In Memoriam: Former Optometry Dean and Provost Jerald W. Strickland

Former University of Houston provost, dean of the College of Optometry and assistant vice chancellor for International Studies and Programs, Jerald W. Strickland, has passed away at the age of 87. Strickland, who also served as an optometry officer in the U.S. Air Force Medical Service Corp, had a long and illustrious career at the University of Houston.

For more than 35 years, Dean Strickland dedicated himself to the University of Houston, leaving a legacy of national accomplishment in optometry, vision science, and community service. As Michael Twa, the current dean of the UH College of Optometry, reflected, “Dean Strickland's career in optometric education is marked by his wisdom, institutional commitment, and exceptional leadership. We strive to live up to his example every day.”

Beginning his tenure at UH in 1979 as a professor of Optometry and Vision Science, Strickland went on to serve as the dean of the UH College of Optometry from 1991 to 2003. He later held the positions of interim senior vice chancellor/senior vice president for academic affairs and provost of UH from 2003 to 2005, before transitioning to the role of associate vice chancellor/associate vice president for International Studies and Programs.

UH President Renu Khator expressed her deep appreciation for Strickland's contributions, stating, “Jerald Strickland’s remarkable contributions to the advancement of optometry and the University of Houston are simply unparalleled. He will be sorely missed but never forgotten.”

A native of Indiana, Dean Strickland obtained his undergraduate, professional, and doctorate degrees from Indiana University, Bloomington. Throughout his career, he held various leadership positions, including serving as president of the Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry and as the founding president of the board of trustees of the World Optometry Foundation, Inc.

Dean Strickland, who retired in August 2014 and was appointed Professor Emeritus of Optometry, is survived by his wife, Rose Cecile, four children, five grandchildren, and one great-grandson.