Dr. Constantine "Deno" William Curris (2014) - Hall of Fame

Dr. Constantine "Deno" William Curris

Induction:
2014

Dr. Jitu Kothari Meritorious Service Award

Dr. Constantine William (Deno) Curris was the seventh president at the University of Northern Iowa. Curris served as UNI President from 1983-1995.

Under President Curris’s administration, the Business Building, Kamerick Art Building, ROTH, the Center for Energy and Environmental Education and the Visitor and Information Center were built. In addition, several buildings were remodeled and campus beautification projects improved the appearance of UNI.
UNI also gained national recognition for the high quality of its business and education programs, and experience a record enrollment in 1991.

Curris played a major role in moving UNI Athletics into the Missouri Valley Conference in 1991. Curris said at the press conference, “the Missouri Valley Conference better reflects our Midwestern home.”

The move to the MVC also enabled UNI Athletics to have both men’s and women’s sports in the same league for the first time in school history.

Curris retired as President of the American Association of State Colleges and Universities, and serves as the chairman of the Murray State University Board of Regents.

He and his wife, Jo Hern Curris, reside in Lexington, Ky.