Former UNT Chancellor Al Hurley passes

I will always have mixed feelings about Hurley. I thought he hurt us in terms of athletics but I also think we wouldn't be where we are today academically or enrollment-wise without his hard work. He did a lot for this University. My diploma will always have his name on it as many others here. My sympathies and condolences to his family.

Condolensces to Mrs. Hurley and her family on their loss.

I think toward the end of his time at UNT Dr. Hurley finally got it as far as college athletics in the Southwest was concerned.

He was the the UNT prez' who signed off along with Governor Bill Clements for our name change to University of North Texas.

I always believed Dr. Hurley was quite the effective communicator when it was time for him to go before the Texas legislature to plead our case and cause at UNT.

Edited June 10, 2013 by PlummMeanGreen

He use to come by and watch football practice and chat with the players and coaches. He was a very nice man and I will always remember him as a good guy.

I will always have mixed feelings about Hurley. I thought he hurt us in terms of athletics but I also think we wouldn't be where we are today academically or enrollment-wise without his hard work. He did a lot for this University. My diploma will always have his name on it as many others here. My sympathies and condolences to his family.

I could not agree more. This is a great loss for everyone that is a part or has been a part of UNT. Condolences to his family and friends.

Athletics aside, he was very important to the university and very effective in helping us overcome our old teacher's college image. Our condolences to his family.

He was before my time, but his time and effort at North Texas can be seen all around. UNT wouldn't be what it was today without his hard work an effort. My condolences.

I met with him in 1999 advocating UNT to improve its Arts & Technology (CGI) education. He listened to our arguments and was a stand up guy. Will always remember that meeting. Prayers for him and his family.

Dr.Hurley had a lot on his plate with very limited resourses.He did a great job in advancing the university,and along with the name change came more state funding. He just had bigger fish to fry when it came to athletics.

SUMG reminded me of these which happened during the Hurley era that I had quite frankly over-looked.

SUMG: "Looking back on it....in Athletics the Hurley years had some great moments.

We made our first NCAA tournament appearance in men's hoops. ('88)

We made our ONLY NCAA tournament appearance in women's hoops ('86)
We made four trips to the 1-AA football playoffs ('83, '87, '88, '94)
Only two ever sellouts of a football stadium (Fouts in '89 vs. SFA; Fouts in '90 vs. SMU)

And one more thing.....when we made the push to go back to 1-A (1994), Dr. Hurley was the President.

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Looking back to 1982 of which after the 1981 Bob Tyler hiring disaster and $50,000 promotion monies literally thrown away on 4 Cotton Bowl "home" game attendance disasters in 81', too; and then with Bob Tyler having only a one year career at UNT my main fear became that Dr. Hurley could have very easily created a band-wagon affect and then suggested this to his (then) BOR's who I also think were getting frustrated with our Mean Greeen football program:

"Hey, fellas, the NCAA is making so many changes with membership criteria that we can no longer budget athletics at its highest level and our football program show no signs of going anywhere soon so why don't we just drop it and spend our resources on being a "basketball only" school."

So with that Hurley may have done more for us with what he didn't do.

NOTE: In all fairness to the athletic committee of mostly UNT officials and (as I recall) Denton citizens who hired Bob Tyler, they really sorta' got blind-sided with that hire as their committee received letters of recommendation on Tyler's behalf from Paul "Bear" Bryant and Darrell K. Royal. How many of us would have ignored those 2 college football icon's recommendations? (Another interpretation of that is: The G.O.B (good ol boy) coaching fraternity at work once again but doesn't that take place in most any business or industry in the USA, too?

I got to socialize with Al and JoAnn Hurely on a couple of occasions and they were 2 of the most cordial human beings I've seen at UNT and Denton and they learned those most gracious manners and skills as natives of New York. I always thought Dr. Hurley had a Boston accent but he and wife were 24 karat New Yorkers who became very good Texans.

I didn't know Dr. Hurley had alzheimers. My own dad had it 10 years prior to his death.

It's such a sad disease and for the loved ones many of whom become the care-givers they actually lose the afflicted one twice; that is, firstly to dimensia when so many times the patient doesn't know his or her own immediate family and then secondly to their physical death. Thoughts and prayers to JoAnne Hurley and her family with their loss.

Edited June 11, 2013 by PlummMeanGreen