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In Memoriam
In Memory of Kenneth Strand
It is with great sadness that we share the passing of Kenneth Strand, professor emeritus of economics and Simon Fraser University’s second president.
Born in Yakima, Washington in 1931, Strand received his PhD from the University of Wisconsin and began his teaching career at Washington State University. From 1964 to 1966, he was an economist for the Manpower and Social Affairs Division of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in Paris. As an economist, Strand’s research focus was on labour economics, and he had several top publications, including in the American Economic Review and the Review of Economics and Statistics (REStat).
In 1966, Strand left France to teach at the newly established Simon Fraser University (SFU) as associate professor in what was then known as the Department of Economics and Commerce. He was one of the department's earliest members, following Parzival Copes and Michael Lebowitz.
The late 1960s were a tumultuous time, and SFU was at the forefront of radical student politics. Less than two years after his arrival at SFU, Strand took on the task of Acting President and at age 37, he was appointed to serve as SFU’s second President from 1968 to 1974.
Strand led SFU through one of the most challenging periods in its history, with his presidency marked by major changes to the administrative structure and procedures of the university. His leadership has been acknowledged as a critical factor in elevating SFU's reputation as a serious academic institution. In 1986, after 20 years of service, Strand retired from SFU. For his prominent contributions to SFU, the university named its current administration building, Strand Hall, in his honour.
“We got along well, and what I recall most about him was his concern for ‘the student experience’ and his willingness to listen to the students on the committee,” recalls economics professor Doug Allen, who had served as an undergraduate student representative on the department’s undergraduate curriculum committee at the time.
During his time at SFU, Strand became well-known for his cool demeanor, ease with the press, and his Porsche sports car. “Ken came back to the department [after his term as president] and never tried to pull rank on his colleagues,” says professor emeritus John Chant. “He had had a job to do and had done it. That was that. He was a great man. I am very glad I had a chance to know him.”
"I was in charge of art exhibitions in 1968 and, therefore, a member of the President's Works of Art Committee. In the Fall of 1968, as a Resident in Visual Art and a member of that Committee, I was asked to make a formal proposal on behalf of the Committee that the University undergo the creation of three things: a physical space for a secure Art Gallery, the development of an Art Collection which would be used to enhance the public spaces and faculty offices on a rotating and loan basis, and that someone be hired to oversee the project. President Strand accepted the Committee's proposal, and the Committee recommended that I be appointed University Curator and Director of exhibitions. So it is thanks to Kenneth Strand that everyone on campus is surrounded by a wonderful art collection and on the verge of the opening of a new art gallery that will serve the University and surrounding community for years to come."
Jas W. Felter, founding director/curator of SFU Galleries