Dr. H. Keith H. Brodie, the seventh president of Duke University, died Friday at the age of 77.

 

“Keith Brodie’s term as president of Duke from 1985 to 1993 saw the beginning of Duke’s rise to national recognition and reputation,” Duke President Richard Brodhead said in a message to the campus community Friday. “The initiatives Keith championed became signature qualities of Duke and remain part of our university’s values today, including an emphasis on interdisciplinary scholarship, investments in medical research, and a commitment to a diverse and inclusive faculty and student body.”

 

During Brodie’s tenure, Duke experienced tremendous growth, launching its School of the Environment and opening its Levine Science Research Center and Sanford Institute of Public Policy. Brodie also made it a priority to increase the number of African-Americans in academics.

 

“Duke University lost one of its long-standing pillars with the passing of a truly exceptional man, Dr. Keith Brodie,” Duke men’s basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski said in a statement. “He was a mentor and role model to many of us. ... Personally, Dr. Brodie was the best man I’ve ever known at Duke.”

 

The Keith and Brenda Brodie Recreation Center on Duke’s East Campus is named for Brodie and his wife.