Gerald W. Lynch

Who was Gerald W. Lynch?

Gerald W. Lynch was the third president of John Jay College of Criminal Justice, the only institution of higher education in the United States dedicated primarily to the study of criminal justice, law enforcement, police science, and public service. He served as president for 28 years, from 1976 to 2004.

He first joined the John Jay faculty in 1967 as associate professor of psychology and Director of Student Activities, then served as acting president in 1975 upon President Donald Riddle's resignation.

During Lynch's presidency, John Jay grew from a small police science college to a center of research, education, and training in criminal justice and public safety. Under his leadership, John Jay weathered the City University Board of Trustees' threat to shut down the college in 1976 during a time of fiscal crisis for CUNY and New York City as a whole. The college decided to trim its budget to remain independent rather than merge with Baruch College, advocating throughout the campaign the sentiment voiced by Lynch in a memo: "John Jay can contribute to the city as a unique resource to help solve the problems of crime, public productivity, manpower needs, and budget management."