Walter Adams (1922-1998), professor of Economics, was President of Michigan State University from April 1969 to January 1970, having been chosen to be MSU's 13th president. Adams was asked to succeed President John A. Hannah, who had resigned his position as President in order to accept that as Administrator of the Agency for International Development (AID), in Washington, DC. At the outset, Adams made very clear that he did not want to be considered for the permanent presidency. Adams maintained this position despite the fact that he was very popular with the students, faculty, and the Board of Trustees. When he stepped down from the Presidency, he resumed his former position, a post he held until retiring on December 31, 1992. During his administration, the School of Osteopathic Medicine and the Center for Urban Affairs were established, and a proposal was made to establish a Center for Russian and Eastern European Studies. To commemorate Walter Adams' contributions to MSU, the green lawn/ field west of the presidential residence (Cowles House), long used as a practice area by the Marching Band, was renamed in honor of Dr. Adams. For years, Dr. Adams would join the MSU Marching Band for Saturday pre-football warm-ups, and then lead the band into Spartan Stadium.
