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Former Dominican University provost dies
Norman E. Carroll
Updated: August 20, 2012 11:04AM
RIVER FOREST — Norman E. Carroll, a revered member of the Dominican University community for almost 50 years, died July 6, in his River Forest home, surrounded by his family.
Carroll leaves behind a significant legacy at the university, where he fulfilled a number of essential roles, including provost and vice president of academic affairs, academic dean, dean of the Graduate School of Business (since renamed the Brennan School of Business), chair of the economics department, and professor of economics. He was working on a history of the university until just days before his passing.
“No matter the circumstance or the challenge, Norm led with integrity and a sense of the common good,” said President Donna M. Carroll (no relation). “He was both an academic entrepreneur and the stable, trustworthy center of all things Dominican for half a century. It was a privilege to work with him.”
Mark Carroll, who was born the year before Carroll began teaching at Rosary College, the precursor to Dominican University, said his father’s commitment to education was a valuable lesson.
“My father’s life revolved around three things — his wife, his family and Dominican University. He was a born academic. My brother, sister and I look back now in awe at how he balanced work and his personal life — and was truly and equally committed to both. The university, which is only four blocks from our family home, loomed large in our lives. We had the opportunity to study abroad with the university’s international programs and knew the faculty and Dominican sisters as trusted friends of the family.”
As the founding dean of Dominican’s graduate business school, Carroll spearheaded an emphasis on internationalization, which led the university to establish executive MBA programs in Poland, the Czech Republic, China and India. His entrepreneurial spirit helped launch the School of Education, Graduate School of Social Work and School of Professional and Continuing Studies, as well as numerous partnerships, study abroad programs, additional campus locations and programs in online education.
After stepping down from the post of provost and vice president of academic affairs in 2007, Carroll rejoined the faculty as esteemed university professor and professor of economics in the Brennan School of Business, where he taught until his passing.
“Norm brought academic excellence and fiscal responsibility to the university since the 1970s,” noted Sister Diane Kennedy, OP, Dominican’s vice president of mission and ministry and former associate provost under Carroll. “Through decades of change and challenge, he kept a firm hand on the rudder as Dominican achieved significant growth and academic distinction at the regional, national and international levels. His is a terrific legacy.”
Carroll earned his bachelor’s degree in economics from Loyola University in 1956, a master’s degree in economics from DePaul University in 1964, a doctoral degree in business and economics from the Illinois Institute of Technology in 1971, and a second master’s degree in accounting from Dominican University in 1983.
Carroll is survived by his wife of 52 years, Ruth (Charlton), their three children Mark (Betsy), Becky (John Guido), and John; seven grandchildren and one great-granddaughter. Born in Chicago on October 17, 1929, Carroll was one of four sons of Ralph and Edith (Fay). His parents and one brother, Ralph, Jr., preceded him in death. Carroll’s surviving brothers are William of River Forest and Donald of Schaumburg.
Visitation was held July 10 at Drechsler, Brown & Williams Funeral Home, 203 S. Marion St., Oak Park. A Mass of Christian burial was celebrated July 11 at the Dominican Priory Chapel, 7200 Division St., River Forest.
Family and friends were asked to meet after the Mass at the priory.
Interment was in Queen of Heaven Cemetery in Hillside.
The family would appreciate, in lieu of flowers, memorial donations to the Norman Carroll International Studies Scholarship at Dominican University.
