Indiana University Southeast (locally known as IUS or IU Southeast) is a public university in New Albany, Indiana. It is a regional campus of Indiana University. History The Indiana University Falls City Area Center was established by Floyd ...
) and in
Richmond Richmond most often refers to: * Richmond, Virginia, the capital of Virginia, United States * Richmond, London, a part of London * Richmond, North Yorkshire, a town in England * Richmond, British Columbia, a city in Canada * Richmond, California, ...
(
Indiana University East Indiana University East (IU East) is a public university in Richmond, Indiana, a regional campus of Indiana University that serves the eastern Indiana and western Ohio area. Established in 1971 by the Indiana University Board of Trustees, IU East ...
), the formation of various cultural centers on the Bloomington campus, and the creation of the
School of Journalism A journalism school is a school or department, usually part of an established university, where journalists are trained. 'J-School' is an increasingly used term for a journalism department at a school or college. Journalists in most parts of the ...
, the School of Continuing Studies, the School of Optometry, and the School of Public and Environmental Affairs. Ryan retired in 1987 and was immediately appointed president emeritus of Indiana University. He remained an active figure within the university, both as a professor in the School of Public and Environmental Affairs and as a member of several boards and committees. In one of his first official acts, Ryan hired legendary men's basketball coach
Bob Knight Robert Montgomery Knight (born October 25, 1940) is an American former basketball coach. Nicknamed "the General", Knight won 902 NCAA Division I men's college basketball games, a record at the time of his retirement, and currently fourth all-ti ...
on behalf of the IU Board of Trustees in 1971. In the 1979 film ''
Breaking Away ''Breaking Away'' is a 1979 American coming of age comedy-drama film produced and directed by Peter Yates and written by Steve Tesich. It follows a group of four male teenagers in Bloomington, Indiana, who have recently graduated from high sc ...
'', he played himself as president of the university, lecturing students on their behavior at the dining hall where they fought the Cutters (a reference to
stonecutters Stonemasonry or stonecraft is the creation of buildings, structures, and sculpture using stone as the primary material. It is one of the oldest activities and professions in human history. Many of the long-lasting, ancient shelters, temples, mo ...
who worked in the limestone quarries in southern Indiana). On September 4, 2009, John Ryan was awarded the University Medal, IU's highest nonacademic award. According to an IU press release, "The University Medal honors individuals for singular or noteworthy contributions, including service to the university and achievement in arts, letters, science and law. It is the only medal that requires approval by the IU Board of Trustees. The presentation was a particularly special occasion, because it was Ryan who, as president, created the University Medal in 1982, bestowing it first on Thomas T. Solley, director of the
IU Art Museum IU may refer to: Businesses and organisations Sport *Islamabad United, a cricket team franchise in Pakistan Super League Universities *Indiana University, a multi-campus public university system in the state of Indiana, United States *Islamic ...
. Ryan is only the tenth person to receive the medal."


The State University of New York

After retiring from Indiana University, Ryan took on temporary administrative roles, acting as interim president at the
University of Maryland at Baltimore The University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) is a public university in Baltimore, Maryland. Founded in 1807, it comprises some of the oldest professional schools of dentistry, law, medicine, pharmacy, social work and nursing in the United States ...
and at
Florida Atlantic University Florida Atlantic University (Florida Atlantic or FAU) is a Public university, public research university with its main campus in Boca Raton, Florida, and satellite campuses in Dania Beach, Florida, Dania Beach, Davie, Florida, Davie, Fort Lauderd ...
, and advising the
Papua New Guinea Papua New Guinea (abbreviated PNG; , ; tpi, Papua Niugini; ho, Papua Niu Gini), officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea ( tpi, Independen Stet bilong Papua Niugini; ho, Independen Stet bilong Papua Niu Gini), is a country i ...
Commission for Higher Education. In 1996, Ryan stepped in to fill the Chancellorship of the
State University of New York The State University of New York (SUNY, , ) is a system of public colleges and universities in the State of New York. It is one of the largest comprehensive system of universities, colleges, and community colleges in the United States. Led by c ...
after his predecessor abruptly resigned. He was asked to assume the full Chancellorship in 1997 and stepped down at the end of 1999.


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ryan, John W. 1929 births 2011 deaths American political scientists Presidents of the Florida Atlantic University People from Chicago University of Utah alumni Chancellors of the State University of New York University of Wisconsin–Madison faculty University of Massachusetts Amherst faculty Presidents of Indiana University