Legal educator and former UNC chancellor William Aycock has died at age 99.

Aycock taught for more than four decades at the UNC School of Law, retiring as the Kenan Professor of Law in 1985. He led the university as chancellor from 1957 to 1964 during a time of rapid expansion and growing social unrest.

Amongst his many achievements, he is credited with hiring Dean Smith to coach the men’s basketball team in the wake of a scandal involving recruiting violations during the 1960-61 season.

Born in 1915, Aycock grew up in Selma, North Carolina. He married his wife Grace in 1941, shortly before leaving to serve in the United States Army. During World War II he attained the rank of colonel and earned the Bronze Star, the Silver Star, and the Legion of Merit as battalion commander in the 87th Infantry Division.

He was also much lauded during his academic career. Aycock was the first to win the UNC School of Law’s McCall Teaching Award. He went on to receive the Thomas Jefferson Award; the Distinguished Service Medal from the UNC-Chapel Hill General Alumni Association; and the University Award from The University of North Carolina Board of Governors, to name only a few.

The university announced on Father’s Day that Aycock had passed away on Saturday.

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