By Hailey Heinz

The second in a four-part series detailing the background of buildings on Northeastern’s campus.

In the “recreational reading” section of Snell Library, alongside Harry Potter books and Nora Roberts novels, there are two mystery stories by a man named John A. Curry.

For most Northeastern students, this name is synonymous with the student center, which houses the bookstore, numerous eateries and many student organizations. What many students may not know is that the student center is 40 years old and eight years ago it was named for a retiring university president.

Curry’s family is closely linked to Northeastern. The student center is named for both him and his wife, Marcia, in recognition of her service to the university during his presidency. Curry said his wife often played hostess to foreign visitors and was involved in social events on campus. All three of his children also attended Northeastern.

“We’re a really Northeastern family,” he said.

Curry, who was president from 1989 to 1996, was largely res-ponsible for major renovations of the student center. When he announced his retirement, it was students who suggested dedicating the building to him, in recognition for his work on the building, as well as his concern and care for students. The original student center dates back to the mid-1960s, and throughout the early 1990s, Curry worked closely with students to transform it to its current state.

“The old student center, in my judgment, was very dingy, very dark and lacked atmosphere. This new one, you’d be proud to show any friend from any other campus,” Curry said. “Today when I go in, I’m just amazed at how airy and bright it looks.”

Director for Student Center Operations Bob Grier said the most important aspect of the student center is its availability to students.

“One critical element and a practical idea was to have the majority of the building to serve the majority of the students,” said Grier, who was a building manager for the center when he was a student. “That principle still holds true today. The student center is part of the history and is a welcoming place where students can feel comfortable.”

Working closely and personally with students was a hallmark of Curry’s administration.

“When he announced his resignation students cried,” said Jack Levin, a professor of sociology and anthropology who has been teaching at Northeastern since 1970. “Students loved him.”

Arvin Grabel, a professor of computer and electrical engineering who has been at Northeastern for 41 years, describes Curry as “a phenomenally personable individual. He always felt, from day one that I met him, that students are important. That’s why we’re here.”

Curry’s tenure as president was riddled with obstacles. In 1989, the year Curry took the position, the widely publicized murder of Carol Stuart on Mission Hill caused anxiety about the safety of the campus.

Crime in Boston was at an all-time high during 1989 and 1990, and enrollment consequently plummeted. Curry’s response was to adopt the slogan “smaller but better,” and began working aggressively to improve the image of Northeastern.

“A lot of people were very skeptical,” Levin said. “They were saying, ‘we may be smaller, but how are we going to get better?’ Well, boy did he turn things around. He fooled everyone.”

Curry personally considers his “smaller but better” crusade the most important accomplishment of his administration. He began his administrative career at Northeastern in 1963, so he had seen the school develop over the years.

“I would say that having been there all those decades, I had seen Northeastern grow into a large, impersonal university, and be-come kind of factory-like. I think what I’m most proud of is that during my administration, it became a smaller but better university. That was the theme of my administration,” he said.

Curry said the average SAT score for incoming students improved from 850 to 1050 during his time as president.

“Just think, 15 years ago we accepted 90 percent of those who applied,” he said.

Levin attributes Curry’s success to his unwavering faith in the university.

“I think it has a lot to do with the fact that he was a student at Northeastern and he really loved the university and had total confidence in it,” Levin said.

Grabel, who was well acquainted with Curry socially, describes him as an avid baseball historian and a fan of classic movies.

“He’s a real person,” Grabel said. “There wasn’t a fa