Jerome M. "Jerry" Ziegler, professor emeritus of policy analysis and management and former dean of the College of Human Ecology, and a leading expert on urban education, higher education and intergovernmental relations, died May 3. He was 88.

Ziegler believed deeply in social justice and racial equality, and as a researcher and adviser to local, state, federal and international governments he devoted his career to improving life in cities, particularly public education.

Ziegler

Recruited to Cornell in 1978, Ziegler led the College of Human Ecology for 10 years, a critical period as its focus continued to broaden from home economics to its current emphasis on multidisciplinary research, academics and outreach to improve the human condition.

Under Ziegler, the college's undergraduate enrollment grew by 18 percent and its share of minority students soared by 175 percent. He also championed new undergraduate programs in international study and experiential field study to reflect his belief that "every student at Cornell [ought to] learn deeply of another culture."

During his tenure, the graduate-level Sloan Program in Health Administration moved to the College of Human Ecology from the Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of Management and a department in textiles and apparel (now the Department of Fiber Science & Apparel Design) formed. Ziegler also oversaw the expansion of the Division of Nutritional Sciences into Kinzelberg Hall.

"Jerry was a beloved member of the College of Human Ecology community, and his time spent at Cornell has had and will continue to have a long-lasting impact on us all," said Alan Mathios, the Rebecca Q. and James C. Morgan Dean of the College of Human Ecology. "Even with all his accomplishments, the deepest impression I'm left with is Jerry's interactions with us. He was a kind and gentle man who cared deeply about others. We will miss him greatly."

After stepping down as dean, Ziegler continued to teach and research in the Department of Policy Analysis and Management. As a researcher, Ziegler stood out for his work on urban development -- drawing upon his experiences in academia, but also as a consultant in education and race relations for numerous public and private agencies. In 1995, he founded the Leadership Institute for School Principals, a professional education program for school leaders.

From 2002-11, he was a core faculty member in the Cornell Institute for Public Affairs, where he taught courses on intergovernmental systems, professional ethics and public policy, and policy analysis and public administration.

Before coming to Cornell, Ziegler was chair of the Department of Urban Affairs and Policy Analysis at the New School for Social Research in New York City; commissioner of higher education for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania; vice president and professor of social science at the State University of New York at Old Westbury; director of the Urban Coalition's Task Force on Educational Disparities; director of the Rodman Job Corps Center; and president of the American Foundation for Continuing Education.

A native of New York City, Ziegler studied pre-medicine at the University of Chicago and the University of Michigan. He received his M.A. in political science and anthropology from the University of Chicago and studied at the London School of Economics and Political Science in those fields. He served as a pharmacist's mate and ensign in the U.S. Navy during World War II.

Ziegler was preceded in death by his wife, Patricia. He is survived by three children. The family will hold a private funeral service. A public service to recognize and celebrate his life will be arranged.