Joseph N. Crowley

Joseph Neil Crowley (born July 9, 1933) was the 13th president of University of Nevada, Reno from 1978 to 2001, and longest-serving president at the university.

Crowley was born in Oelwein, Iowa. He enlisted and served in the United States Air Force for four years, attending an overseas program of the University of Maryland during that time. Upon his discharge from the military, Crowley studied Political Science at University of Iowa, earning his BA in 1959. In 1961 Crowley married Joy Reitz, and together they had four children. He received a MA in political science from California State University, Fresno. And went on to a Ph. D in political science from the University of Washington in 1967.

Crowley came to the University of Nevada, Reno in 1966, as a one-semester replacement in the political science department. Upon completing his PhD in 1967, he received a full-time contract as a political science professor at the university. Crowley served in the University Faculty Senate from 1972 to 1973. During an academic leave, Crowley became a fellow with the United States Environmental Protection Agency in 1973, and served as the director of institutional studies for the National Commission on Water Quality in 1974.

In 1976 Crowley became department chair for political science in 1976, and held that position until February 1978. On Feb. 24, 1978 Appointed acting University President after the departure of Max Milam. Crowley was acting president until March 23, 1979, when he was appointed to the position permanently.

During Crowley’s long presidency at the university, he oversaw a dramatic expansion of the institution, both in size of the campus, as well as significant increases in student and faculty numbers. Crowley helped to establish the university foundation, and complete a major capital campaign. The University of Nevada School of Medicine was expanded to a statewide institution, with facilities in established in Las Vegas. The university established a new core curriculum, and widely enhanced sponsored faculty research on campus. The University founded both the College of Human and Community Sciences (known today as the Division of Health Sciences) and of the Donald W. Reynolds School of Journalism under Crowley’s presidency.

Also during his tenure, Crowley served on the board of directors of the National Association of State Universities and Land Grant Colleges. In 1989 he spent as semester as visiting reader at Brasenose College, Oxford, and chaired the Nevada Rhodes Scholar Committee.

From 1993 to 1995 Crowley was president of National Collegiate Athletic Association, and after his presidency there, served as member of its Honors Committee and Minority Opportunities and Interests Committee. In 2006 Crowley authored the book In the Arena: The NCAA’s First Century to commemorate the association’s centennial. Crowley was also a member of the Collegiate Women’s Sports Awards and National Consortium for Academics and Sports.

On May 31, 2000 Crowley announced that he would be stepping down as president at the end of the year, ending his 22-year tenure, longer than any other chief executive in university history.

After leaving the presidency in January 2001, he served during the 2001 Nevada State Legislative Session as the coordinator of legislative activities for the University and Community College System of Nevada, then returned to the faculty as Regents Professor and President Emeritus, teaching American political and constitutional history. From 2003 to 2004 Crowley served as interim president of San Jose State University. And again served as interim president at the University of Nevada, Reno from December 2005 to June 2006, after John M. Lilley left to become president of Baylor University.

In 2015, Crowley became president of Sierra Wellness Connection, one of two companies that were awarded Reno's first business licenses for cultivating medical marijuana. The company operates a cultivation center on Security Circle in Golden Valley and a dispensary in the city of Reno. Crowley became interested in medical marijuana after his brother was dying of multiple sclerosis, and his sister used medical marijuana as a pain reliever after undergoing 13 major surgeries.

• 1989 Named Outstanding Alumnus of the Year at Fresno State
• 1994 University of Iowa Distinguished Alumni award winner
• 1998 Received Honor of Merit from the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics
• 2007 Joe Crowley Student Union at the University of Nevada, Reno named in his honor
• 2012, Received Iowa’s Hancher-Finkbine Alumni Medallion

• Crowley, Joseph N. 1976. Democrats, delegates, and politics in Nevada : a grassroots chronicle of 1972. Reno, NV: Bureau of Governmental Research, University of Nevada.
• Crowley, Joseph N. 1988. Notes from the President's chair: reflections on life in a university. Reno, NV: The University of Nevada-Reno Foundation in cooperation with the University of Nevada Press.
• Crowley, Joseph N. 1994. No Equal in the World: An Interpretation of the Academic Presidency Reno. NV: University of Nevada Press.
• Crowley, Joseph N. 2000. The constant conversation: a chronicle of campus life. Reno, NV: Black Rock Press, University of Nevada, Reno.
• Crowley, Joseph N. 2006. In the arena: the NCAA's first century. Indianapolis, IN: NCAA.