Michael Schwartz, longtime president, administrator at Kent State, dies

A longtime administrator and past president of Kent State University died at age 86 on Jan. 2 after a long illness.

Michael Schwartz served as Kent State University's ninth president from 1982 to 1991.

"Our community is saddened to learn of President Schwartz’s passing," Kent State University President Todd Diacon said. "So much of what today makes us a beacon of student access, degree completion and research excellence originated with advances implemented during his administration. I will miss his wise counsel, great wit, and endless humanity."

Numerous people shared their thoughts in social media posts, describing Schwartz as "a kind man," a great leader and someone who cared about students.

Schwartz first came to Kent State in March 1976 to serve as vice president for graduate studies and research. Schwartz also was a professor of sociology and psychology.

In 1977, then-president Brage Golding appointed Schwartz acting vice president for academic and student affairs. The following spring, he was appointed permanently to the position. In all, Schwartz spent 25 years at Kent State in various roles. Following his retirement as president of the university in 1991, he continued to teach at the school for the next decade.

His legacy as the president of Kent State includes the opening of the Glenn H. Brown Liquid Crystal Institute, the Kent State University Museum of Fashion and the Athletic Field House, according to information from Kent State University.

The Shannon Rodgers/Jerry Silverman School of Fashion Design and Merchandising also was established during his tenure. In addition, he is remembered as a steadying force in the years following the May 4, 1970 shootings and the ensuing legal actions, and he oversaw the creation of the May 4 Memorial.

Following his retirement, the Michael Schwartz Center administrative building on Summit Street at Kent State was named in his honor.

Michael Schwartz also president at Cleveland State University

Born and raised in Chicago, Illinois, Schwartz earned three degrees from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, a bachelor's degree in psychology in 1958, a master's in labor and industrial relations in 1959 and a doctorate in sociology in 1962.

From 1962 to 1976, Schwartz taught psychology and sociology at Wayne State University, Indiana University and Florida Atlantic University. He served as Dean of the College of Social Sciences at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton, before joining Kent State.

He stepped down from the presidency of Kent State on March 15, 1991, turning over the reins to Carol Cartwright.

Schwartz didn't stay in retirement. In 2002, he was tapped to serve as president of Cleveland State University after serving the prior year as Cleveland State’s interim president. He remained Cleveland State president until June 2009.

Laura Bloomberg, the current president of Cleveland State University, stated in a letter posted on the university's website that Schwartz had a mission to bring pride in the university to the students, faculty, staff and alumni.

"Dr. Schwartz once told me that when he launched his tenure as president, he noticed almost no one on campus wore CSU apparel or expressed much pride in the institution," Bloomberg stated. "He made it a personal priority to change that. With every major CSU project, he always wanted the end result to be a growing sense of community pride and expanded enthusiasm for the learning environment.

"I know that many CSU faculty, staff members and alumni cherished Dr. Schwartz as a friend and valued his leadership, even long after his tenure as president ended."

Schwartz was credited for phasing out open admissions for college undergraduates, according to information from Kent State. He also oversaw a major rise in the bar passing rate of Cleveland-Marshall School of Law graduates and implemented other reforms. During his tenure, new student housing, a new student center and new administration buildings were constructed, while existing classroom buildings received major renovations.

Cleveland State University's library bears his name.

Former university president also active in other organizations

Outside of Kent State and Cleveland State, Schwartz had served as a trustee of the Ohio Aerospace Institute, Central State University and the Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine, now known as the Northeast Ohio Medical University or NEOMED.

Schwartz published on the social psychology of adolescent deviant behavior and, with Sheldon Stryker, was the author of the first monograph published by the American Sociological Association in the Arnold and Carolyn Rose Monograph Series. In 2005, he co-authored "The Chief Purpose of Universities."

Youngstown State University awarded him the Honorary Doctor of Laws Degree, and the American Association of State Colleges and Universities presented him with its Distinguished Service Award.

Reporter April Helms can be reached at ahelms@thebeaconjournal.com

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Michael Schwartz, former Kent State president, dies at age 86