[Portion removed. Please refrain from using this forum and this time to judge Kennedy's presidency of Stanford. Respect that his family and friends are grieving their loss.]

I took several classes from Kennedy and they stand out as the ones I remember best from my years in Biology at Stanford. He was amazing!!

Our region and humanity itself need the technological base of which Stanford is a pillar. Kennedy helped build that up under a long and difficult tenure as president. His life had more positive impact than most could dream of and it's sad to see him go especially to Covid-19 of which Stanford is one of the key places fighting it. My father passed last year at a very old age. It was sad, but I still realize how much worse it would have been having to worry about him through this. Wish the family well.

My condolences to the Kennedy family. Rest in Peace Mr. Kennedy.

A great man. I remember many of his Commencement addresses - in my years often a reference to the wisdom of one of the Boston Celtics players who would double as a philosopher, and always the closing reminder that 'when you leave here, remember why you came'. I have often thought of that, and I remember very well why I came (and stayed) and I am thankful for his leadership that put Stanford on a great path.

Best teacher I ever had. A wonderful man.

He was 88 and a well respected man who lived a long and rewarding life. He fit the deomgraphic for those who succumb to COVID 19 and a myriad of other flu like viruses. It just may have been his time.

As I recall, at commencement he often cited Adlai Stevenson's great remark “Your days are short here; this is the last of your springs. And now in the serenity and quiet of this lovely place, touch the depths of truth, feel the hem of Heaven. You will go away with old, good friends. And don't forget when you leave why you came.” I was touched everytime when I heard it. From my experience, all after his time as Stanford's president, Don was a warm, friendly man and thoughtful and generous scholar.

He lived a long and fruitful life, he was 88.

R.I.P.

I do not think it had to be his time. I want to know why anyone is still getting infected around here. If anything maybe his last legacy should be our efforts to ensure this happens to no one else. My deepest condolences to his family.

For Donald, an Irish blessing.

May the road rise to meet you,
May the wind be always at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
The rains fall soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of his hand.

For Robin, an Irish blessing.

May God give you…
For every storm, a rainbow,
For every tear, a smile,
For every care, a promise,
And a blessing in each trial.
For every problem life sends,
A faithful friend to share,
For every sigh, a sweet song,
And an answer for each prayer.

We love you.

Anneke

Warmest regards to his family on their loss. What an interesting, varied, humor-filled, values-driven, public service life he led. You are so lucky to have shared your lives with such a person. I only met him a couple times, but even during his decline in health at Sunrise he was smiling, and his eyes were still filled with a kindness the world so needs. May we all absorb some of his essence, and remember him when birds sing outside our windows.

Rest in Peace, Don. You were a wonderful man and it was an honor to have known you and benefited from your friendship and wisdom.

One of President Kennedy's other notable legacies is that Stanford's "no new motor vehicle commute trips" agreement with Santa Clara County was adopted under his leadership. That agreement, adopted as part of Stanford's 1989 General Use Permit, allowed Stanford to add over 2,000,000 square feet of new academic buildings and more than 2000 faculty and student housing units, but also committed the University to achieving a goal of no increase in peak hour motor vehicle commute trips to campus.

The story I recall hearing from my colleagues at Stanford, when I worked there in the mid-90s, is that when Palo Alto, the County, and Stanford were negotiating the permit, Palo Alto's then-chief transportation official, Marvin Overway, said something like, "The issue about Stanford's growth that really bothers people is traffic, so why don't we just limit traffic?" President Kennedy's background as a biologist and dedicated environmentalist must have made him a ready partner, when Mr. Overway proposed the idea.

The agreement set the stage for Stanford's big investments in helping people commute by walking, bicycling, carpooling and transit. Instead of just pouring millions of dollars into more garages, Stanford expanded the Marguerite shuttle from a commute-hour service into a real transit system. The Clean Air Cash program – which pays commuters cash if they walk, bike, take transit or carpool – was added. Over subsequent years, many other programs to help commuters leave their cars at home (or skip owning one) were created.

After a decade, Stanford had met the "no new trips" goal (and saved a good deal of land and money by reducing parking demand). The approach seemed to work for people in Palo Alto and the County as well, so the no new trips goal was renewed in subsequent permits.

I don't have commute statistics reaching as far back as the 1980s at my fingertips, but the figures I do have available show that the drive-alone commute rate for University employees fell from 72% in 2003 to just 49% in 2018.

Back in 1989, agreeing to achieve no new motor vehicle commute trips, in an area where the vast majority of people drove to work alone, was a bold move. Quite a few doubted it could be done. But that decision did work out. I think both Stanford and its neighbors are better off as a result.

Today, which happens to be Earth Day, seems like a good day to recall this part of President Kennedy's legacy. By agreeing to take Stanford down a path less traveled, he left a fine legacy: a more beautiful, more sustainable campus, and cleaner air and less traffic for our region as a whole.

Posted by What Will They Do Next, a resident of Old Palo Alto

>> He fit the deomgraphic for those who succumb to COVID 19 and a myriad of other flu like viruses. It just may have been his time.

Thanks. You probably think it may be my time, too. But, I disagree with you.

Donald Kennedy had a great legacy, and, I'm going to agree with Patrick Siegman above on a particular important point. I think Kennedy was the first to really think through how Stanford could evolve with a more consistent transportation plan. Prior to Kennedy, administrators did projects without a real thought regarding where things were going in 10 or 20 years, and, if the transportation numbers really added up. (Let's just say that it has been awfully difficult to stick to that consistently.)

Yes, he loved his students. Many years ago Stanford had a star women's volleyball player by the name of Kim Oden. My wife and I attended many of her games and when Kim made a killing spike, the student section would stand and put their arms over their heads in a ( ) for Oden.

Well, one night we saw Donald Kennedy walking in the stands and taking a seat in the student section to watch the match. Yes, Kim Oden immediately made a kill and the students stood up making the O. Then Mr. Kennedy looked around and sheepishly stood up and slowly put his arms above his head. The students had no idea he was there and after that he was the first to stand and celebrate Kim Oden's spikes!

It was very fun and warming to see him enjoy college life with the students.

A good, good man.

The Mercury-News published an article today about the facility where Donald Kennedy died. "10 dead at Redwood City assisted living center, while thousands test positive at facilities across the state" Web Link