Lattie Coor, architect of modern ASU, dies at 89

He was 89.

During Coor’s 12-year tenure at ASU, from 1990 to 2002, he guided the university during an era of rapid change across higher education. ASU's research funding grew by nearly 150%, and the school’s endowment fund rose to almost a quarter of a billion dollars. He oversaw the opening of the Polytechnic campus, ushering in a new era for the multi-campus university.

Coor's vision, as described in his inaugural address as president, was to ensure ASU became a "world-class university," unbridled by its past reputation.

“Done right, ASU will be one of the great universities in America and I think it’s on its way,” Coor wrote in a 2024 book about his life and work.

Coor was instrumental in the selection of his successor, ASU President Michael Crow, who continued to expand on Coor's vision of embedding ASU within the Valley and greater Arizona. Coor also worked to incorporate the state's cultural heritage within ASU, calling it "one of the most significant historical assets we have."

"ASU would not be the institution it is today without Lattie Coor's vision, leadership and commitment to the community," Crow said in a statement following his death.

Gov. Katie Hobbs described Coor as "a true champion."

"Dr. Lattie Coor dedicated his life to making our state a better place for everyone," Hobbs wrote on social media. "His legacy will be felt for generations."

To his family, Coor was a father who was always there for his children.

"I could be a 5-year-old calling to ask if I could, you know, eat Cap'n Crunch, and he would stop talking to the governor and pick up the phone," his daughter, Farryl Bertmann, said.

His son, Colin Coor, said his father was selfless both in how he led the university and in his personal life.

"As grand as he was as a leader here in Phoenix, he was equally an amazing father for myself and my brother and sister," Coor said.

Coor had three children and was married to Elva Coor, who died in 2024 at 85.

When Coor was named the university’s 15th president in 1989, students joked that his name was a natural fit for a school with a party reputation. But Coor made it clear he was not part of the beer family — there is no “s” in his name — nor was he fond of the school’s party image.

During his tenure, enrollment in ASU’s honors college quadrupled and a five-year capital campaign raised more than $500 million, easily exceeding the goal of $300 million.

Coor retired as ASU’s president in 2002 at age 64, but continued to teach in the university’s School of Public Affairs. He also went on to head the nonprofit Center for the Future of Arizona, a Phoenix-based educational research nonprofit and think tank. Coor left that position at the center in 2018, but served as the founding chair emeritus at the time of his death.

Coor was born in Phoenix and raised in Avondale. His father was a public-school principal; his mother was a teacher. After earning a bachelor's degree at Northern Arizona University, Coor set out to establish his academic credentials at institutions across the country. As president of the University of Vermont for 14 years, he was known as a determined fundraiser and supporter of the advancement of minority communities.

In 2004, ASU named a high-tech, distinctive glass classroom building on the Tempe campus after him.

Phoenix architect Eddie Jones said in a 2004 interview that the building was, in a way, "all about Lattie Coor."

"When I designed it, I told myself to remember that it's about Lattie Coor. That's the theme. It's practical, it's functional and it doesn't pretend to be anything it's not. Everything about it should contribute to the function of the building.

"The integrity of Lattie Coor is in the integrity of this building."

Crow called the building a fitting testament to his predecessor.

"The building's grand stature lives up to its namesake," Crow said at the time. "Lattie Coor elevated the university's status as a major research institution with high-quality academics and a diverse student body."

In 2006, the Valley Leadership organization named Coor its Man of the Year.

He was honored for leaving an "indelible imprint on the course of Arizona's history," said Scott Jacobson, former executive director of Valley Leadership, in a 2006 interview.

Jacobson called Coor unflappable and steadfastly determined, with a quiet leadership style.

Though he returned to Phoenix in 1990 with distinguished academic and administrative credentials, he was something of an unknown. A quirky selection process raised initial questions about his appointment. But reservations dissolved as Coor displayed his easy confidence and recipe for academic prestige. He was known as a hands-on administrator who could also delegate his workload.

Lin Phillips worked with Coor for more than three decades between her time at ASU and the Center for the Future of Arizona. She most recently served as the executive assistant to the president emeritus.

Phillips said she was struck not only by his love for the Grand Canyon State, but also by his dedication to improving it. She recalled his compassion for others and deep cultural appreciation during his many travels. He was an admirer of opera and well-read, she said.

“He was an adventurer,” Phillips said. “I can’t even describe it. I’ve never known anybody like that, that had so many interests and talents and passions.”

Coor was also an avid hiker, birder and bicyclist, his family said. He climbed Mount Kilimanjaro in his late 70s. He and his wife were end-to-end hikers of the over 800-mile Arizona Trail, which stretches from Mexico to Utah.

One of Coor’s proudest moments as president was when ASU earned Carnegie Level 1 research status in 1994, rare for a university without a medical school at the time. The designation made it easier for the university to attract top faculty and students.

Coor authored a book about his life and service in 2024, titled “Growing Up In Arizona: Remembering the Past." In it, he expands on his feeling that ASU was underappreciated at that time, saying it was, is and remains "the most attractive public university franchise in America."

When he arrived at ASU, Coor said he wanted to find the university's main purpose and chart a course for the upcoming decade.

"To accomplish this, I prowled the halls of the campus, the corridors of the State House and city halls, the boardrooms of business and industry," Coor wrote in the book.

Today, ASU has four full campuses in Arizona and serves nearly 200,000 students annually from more than 165 countries. It is routinely lauded for its commitment to innovation and accessibility by national organizations.