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. 

Mariam “Mimi” Darce Frenier taught history at UMN Morris from 1973 to 2004. Her primary focus was East Asian history but she also pioneered the Women's Studies major and minor. She was known for her innovative teaching style and her diverse research and teaching interests. In 2003 in honor of her many contributions to Women's Studies, the campus established the Mimi Frenier Award for Gender, Women and Sexuality Studies majors.

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.

Bruce Allen Nord was one of the founding faculty in 1960 at UMN Morris. He served as a Sociology and Anthropology professor and was actively involved in bringing an international focus to the curriculum and expanding study abroad opportunities for students.

Ralph Williams was one of the 13 original faculty members at UMN Morris. He was the campus’s first choral director and was responsible for creating the original band, orchestra, and choir for the campus. Besides founding the music groups on campus, Williams also composed the UMM Hymn and Fight Song. He retired in 1978.

Donald William Gray was one of the original staff members at UMN Morris and was the college’s first librarian. His work helped to establish the library as a central part of UMN Morris’s liberal arts mission.

James (Jim) Gremmels was a long-time professor of English at the University of Minnesota Morris and was one of the 13 original faculty members. Gremmels arrived on campus in 1960, hired to both teach English and coach basketball. Although he formally stepped down as basketball coach after only four years, he continued in the classroom for 40 years, during which time he founded the Prairie Gate Press and garnered a reputation as an especially popular and innovative instructor.