{{More citations needed|date=September 2024}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2020}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Paul Reiss | office = 14th President of Saint Michael's College | term_start = 1985 | term_end = 1996 | birth_name = | birth_date = {{birth date|1930|08|10}} | birth_place = Lake Placid, New York, U.S. | death_date = {{death date and age|2024|02|28|1930|08|10}} | death_place = Lake Placid, New York, U.S. | education = College of the Holy Cross (BS)<br />Fordham University (MA)<Br />Harvard University (PhD) }}
'''Paul Jacob Reiss''' (August 10, 1930 – February 28, 2024) was an American sociologist and academic who served as the 14th president of Saint Michael's College in Colchester, Vermont.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=yl8gAAAAIBAJ&sjid=iGUFAAAAIBAJ&pg=2472,1858823&dq=paul-reiss+saint-michael's-college&hl=en|title=Dixfield Resident Serves As Guide at Saint Michael's|date=8 December 1993|work=Sun Journal|page=2|accessdate=6 August 2010}}</ref> During his tenure, 80 percent of the College's facilities were newly built or renovated, and there was extensive computerization on campus. In 1989, he was an American representative at the Vatican consultation that led to ''Ex corde Ecclesiae''.
== Early life and education == Reiss was born in Lake Placid, New York, to Julian and Daisy Reiss.<ref>{{Cite web |date=March 5, 2024 |title=Obituaries {{!}} Dr. Paul J. Reiss |url=https://burlingtonfreepress.com/obituaries/pbur0743999 |access-date=2024-06-21 |website=Burlington Free Press |language=en}}</ref> After graduating from La Salle Military Academy, he was educated at the College of the Holy Cross, where he received a Bachelor of Science (B.S.), ''magna cum laude'', in 1952.<ref name=":0" />
Reiss pursued graduate studies in sociology at Fordham University, earning a Master of Arts (M.A.) in 1954, then attended Harvard University, where he obtained his Ph.D. in 1960.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Murray |first=Elizabeth |date=2024-04-04 |title=Saint Michael's to hold Memorial Mass for former College President Paul Reiss |url=https://www.smcvt.edu/about-smc/news/2024/april/saint-michaels-to-hold-memorial-mass-for-former-college-president-paul-reiss/ |access-date=2024-06-21 |website=Saint Michael's College |language=en-US}}</ref> His dissertation was titled "The Extended Kinship System in the American Urban Middle Class."<ref>Dissertation: [https://id.lib.harvard.edu/alma/990039135280203941/catalog The extended kinship system in the American urban middle class] by Reiss, Paul Jacob at Harvard University Archives. {{OCLC|76996923}}</ref>
== Career == After marrying Rosemary Agnes Donohue, a student at Emmanuel College, in 1955, Reiss joined the sociology faculty of Marquette University in 1957 and moved to Wisconsin.<ref name=":0" /> Her taught there until 1963, and then moved to Fordham University (1963–1985). From 1969 until 1985, he worked in Fordham's administration as Dean, Vice President, and Executive Vice President before leaving to become President of Saint Michael's (from which he retired as President Emeritus in 1996) he worked in administration as Dean, Vice President, and Executive Vice President.
Reiss was named Vermont Distinguished citizen of the year in 1996 and was awarded honorary degrees by Middlebury College and Showa University of Japan. Reiss's published works in sociology are primarily concerned with family, kinship, higher education, and moral values in Catholic education. Since the 1960s, Reiss and his wife Rosemary have tenaciously and successfully overseen the mission of a foundation established by his father Julian to operate summer camps for underserved children from New York City that focus on academics, leadership and recreation in Lake Placid, NY.
Reiss finished his book titled ''Dad'' in 2000. The memoir contains stories about his family, mostly referring to the accomplishments of his ancestors.
== Personal life and death == After his retirement from St Michael's College, Reiss served several years as President of the Lake Placid Sinfonietta and as the founding Chairman of Mercy Care for the Adirondacks. Reiss was married to the former Rosemary A. Donohue for over 60 years, until her death in 2023. They had nine children, 30 grandchildren and now have 15 great-grandchildren.
Paul Reiss died on February 28, 2024, at the age of 93.<ref>{{cite web |title=Paul Jacob Reiss |url=https://mbclarkfuneralhome.com/tribute/details/1004/Paul-Reiss/obituary.html |website=M.B. Clark, Inc. |access-date=18 September 2024}}</ref>
== References == {{Reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Reiss, Paul}} Category:1930 births Category:2024 deaths Category:Fordham University alumni Category:Harvard University alumni Category:Saint Michael's College Category:College of the Holy Cross alumni Category:Heads of universities and colleges in the United States Category:Roman Catholic scholars