Steve Horn, a former Cal State Long Beach president and U.S. congressman, died Thursday in his Long Beach home from complications due to Alzheimer’s disease. He was 79.
In his lifetime, Horn was “in all his jobs incredibly determined and incredibly hard working,” said Stephen Horn Jr., Horn’s son.
“[He] was an intensely driven man,” he told the Daily 49er via e-mail. “He expected hard work from everyone and approached every task with a strong sense of ethics. He was also extremely kind, very gracious to everyone and had a wonderful sense of humor.”
Horn seemed to help CSULB wherever he went.
President F. King Alexander said he served the university for more than 30 years, first as president for 18 years and then as a member of Congress.
Horn’s son carried a similar sentiment.
“He loved both jobs from the first day to the last day, and regarded them as very similar — the purpose of each job was to help the people the institution was meant to serve,” Horn Jr. said. “[I]n the case of CSULB, that meant the students.”
CSULB will remember him as a man who instituted numerous campus programs including student learning assistance, services for disabled students, the honors program and faculty development.
Horn also oversaw a structural boom at CSULB, which included construction on the Social Sciences/Public Administration building, Brotman Hall, the Engineering and Computer Sciences buildings, Industrial Technology, Microbiology, the music buildings, International House, Parkside Residence Halls and the Earl Burns Miller Japanese Garden.
Horn was CSULB’s third president and held his post from 1970 to 1988.
The university “grew in stature and distinction” during his time at CSULB, Alexander told faculty in an e-mail message sent Friday.
“Our campus benefited greatly from Steve’s vision and we are a stronger university for his leadership,” he wrote.
In 1985, the American Association of State Colleges and Universities elected him as its chairman and, the following year, he was cited as one of the 100 most effective college presidents in a national study.
After leaving his post as president in 1988, Horn remained at CSULB teaching political science until 1992.
Students may know Horn’s name but not the man himself.
In 2003, he and his wife were honored with the naming of the Steve and Nini Horn Center.
Horn may best be remembered with his service to California’s 38th district, though. A moderate Republican known for his bipartisanship, he served a liberal-leaning Long Beach district from 1993-2003. He chose not to seek re-election only after his district was redrawn.
“I have fought for all the people, not just Republicans,” Horn told the Los Angeles Times in 2000.
Horn supported abortion rights and voted against oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, sometimes disagreeing with his party.
During his tenure, he chaired the subcommittee on government management and concentrated his efforts on balancing the budget, reforming campaign finance, and increasing funding to the arts, humanities and sciences, his son said.
He also led efforts that secured funding for the Alameda Corridor and the Los Angeles flood control program.
John Stephen Horn was born on May 31, 1931 in San Juan Bautista, Calif. He is survived by his wife of 57 years Nini Horn, their two children Marcia Horn and Stephen Horn Jr. and grandson Jonathan Horn.
“His energy was hard to keep up with,” Nini told the Long Beach Press-Telegram. “We always said we had a charmed life.”
Horn’s family requested that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the University Library through the CSULB Foundation. A public memorial will be scheduled at a later date.
Disclaimer: The Daily 49er is not responsible for Postings made on www.daily49er.wpengine.com. Persons commenting are solely responsible for Postings made on this website. Persons commenting agree to the Terms of Use of the website. If Postings do not abide by the Rules of Conduct or Posting Regulations as listed in the Postings Policy, the Daily 49er has all rights to delete Postings as it deems necessary. The Daily 49er strongly advises individuals to not abuse their First Amendment rights, and to avoid language suggestive of hate speech. This site also encourages users to make Postings relevant to the article or other Postings.