Bill Stewart was the most prominent figure in the development of multicultural programming at the University of Minnesota Morris and played a vital role in recruiting students of color during the formative years of the campus. Much of the work in the construction and development of the Minority Student Program (MSP) was accomplished by Stewart, and he guided the program with a steady hand for over a thirty-year period.

Elizabeth “Bettina” Blake was the academic dean at UMN Morris from 1979 to 1995. In her time as dean, she helped bring the campus into a new era with a fresh appreciation for UMN Morris's role as a public liberal arts college and she promoted the school's national reputation as an exemplar of liberal learning. As the first woman to serve as Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs and Dean, Blake was committed to the advancement of women faculty and staff both on campus and within the academy. 

William Donald Spring was a longtime English professor at UMN Morris and was one of the 13 original faculty members. Spring came to UMN Morris in 1960 as a lecturer in English and chair of the Division of Humanities. He played an especially important leadership role on campus; he founded the writing room, was a long-time chair of the Humanities Division and was a mainstay on many UMN Morris committees. Spring retired from UMN Morris in 1996.

James (Jim) Olson was one of the “Morris 13” and the first campus hire in chemistry. Originally hired in 1959 to teach at the West Central School of Agriculture, Olson went on to serve the UMN Morris for over 40 years and played a significant leadership role in the growth and development of the Division of Science and Mathematics. His record of division leadership is unsurpassed, and, in fact, Olson chaired the Science and Math Division for at least a few years in each of the first four decades of UMN Morris history.

Stephen (Steve) Granger was one of the most important administrators in the initial few decades of UMN Morris history. The first hire of Rodney Briggs, Granger went on to direct student counseling as well as serve as Briggs’ assistant under a number of different titles: Assistant to the Dean, Assistant Provost, and ultimately Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs. As Briggs’ right hand man, Granger played a variety of different roles.

Herbert Croom was one of the original staff members at UMN Morris. He was a teacher and principal at the West Central School of Agriculture and with the establishment of UMN Morris in 1960 he played an essential role in the transition of the campus from an agricultural high school to an undergraduate liberal arts institution. He was the Director of Student Services at the University of Minnesota Morris and the Director of Placement and Alumni at UMN Morris until his death in 1973.

Samuel Schuman served as Chancellor of UMN Morris from 1998 to 2006. Hired in 1995 to serve as Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs and Dean, he was named Interim Chancellor in 1998, a position that became permanent in 2000. A professor of English literature, Schuman specialized in the works of Shakespeare and Vladimir Nabokov.

Rodney Briggs was the first dean and provost at the University of Minnesota Morris. Hired in 1959 to serve as the superintendent of the West Central School of Agriculture, he successfully oversaw the phasing out of the agricultural school and the transition to a college program. A tireless worker and supporter of the college, Briggs threw himself into the twin tasks of recruiting students and hiring faculty and staff. Sporting his ever-present Stetson hat, Briggs was a fixture throughout the sixties at virtually every community event in the region.

David Johnson was the third chancellor of the University of Minnesota Morris. Popularly known by students as “Chancellor Dave” and renowned for his easy-going manner, Johnson was a fervent supporter of the liberal arts and a staunch advocate for UMN Morris.