Robert A. Corrigan, 12th president of SFSU, dies at 89

The University’s president from 1988 to 2012, Corrigan inspired faculty to view the surrounding ‘city as their classroom’ through urban partnerships

Robert A. Corrigan, who served as San Francisco State University’s 12th president from 1988 to 2012, passed away peacefully in his San Francisco home on July 5, 2024. He was 89 years old. 

Corrigan started in the position during the summer of 1988 and was officially inaugurated as San Francisco State’s president a few months later. Standing before students, staff and faculty at the time, he spoke of his bold vision for SFSU to become “a different kind of public university, one that is organized around the concept of urban partnership” with faculty members who view the surrounding “city as their classroom.”  

“President Corrigan was a national leader in promoting the cause of civic engagement in higher education and reimagining the modern, urban university,” current SFSU President Lynn Mahoney said. “Our campus owes him a debt of gratitude for his lasting and impactful contributions to our incredible university and students past, present and future.” 

During Corrigan’s presidency, SFSU achieved many milestones that brought his vision to life. By the time he retired in 2012, there were more than 500 service-learning courses and dozens of University institutes and initiatives that linked the classroom and community.  

SFSU also earned national recognition for its approach to education, including a designation as a Princeton Review “College with a Conscience.” The University also earned the highest federal recognition possible for its commitment to community service, a Presidential Award in President Obama’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll. 

Corrigan also made significant progress on another goal: to work with the city and its local school system to change the conditions which have put so many urban students at educational risk. Throughout his presidency, he worked to create a pathway to college for all students, regardless of their backgrounds.  

In the late 1990s, Corrigan oversaw the placement of college tutors in K-12 classrooms nationwide when he chaired President Bill Clinton’s Steering Committee of College and University Presidents for two initiatives: America Reads and America Counts, which focused on improving reading comprehension and mathematical skills, respectively. 

In 2001, Corrigan extended the campus’ reach to the educational needs of nearly 2,000 low-income children when SFSU assumed management of San Francisco’s Head Start program, which focused on helping young children from low-income families prepare to succeed in school through local programs. 

Corrigan was also a strong advocate for social justice and diversity, equity and inclusion, which were key priorities during his presidency. “That is our brand,” Corrigan said, “and it is one we are proud to own.” 

“President Corrigan set for SF State the lofty mission of equity and social justice at a time when emphasis on these ideals was unheard of in most academic institutions,” said SFSU Academic Senate Chair Mike Goldman, who was a faculty member during Corrigan’s tenure. “At the same time, he never wavered from his love of the life of the mind and his pride in teaching, learning and research that would allow faculty members, as individuals, to know something that no one else in the world knew until they published their findings.“ 

In his inauguration speech, Corrigan called for the hiring and retention of faculty reflective of the diversity of the student population. Under his leadership, the University recruited and hired 1,000 new tenured/tenure-track faculty from 1989 to 2012 when he retired. This led to a tenured/tenure-track faculty pool that was 48% women and 37% people of color by the time he passed the torch to the next president. 

“Succeeding Dr. Corrigan was an honor for me. His leadership over 20 years at SFSU and within the CSU system is a remarkable record in today’s world of university presidencies,” 13th SFSU President Leslie E. Wong said. “His help during my early days at SFSU was most helpful as I had lots to learn, and I respected every moment we shared.” 

“I was always impressed at how he seemed to engage with faculty,” said SFSU Dean of the Division of Graduate Studies and Career Development Sophie Clavier, who was a faculty member during Corrigan’s presidency. “I remember more specifically a time when I was either still a lecturer or just brand new assistant professor — in any case quite junior — and at an event he told me that he ran across some alumni who were mentioning classes they took with me. He took the time to acknowledge me and made me feel quite special.” 

Before his presidency at SFSU, Corrigan served nine years as chancellor of the University of Massachusetts at Boston. He received his A.B. from Brown University and both his master’s and doctoral degrees in American Civilization from the University of Pennsylvania.