Seattle University. Office of the President.

Edmund Ryan, SJ, assumed office as Seattle University's 19th President in 1975, but served only 133 days after inauguration. His resignation for medical and personal reasons was announced by the Board of Trustees on March 8, 1976. Fr. Ryan, originally from New York, was the first Seattle University President selected from outside the northwest Oregon Province of the Society of Jesus. William J. Sullivan, SJ who was serving as Provost for educational programming under President Ryan was immediately named acting President by the Board of Trustees.

John Fitterer, SJ was appointed the 16th president of Seattle University on April 8, 1965 and inaugurated on October 11, 1965. At the time of his presidency the university's finances were challenged with over-extended building projects, unstable enrollment and the same campus unrest felt across the nation.

Content and data compiled for the Seattle University President's Report are submitted by the President's Office, University Advancement, the Office of University Planning and the Office of the Registrar. Annual reports highlight campus activities, enrollment and financial statistics, endowment updates and often featured profiles of notable people affiliated with the university.

A.A. Lemieux, SJ was the 15th president of Seattle University from 1948 until 1965, and is remembered as one of the most successful presidents in Seattle University history. Under his exceptional leadership, the university was transformed from a small Jesuit college into a major urban university, enrollment climbed steadily, twenty new and renovated buildings shaped the campus and the curriculum was enriched with new academic programs. Eight days after Lemieux's inauguration as President on May 28, 1948, Seattle College was granted its university charter and officially became Seattle University. During his twenty year tenure as President, Lemieux was recognized as a vibrant ambassador, civic leader and extraordinary fundraiser who reached out to the Seattle business community and established the university's first Board of Regents. An avid sports fan, Father Lemieux enjoyed the Chieftains basketball team's rise to national prominence in the NCAA. From 1948 to 1965, Father Lemieux saw Seattle University grow into the largest private university in Washington State. In 1975 Father Lemieux returned to Seattle University as Chancellor under William J. Sullivan, SJ.

Kenneth Baker, SJ was the 17th president of Seattle University and served for a brief time from January until November 1, 1970. Louis Gaffney, SJ was appointed Acting President upon Baker's departure in November 1970.

Louis Gaffney, SJ was appointed acting President of Seattle University in early 1970 after the sudden resignation of Kenneth Baker, SJ. In November 1970, Fr. Gaffney was appointed the university's 18th President. The hallmark of Fr. Gaffney's presidency was a spirit of "contagious optimism" which shored up morale during difficult financial times for the university. Gaffney took on the difficult oversight of the belt-tightening process with sound fiscal management practices. A three year Stabilization Fund Campaign was launched by A.A. Lemieux, SJ, former Seattle University President and William E. Boeing, Jr., Seattle University Trustee and Regent. By the end of Gaffney's presidency in 1974 finances had stabilized sufficiently to address the more challenging issues around enrollment and the future of some academic programs.