Harold H. Haak *63

Harold Haak, leader of universities, died Dec. 26, 2003, in Fresno, Calif., from an apparent allergic reaction to medicine. He was 68.

Born in Madison, Wis., Haak received his bachelor's and master's in political science from the U. of Wisconsin in the 1950s. After a stint in the Navy, he earned his PhD in politics at Princeton, where he was named a Princeton National Fellow and a University Wilson Fellow.

Haak began teaching at San Diego State U. and within a decade moved on to administrative work at Fresno State. Shortly thereafter he became chancellor of the U. of Colorado at Denver, a position he held until his return appointment in 1980 as president of California State U., Fresno.

After nearly 12 years at CSUF, Haak served the California state university system, and then was named president of Fresno Pacific U.

In 2002 the School of Education at CSUF mounted a brick on the "Friends of Education Honor Wall" for Haak's public service. For many years, Haak conducted alumni interviews of undergraduate applicants to Princeton who lived in the Fresno area.

Haak leaves his wife, Betty, two daughters, and six grandsons.