Paul Reiss

Paul J. Reiss (born 1930) was the 14th president of Saint Michael's College. As president, he provided leadership to strengthen the academic programs at Saint Michael's and renew its Catholic mission and sense of community. 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.

Having earned a B.S., magna cum laude, from the College of the Holy Cross, an M.A. in sociology from Fordham University in 1954, and a Ph.D. from Harvard University, Reiss taught at Marquette University (1957-1963) and then at Fordham (1963-1985). From 1969 until he left Fordham 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’s published works in sociology are primarily concerned with family, kinship, education, and values in Catholic education.

Reiss finished his book titled Dad in 2000. The novel talks about his family, mostly referring to his ancestors.