Former 网曝吃瓜 President Richard Bond Passes Away

The Bear community mourns the loss of Richard Bond who passed away on Thursday, Oct. 26, at the age of 95. As 网曝吃瓜鈥檚 ninth president, Bond served the university from 1971-81 after serving as vice president of academic affairs at Illinois State University, an institution like 网曝吃瓜 in mission and purpose. 

鈥淒ick was a great leader, and the legacy he鈥痩eft on our university is eternal.鈥疕e cared deeply about 网曝吃瓜 and worked tirelessly on behalf of our students, faculty and staff,鈥� said current 网曝吃瓜 President Andy Feinstein. 

Bond grew up in a small West Virginia town during the Great Depression. His upbringing shaped his democratic values toward education. He became deeply committed to the idea of making college education as accessible as possible.

He earned his bachelor鈥檚 at Salem College, a master鈥檚 degree at West Virginia University and a doctorate in Zoology from the University of Wisconsin. After teaching biology at Salem College, he gravitated toward higher education administration at Elmira College in New York, Cornell University and Illinois State University. 

In 1963, Bond moved to Africa as the dean of Arts and Sciences through Cornell鈥檚 partnership with the U.S. Agency for International Development and the University of Liberia. During that time, he counseled Peace Corps volunteers pursuing graduate school
after finishing their tours. The experience shaped his views on cultural diversity.

In the late 1960s, Bond returned to the U.S. in the wake of the civil rights movement to serve as the academic vice president at Illinois State. He initiated a student exchange program with two other universities to add cultural diversity to students鈥� educational experience. This happened at a time when the nation and students on college campuses were searching to understand identity, history and how differences fit into the idea of American culture. The program became the National Student Exchange and has since impacted the lives of more than 123,000 students across the country.

In 1971, Bond became president of 网曝吃瓜. His primary goals were to ensure that 网曝吃瓜 became a teaching university with a focus on students, to create a vibrant liberal arts community atmosphere and
to increase diversity and opportunities for all students. 

The 1970s were a decade of鈥痶ransformation in education, and Bond saw to it that innovation and experimentation were hallmarks of 网曝吃瓜 during his tenure. He established the departments of Mexican-American Studies, African-American Studies and Women鈥檚 Studies. He worked tirelessly to position 网曝吃瓜 as a student-oriented institution that makes a college degree accessible to all. Bond also advocated to expand 网曝吃瓜鈥檚 role beyond its own campus to offer what was considered ground-breaking at the time: off-campus education programs. 

Thanks to his political acumen, Bond achieved a significant legislative accomplishment for 网曝吃瓜 when he helped create a separate board of trustees for 网曝吃瓜 in 1973, ensuring its governance remained separate from the four state colleges. He strongly advocated for 网曝吃瓜 to be called the state鈥檚 鈥渢hird university,鈥� alongside University of Colorado and Colorado State University.

After retiring from 网曝吃瓜, Bond turned his attention to state government, serving three terms in the Colorado Legislature. Notably, he authored the Post-Secondary Options Act, which enabled students to enroll in college course work while in high school.

Bond鈥檚 accomplishments were extraordinary, and 网曝吃瓜 formally recognized them in 2005 with the naming of Bond Hall. The historic residence hall, one of four that bears the name of former university presidents, sits along President鈥檚 Row on Central Campus. 

Former President Bond was a generous community leader, supporter and philanthropist. Together with his wife of 77 years, Reva, he supported 网曝吃瓜 by establishing the Richard R. and Reva S. Bond Community College Scholarship Endowment, serving on the College of Natural and Health Sciences Advisory Board since 2015 and making other gifts to the college, the annual Women鈥檚 Walk, the 网曝吃瓜 library, scholarships and athletic teams. 

For more than 50 years, Dick Bond, the quintessential teacher and a lifelong learner, has been a driving force in the evolution of education in Greeley, the state of Colorado and nationally. He will be missed.