William C. McInnes
William C. McInnes, S.J. | |
|---|---|
 | |
| 5th President of Fairfield University | |
| In office 1964–1973 | |
| Preceded by | James E. FitzGerald, S.J. |
| Succeeded by | Thomas R. Fitzgerald, S.J. |
| President of the University of San Francisco | |
| In office 1972–1977 | |
| Preceded by | Albert R. Jonsen, S.J. |
| Succeeded by | John Lo Schiavo, S.J. |
| Personal details | |
| Born | January 20, 1923 academic |
William Charles McInnes Jr.,
McInnes served as the fifth President of Fairfield University, located in Fairfield, Connecticut, from 1964 to 1973,[2][3] and the President of the University of San Francisco from 1972 to 1977. He served as the president of both universities simultaneously for a few months in 1972.[4] He later headed the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities, a consortium of Jesuit colleges and universities in the United States, from 1977 until 1989. McInnes was one of the first Jesuit priests to study business administration.[2][3]
Biography
Early life
McInnes was born on January 20, 1923, in
McInness enrolled in
McInnes graduated from
He entered the Society of Jesus in 1946[5] and studied philosophy at Weston College.[4] McInnes earned his master's degree in business from Boston College.[3] He then obtained a doctorate in business administration from New York University.[2]
McInnes was
Boston College
McInness joined the faculty of Boston College in 1959. In 1964, he was promoted to assistant dean of Boston College's school of business.[3]
Fairfield University
McInness was appointed as the President of Fairfield University in Connecticut by the Jesuits in 1964, a position he would hold until 1973.[2][3] He had no prior knowledge that he would was to be given the post at Fairfield and was summoned to a "secret meeting" where he was appointed president.[3]
He oversaw the rapid expansion of the university's campus and student population during his presidency. Under Mcinness, the overall student enrollment at Fairfield doubled to nearly 2,500 students at the time.
McInness also oversaw several major challenges to Fairfield University during the 1960s and 1970s. McInness offered testimony before the United States Supreme Court in the
In 1969, a group of
McInnes was criticized outside Fairfield University because no university students were ever punished for building takeovers or strikes. He noted that no university property or buildings were damaged or destroyed during the 1960s campus unrest, "We never had any physical damages on the Fairfield campus, and we did not have any fatalities or serious injuries. But we lost several outside friends, because they did not appreciate the way we were handling the crisis."[3]
McInnes was appointed president of the University of San Francisco in 1972.[4] However, he remained the president of both Fairfield and San Francisco simultaneously for four months during the Fall 1972 semester while transititioning between the two colleges.[4]
McInnes officially stepped down as president of Fairfield University in 1973 and was succeeded by Thomas R. Fitzgerald, S.J.
University of San Francisco
Father McInnes was appointed president of the University of San Francisco in 1972.[4] He simultaneously served as president of both San Francisco and Fairfield University for four months during the transition between the two universities.[4]
The University of San Francisco was in a deep financial crisis at the time of McInnes' arrival in 1972.[7] McInnes instituted a series of financial reforms which resulted in a corrected, balanced budget for the university.[7]
McInnes initiated negotiations which led to the acquisition of the now defunct
McInnes also founded the Fromm Institute for Lifelong Learning, a program for
Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities
He departed the University of San Francisco in 1977 to become the head of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities (AJCU), a consortium consisting of the twenty-eight Jesuit colleges and universities in the United States. He served as the head of the AJCU for twelve years.[3] His position allowed him to meet both Pope Paul VI and Pope John Paul II.[3] McInness stepped down as head of the AJCU in 1989.[7]
Later life
He later became the
In 1998, McInness rejoined Boston College as an adjunct professor at the Carroll School of Management.[2] He also became the faculty advisor for BC's chapter of the Alpha Sigma Nu Jesuit honor society.[3]
McInnes campaigned to build a Vietnam War memorial on the Boston College campus.[4] The memorial, which measures 70 feet long and commemorates members of the Boston College community killed in Vietnam, was dedicated on November 11, 2009.[4]
Father William McInnes died on December 8, 2009, from complications of cancer and a fall at the Campion Center Jesuit retreat facility in Weston, Massachusetts, at the age of 86.[3] His funeral was held at St. Ignatius Church in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, and he was buried at the Campion Center Cemetery in Weston, Massachusetts.[3]
References
- ^ "Draft Registration Card". Selective Service System. June 1942. Retrieved March 11, 2024 – via fold3.com.
- ^ New York Times. 2009-12-12. Retrieved 2010-02-03.
- ^ Boston Globe. Retrieved 2010-02-03.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j Oslin, Reid (2009-12-17). "Obituary: Long Academic Career Took McInnes Back to BC". Boston College Chronicle. Retrieved 2010-02-08.
- ^ a b c Nolte, Carl (2009-12-25). "Former USF president William McInnes dies at 86". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 2010-02-07.
- ^ Rev. William C. McInnes, S.J. Profile
- ^ a b c "Fr. William C. McInnes, S.J., Former President of AJCU and Leader in Higher Education, Dies". Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities. 2009-12-11. Retrieved 2010-02-07.