Former ASU president J. Russell Nelson died at his home in Tempe last Wednesday at
Nelson was the 14th President of ASU from 1981 to 1989, where under his tenure some of ASU’s biggest projects were developed, including the expansion
In a statement, current President Michael Crow reflected on what Nelson had done for the University:
“Russell Nelson honed Arizona State’s mission and energized the university to excel beyond what had previously been accomplished,” Crow said in the statement. “Through his expertise and passionate advocacy, Russell made significant strides forward in scholarship funding, campus facilities and student services.”
During his time as president, Nelson also helped ASU complete the most successful fundraising campaign to date, raising over $75 million for the University. Many research grants were awarded to the University during his time as president, putting ASU in the direction of becoming one of the top research universities.
Nelson's son, Richard Nelson, described his father as a "very private man."
"He believed deeply in the value of public education, and also believed that it should be available to anyone who wanted it without an insurmountable cost barrier," Nelson wrote in an email. "He told me many times that everything he accomplished he owed to the inexpensive education he received at the University of California. It was a deep frustration to him that people in the US apparently care so little about their children that they don’t mind seeing them beggared by debt in order to get an education."
Nelson said he hoped the ASU community would remember his father through helping others get a good, affordable education so they won't go into debt.
Correction: Due to a reporting error, a previous version of this article incorrectly stated how old Nelson was. This version has been updated with the correct information.
Reach the reporter at sgreene6@asu.edu or follow @thesydneygreene on Twitter.
Like The State Press on Facebook and follow @statepress on Twitter.
