N. Edd Miller, 1967 - 1973
Beginning in 1965, Miller, formerly of the University of Michigan with an expertise in rhetoric and speech, served as the chancellor of the northern campus of the state’s two universities, the University of Nevada. With reorganization and advent of a Nevada system of higher education in 1968, Miller became president of the University. Low-key, friendly and popular with the majority of students, the shave-headed Miller handled many campus issues that were a reflection of the student activism and war protests across America.
Miller’s popularity was such that a counter-demonstration, specifically aimed to counter the occurrences on other campuses where protesting students had been tear-gassed, “N. Edd Miller Day,” was held on campus. More than 2,000 students attended. The campus had fewer than 100 African American students, however, and during campus discussions about lack of opportunity for minorities on campus, Miller patiently listened, and created an Educational Opportunities Program to assist members of underrepresented groups. When two fire bombs were tossed into University-related buildings, Miller urged calm and a cooling-off period. During his administration, with copious input from students, an Honors Program, Ethnic Studies Program and Environmental Studies Program were established.