By Zack Sampson, News Staff
Kenneth G. Ryder, who led Northeastern through a 14-year period of expansion that included establishing several academic programs, such as the nation’s first college of computer science, died this week. He was 88.
“Much of the success we have today began under President Ryder’s leadership,” university President Joseph E. Aoun wrote in a letter to the Northeastern community. “During his tenure, the university’s College of Computer Science was founded and Northeastern acquired the Graduate School of Nursing from Boston University. President Ryder also established the Marine Science Center in Nahant and founded the Center for the Study of Sport in Society and the Executive MBA program.”
Ryder served as president from 1975 to 1989 and was on the Board of Trustees after his retirement until 1996, Aoun wrote.
Though he graduated from Boston University and later from Harvard, Ryder’s long career in education spanned decades marked by service at Northeastern. He started working at the university as a history instructor in 1949, Aoun wrote, and was appointed Dean of Administration in 1958. In his letter, Aoun described how Ryder continued his ascent, serving as executive vice president under President Asa Knowles before he became head of the school himself.
In the mid-70s, Aoun wrote, Ryder led a delegation of faculty to China and established exchange programs with universities there.
Ryder also greatly expanded fundraising for the college, according to Karen Feldscher’s “Northeastern University,” a history of the school focusing on the years 1989-1996. In fact, fundraising revenues rose 220 percent during his tenure, and the additional money was used to build and renovate campus facilities including Kariotis Hall and the Henderson Boathouse on the Charles River.
“Following decades of discussion, President Ryder secured the funding and broke ground in 1987 for the Snell Library, providing the Northeastern community with state-of-the-art academic resources,” Aoun wrote.
Though located in an urban setting, Ryder also worked to improve landscaping on campus.
“Not only were buildings constructed but, at his insistence, the campus itself took on a more gracious and pleasant aspect resulting from the planting of trees, shrubs, and flowers, and the creation of small parks,” according to a history of the university published on the Northeastern website.
Ryder Hall, located near Ruggles Station, now bears the former president’s name. Aoun wrote that Ryder is survived by his children Anne Ryder Wilson, Jeanne Ryder, Bruce Ryder, Amy Ryder Pickel and Julie Ryder Lammers, and several grandchildren.
