List of presidents of Case Western Reserve University


The president of Case Western Reserve University is the principal executive office for Case Western Reserve University, located in Cleveland, Ohio.
Founded in 1826, Western Reserve College appointed its first president in 1830, Rev. Charles Backus Storrs. With its Presbyterian origins, the school's first eight presidents carried the title Reverend. With roots of being located in the old Connecticut Western Reserve, the college held strong influences from Yale College, with four of its first five presidents—Pierce, Hitchcock, Cutler, and Hayden—being Yale alumni.
Founded in 1880, Case School of Applied Science appointed its first president in 1886, Cady Staley.
In 1967, Case Western Reserve University was created through the federation of Case Institute of Technology and Western Reserve University. Robert W. Morse became the first president of the newly combined university.

List of presidents

Western Reserve College/University

The following ten persons had served as president of Western Reserve College/University from 1830 to 1967:
No.ImagePresidentTerm startTerm end
1Rev. Charles Backus Storrs1830June 26, 1833
2Rev. George Edmond Pierce1834July 1855
3Rev. Henry Lawrence HitchcockJuly 1855June 27, 1871
4Rev. Carroll CutlerFall 1871June 23, 1886
5Rev. Hiram Collins Haydn1887November 1890
6Rev. Charles Franklin ThwingNovember 1890November 11, 1921
7
Acting
Rev. James DeLong WilliamsonNovember 11, 1921June 12, 1923
8Rev. Robert Ernest VinsonJune 13, 1923December 4, 1933
ActingWinfred George LeutnerDecember 4, 1933June 11, 1934
9Winfred George LeutnerJune 12, 1934June 30, 1949
10John Schoff MillisSeptember 1, 1949June 30, 1967

Table notes:

Case School of Applied Science / Institute of Technology

The following five persons had served as president of Case School of Applied Science / Institute of Technology from 1886 to 1967:
No.ImagePresidentTerm startTerm end
1Cady StaleySeptember 1, 1886June 5, 1902
Charles Sumner HoweNovember 3, 1902May 31, 1903
2Charles Sumner HoweJune 1, 1903Summer 1929
3William Elgein WickendenSeptember 1, 1929August 31, 1947
4Thomas Keith GlennanSeptember 1, 1947June 30, 1966
5Robert Warren MorseSeptember 1, 1966June 30, 1967

Table notes:

Case Western Reserve University

The following persons had served as president of Case Western Reserve University since 1967:
No.ImagePresidentTerm startTerm end
1Robert Warren MorseSeptember 1, 1967June 30, 1970
2Louis Adelbert ToepferSeptember 13, 1970June 30, 1980
3David Vincent RagoneJuly 1, 1980June 30, 1987
4Agnar PytteJuly 1, 1987June 30, 1999
5David Henry AustonJuly 1, 1999April 27, 2001
6
Interim
James W. WagnerMay 3, 2001July 30, 2002
7Edward M. HundertAugust 1, 2002June 2, 2006
8
Interim
Gregory L. EastwoodJune 2, 2006June 30, 2007
9Barbara Rook SnyderJuly 1, 2007September 30, 2020
10
Interim
Scott CowenOctober 1, 2020June 30, 2021
11Eric William KalerJuly 1, 2021incumbent

Note: Unlike other academic institutions, Case Western Reserve University includes interim presidents in their official count of presidents. For example, Eric Kaler is consider their 11th president and not their 8th when interim leaders are excluded.
Table notes: