predecessor successor death_date title birth_date term_start spouse image article_title term_end name
'' none '' neil waters 1 september 2004 vice-chancellor of massey university 8 december 1917 1 january 1964 joan sisam sir alan stewart , 1982.jpg alan stewart -lrb- educator -rrb-
 28 february 1983 sir alan stewart
alan stewart -lrb- educator -rrb-

sir alan stewart -lrb- 8 december 1917 -- 1 september 2004 -rrb- was a new zealand educator and university administrator .
he was principal of massey agricultural college from 1959 to 1963 and founding vice-chancellor of massey university from 1964 to 1983 , during which time he guided the institution 's transition from agricultural college to full university .
he is noted for building the university 's internationally recognised agricultural programme , as well as for greatly expanding the university 's extramural programme to make tertiary education available to rural new zealanders .
he was knighted in 1981 for services to education .
