John S. Toll, the second president of Stony Brook University, died from heart failure on Friday at the age of 87.

Toll was appointed president of Stony Brook University in 1965 after leaving his post as president of the University of Maryland.

When Toll left Stony Brook in 1978 the school had 17,000 students, a large increase from the 1,800 enrolled then he started.

Under Toll’s leadership the university expanded to add more schools including schools of public affairs, medicine, dentistry, nursing, allied health professions, basic health sciences, and social work.

During Toll’s time at the university he recruited people such as Dr. C.N. Yang, who became the director of the Institute for Theoretical Physics in 1966. He was listed among “100 Who Shaped the Century” by Newsday.

Born on Oct. 24, 1923, Toll graduated Yale University in 1944 with highest honors and a bachelor’s degree in physics. After serving in the Navy during World War II he attended Princeton University and earned his Ph.D. in physics.

Toll was succeeded by Acting presidents Dr. T. Alexander Pond followed by Dr. Richard Schmidt. Schmidt was eventually replaced by Dr. John H. Marburger III, who served as president from 1980 to 1994.

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