Wayne State University's Board of Governors unanimously voted to name the Honors College "The Irvin D. Reid Honors College." Eugene Driker, WSU Board of Governors chair, made the announcement during the April 30 board meeting. He said the designation was in "recognition of President Reid's tremendous contributions to the university and his determination and unwavering support of the elevation of the Honors program to college status."

The new college for high-achieving undergraduates at Wayne State was approved by the board last January, effective during the fall 2008 term.

In his motion to the board Driker said, "As the presidency of Irvin Reid draws to a close, the board has considered for some time suitable recognition for him on campus for the tremendous energy, for the vision, for the enthusiasm, for the dedication that he has displayed in his ten plus years as our president."

Driker added that the name designation recognizes what Reid has done to lift the intellectual quality and educational attainment of the university for the benefit of its students and its faculty and the people of Michigan.

Reid announced last fall that he would be stepping down from the presidency later this year, a position he has held since 1997.

During the January 2008 Board of Governors meeting it was announced that he will be leading a new urban issues initiative when he leaves the presidency. WSU alumnus and major benefactor Eugene Applebaum, for whom the university's College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences is named, pledged $2.1 million through his philanthropic foundation in support of the Eugene Applebaum Chair of Community Engagement. The chair will allow Reid to lead a variety of scholarly and public service activities targeting critical urban concerns from regional, national and global perspectives.

During Reid's tenure as Wayne State University's ninth president there have been numerous accomplishments including a significant growth in student enrollment-more than doubling the number of residential students; the establishment of the Perinatology Research Branch of the National Institutes of Health; expansion of the Honors Program to a college; the launch of TechTown which houses dozens of high-tech businesses that are bringing new jobs and investments to Detroit; major improvements in the university's technological infrastructure; the addition of many new buildings to the campus; the revitalization of Midtown Detroit, and the establishment of Wayne State's first capital campaign, which to date has far exceeded the goal of $500 million.

Wayne State University is a premier institution of higher education offering more than 350 academic programs through 11 schools and colleges to more than 33,000 students.