Former University of Michigan President James Duderstadt dies at 81
(CBS DETROIT) - Former University of Michigan President James Duderstadt, the university's 11th president, died at age 81.
According to the university, Duderstadt died on Tuesday.
Duderstadt served in leadership from 1988 to 1996 before stepping down to lead the Millenium Project, which focused on societal, economic, and technological changes in universities, according to a press release. The project is located in the James and Anne Duderstadt Center, which was named after the former president and his wife in 2003.
He also directed the program in Science, Technology, and Public Policy and was chair of the Michigan Energy Research Council.
"James Duderstadt was a visionary, but even more, a trained engineer with the inspiration and energy to shape those visions into realities for the transformation and elevation of this university," President Santa J. Ono said in a statement. "He leaves behind a profound and lasting legacy, and we will always be grateful for his vision, his commitment and his transformative impact on the University of Michigan."
Duderstadt earned a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from Yale University in 1964, a master's degree in engineering science in 1965 and a Ph.D in 1967.
In 1981, he was appointed dean of U of M's College of Engineering, making him the youngest in the department's history. In that role, he oversaw $70 million in construction for facilities on the North Campus. He was later named provost and vice president for academic affairs in 1986.
During his time at U of M, he launched the Michigan Mandate, which focused on making the university a multicultural community.
Duderstadt is survived by his wife, daughters and grandchildren.
