Ithaca College

Dear campus community, 

I want to share with you the sad news that Ithaca College Board of Trustees chair emeritus Herman E. “Skip” Muller Jr. and honorary trustee George Schunck have both recently passed away.  

Some of our longer-term faculty and staff may remember Skip and George. Skip served on our board from 1966 through 1982, then again from 1991 to 2003, including eight years as chair. He was appointed an honorary trustee twice and was named chair emeritus in 2012. George served on the college’s board of trustees for 10 years, from 1982 to 1992. 

A proud alumnus of IC’s Class of 1951, Skip had an unending love for and dedication to Ithaca College, and his tenure on the board spanned many critical years of significant growth and change at his alma mater. 

As chair, Skip successfully led the college through the presidential transition from long-term president James J. Whalen to Ithaca College’s seventh and first woman president, Peggy R. Williams. Known for his commitment to students, Skip’s leadership was marked by his deep desire to firmly root the board’s decision-making in delivering a high-quality, transformative student experience. He also believed strongly in an inclusive approach to developing trustees, always looking for ways to leverage the skills and expertise of all board members in contributing to the greater good of our institution. 

The Muller family legacy is incredibly strong at Ithaca College. Skip’s father, Herman E. Muller Sr., was a member and chair of the board from 1951 to 1965. At the time of Herman’s tenure, the college was struggling financially and on the verge of bankruptcy. His leadership changed what could have been the demise of Ithaca College. He led the board in the decision to move the Ithaca College campus from downtown to South Hill, which changed the course of Ithaca College. 

Our Muller Chapel is named after Skip’s parents, Herman Sr. and Florence Sidur Muller ’33, and Muller Faculty Center also bears the family’s name. 

During his years on the board, George played a tremendous leadership role in managing and directing the college’s finances through his decade-long service as chair of the Investment and Finance Committee. He had a son and grandson who both attended Ithaca College, and throughout his life George remained an avid fan of Bomber football. George lived in the Syracuse area, and was very active in supporting his community. We are fortunate that Ithaca College was among the organizations he cared so deeply about.  

I join the members of our community in extending our condolences to the Muller and Schunck families, and in being incredibly grateful for the work and dedication of both in their leadership of Ithaca College. 

Sincerely, 

Shirley M. Collado 
President