President Emeritus Frederic Ness dies

President Emeritus Frederic W. Ness died of cancer at age 84 on Sept. 3 in Annapolis, Md. He served as the university's fourth president from 1964 to 1969, during a period of faculty and student unrest.

Under his administration, enrollment at then Fresno State College nearly doubled from 7,300 to 13,000 students and the college enjoyed a building boom. Along with growth, he encountered discord among faculty and increasing demands from students.

A Shakespearean teacher and scholar, Ness was the author of many articles and publications.

In 1979 Ness established the Association of American Colleges' Frederic W. Ness Book Award, which recognizes books that contribute to the understanding and improvement of liberal arts education.

Ness resigned as Fresno State president on Oct. 7, 1969, following the controversy that erupted when he refused a teaching position to Black Muslim Marvin E. Jackson, who had resisted induction into the Army.

Prior to coming to Fresno State, Ness served as executive vice president and professor of humanities at Hofstra University, and as vice president and dean of the graduate school at Long Island University. He also held positions at Dickinson College and at New York University.

Ness received a B.A. from Dickinson College, an M.A. from the University of Cincinnati, and a Ph.D. from Yale.

His wife of 32 years, Eleanor H. Ness, died in 1994. His wife of 15 years, Dore Roberts, died in 1959. He is survived by five daughters.