Former UTEP president Haskell Monroe, Jr., died Monday, Nov. 13, in College Station, Texas. He was 86 years old.

Monroe was UTEP’s president from 1980 to 1987. He is remembered for opening the University Library and for leading the establishment of the Junior Scholars program which gave middle and high school students the opportunity to take UTEP courses for credit.

“Haskell Monroe was both an administrator and a deeply committed historian and educator who loved teaching,” said UTEP President Diana Natalicio in a press release. “He taught large freshman history classes throughout his tenure as UTEP’s president, and was always fascinated by the history of this region and the mining school (now UTEP) that helped shape it. His major achievements as UTEP’s president, including our beautiful library building, continue to support UTEP’s more recent development.”