Doug Sweetland, who was president of Southwest Minnesota State University in Marshall from 1994 to 2000, died Tuesday at his home in Lynd, near Marshall. He was 70.

The Marshall Independent said he ran the college at a tough time, working as interim president from 1994 to 1997, then getting the permanent job until 2000.

"He's the guy who brought SSU back from the brink of extinction," said Randy Abbott, a former administrator at the university.

"I think he bridged the gap between the community of Marshall and the university," said Butch Raymond, former university athletic director and now director of the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference.

Said the paper:

Sweetland expanded the university's graduate programs, added majors and programs that brought instructors into the region.

"He grew this institution by almost 35 percent," Southwest Minnesota State University Vice President of Finance and Administration Doug Fraunfelder said. "We experienced huge growth and we've never shrunk since."

The enrollment, programs and profile grew at SSU because Sweetland was able to take risks, identify strengths of those he worked with and expected candid discussions with staff, those who worked with him said.

"He was somebody you were comfortable telling the truth to because you knew that's what he really wanted," SMSU provost Beth Weatherby said.

Services for Sweetland will be at 2 p.m. Friday at St. Stephen Lutheran Church in Marshall. Visitation will be from 4 to8 p.m. Thursday with a prayer service at 7:30 p.m. at Rehkamp-Horvath Funeral Home in Marshall and from 1 to 2 p.m. Friday at St. Stephen Lutheran Church.