The President who transformed a run-of-the-mill school into a world-class university passed away at 86 Thursday.

A university spokesman told WBZ-TV that John Silber's family was by his side when he passed away at his home in Brookline.

The cause of death was not acknowledged, but Silber had been battling a liver disease for quite a sometime.

When Silber assumed his post as Boston University's seventh president in 1971, the university had no reputation whatsoever and was deep in financial crisis, operating at a budget deficit of $8.8 million.

But, in his next 25 years of presidency, he transformed the university into one of the leading research universities of the world with his determined and tough approach.

He even ran for Governor of Massachusetts as a Democrat candidate in 1990 which was unsuccessful.

Silber was strong-willed, outspoken, and often controversial, and his resolute work ethic, formidable capacity for knowledge, and dogged determination to improve both BU and the city of Boston made him well known in academic as well as political circles.

His controversial comments garnered not only enough media attention but also staunch critics of his work. Due to his tough talk and no-mincing-words attitude, he was quiet unpopular among students and faculty.

As Wall Street Journal Points out:

"His critics grew to call some of his pronouncements 'Silber Shockers,' as when he called the BU English department 'a damn matriarchy.' During his tenure, the faculty responded by striking and calling for his dismissal."

However, even his enemies and opponents agree that his bold decisions and the courage to do what he thought was right made Boston University what it is today.

They may disagree in many aspects but cannot dispute Silber's legacy, says incumbent president Robert A. Brown

During his time from 1971-1996 as the president he increased the strength of the faculty first in the humanities and social sciences and then in life sciences. He's the one to be regarded for hiring future Nobel Prize Winners Andrew W. Mellon and Derek Walcott.

He was remembered by Michael Maso, Managing Director Huntington Theatre Company, Boston as being 'critical in the founding of the Huntington Theatre Company, which would not have come into being without his personal determination that the City of Boston have a world-class resident theatre.'

Maso reminisced that when Silber was asked about this 'risky' investment by the university, he replied, "If Boston University can support a football team, it can damn well support a theatre company!"

Silber is survived by 7 children, 26 grand children and 3 great-grand children.