Former U of M President Nils Hasselmo dies at age 87

Photo credit: University of Minnesota

Former University of Minnesota President Nils Hasselmo, who served in the role for nine years starting in 1988, died Wednesday at the age of 87.

Current University President Eric Kaler confirmed the news in a letter to the community.

“His tenure featured a significant commitment to undergraduate education with improvements in class sizes, graduation rates and brand new initiatives (particularly in student services) to adopt and embrace the emerging trends in the new digital economy,” Kaler said in a letter.

Kaler also quoted Hasselmo from an editorial he wrote on his last day in office in 1997 where he said, “We must all understand the unique nature of Minnesota’s only research, land-grant University. It should not and cannot be exactly like any other institution.”

Kaler went on to call Hasselmo a “remarkable higher education leader,” and said, “our University is better because of his service.”