Former Indiana University Southeast chancellor dies at age 92
Feb. 22—SOUTHERN INDIANA — Leon Rand, a former chancellor at Indiana University Southeast, died Sunday. He was 92.
Rand served as chancellor at IU Southeast from 1986 to 1996 and was also a professor emeritus of chemistry at the New Albany campus.
Rand oversaw a time of significant campus and academic growth at IU Southeast. According to Indiana University, enrollment increased by 40% and the IU Southeast budget doubled during his tenure.
He was chancellor during the completion of several building projects and helped raise more than $9 million in funds for scholarships and capital improvements, according to IU.
"Dr. Leon Rand had a storied career at IU Southeast and added great momentum to the university during a time of strategic growth," said Kelly Ryan, interim chancellor at IU Southeast.
"A hallmark of his time at IU Southeast was to establish this campus as an epicenter for arts and culture in the region. In 1996, the Paul W. Ogle Cultural and Community Center opened, adding a state-of-the-art facility with four indoor theaters, an amphitheater and an art gallery. The Ogle Center attracts audiences from throughout southern Indiana and the greater Louisville area and is a lasting tribute to his vision and leadership."
Rand received a Sagamore of the Wabash in Indiana and was also named a Kentucky Colonel. In 2019, Rand received the Indiana University Bicentennial Medal.
Rand resided in Indianapolis at the time of his death. His wife of 54 years, Marian Newton Rand, died in 2012.
A memorial service for Rand is slated for 11 a.m. Saturday at All Souls Unitarian Church in Indianapolis.
