former AU prez william walker died this morning

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Former Auburn President Dead

Aug 7, 2007 10:20 AM

MONTGOMERY, Ala., Aug. 7, 2007 -- WSFA has confirmed that former Auburn University President William Walker has died. According to a friend of the family, Walker died in the hospital around 5 a.m. Tuesday morning after an extended illness.

Walker started at Auburn as the dean of the College of Engineering, served as provost, interim president and then succeeded William Muse as president after a unanimous vote of the AU Board of Trustees on June 3, 2002.

Walker is remembered by many for a trip two days before the Iron Bowl in 2003 with then Auburn athletic director David Housel and two trustees to talk to then-Louisville head coach Bobby Petrino about possibly replacing coach Tommy Tuberville.

Walker said at the time, "As a part of my considerations regarding the football coaching situation, I flew to Louisville last Thursday night to meet with Bobby Petrino. This meeting was arranged by a search firm that is assisting me as I deliberate this issue. Coach Petrino has been mentioned as a candidate for the job should it become available. I have made no decision and am considering my options. This visit was a part of that process..."

Walker was born Dec. 1, 1937, in Sherman, Texas, Walker earned his bachelor's and master's degrees in aerospace engineering at the University of Texas at Austin. He later got his Ph.D. in mechanical engineering from Oklahoma State University.

He was on the faculty at Rice University when he was recruited to Auburn as dean of the College of Engineering.