New York, NY -- Lee Carroll Bollinger, the controversial president of Columbia University and a distinguished legal scholar, died yesterday afternoon of a massive coronary attack as he prepared to meet with the school's Board of Trustees.

Paramedics worked feverishly for more than one hour to resuscitate the 61-year-old educator, but he was pronounced dead on the scene before he could be transported to the nearby Columbia University Medical Center.

In a statement, William V. Campbell, chairman of the University's Board of Trustees, said that "all of us at Columbia have lost a great leader and friend in Lee." Campbell added that "although Lee's tenure here was enveloped in controversy and acrimony, the Board always supported him and felt he had his best interests at heart in all of the decisions he made."

Bollinger become president of Columbia in June 2002, after serving as president of the University of Michigan since 1996.

While the Santa Rosa, California native had been involved in various legal and policy controversies throughout his professional career -including standing at the center of two cases before the United States Supreme Court - Bollinger became a global figure only after he permitted Iranian Dictator Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to speak on campus on September 24, 2007.

Ahmadinejad's speech, and Bollinger's biting introduction of him, made Bollinger the target of criticism from many quarters.  Jewish groups and others felt Bollinger should not have permitted Ahmadinejad to speak on campus, given the Iranian's record of gross human rights violations and Holocaust denial.

Others were outraged by Bollinger's introduction, which they said was unbecoming, given that Ahmadinejad was speaking at the express invitation and with the approval of Columbia and Bollinger.

While others at the University also took heat for the Ahmadinejad-Bollinger speech, as it came to be known, Bollinger alone bore the brunt of the blame.

Maynard G. Krebbs, a theologian and Oxford University scholar, said in a telephone interview from Bath, England that he believes history will judge Bollinger harshly. "Lee wanted it both ways. He wanted to show his academic tolerance for speech he didn't agree with and he wanted to damn that speech," Krebbs said. "He really either should have banned Ahmadinejad or he should have kept his introductory remarks civil."

At the time of his death, Bollinger was also facing heavy opposition from community groups over his plan to expand the campus onto a 17-acre development in adjoining Harlem, a move these groups contend will displace the culturally mixed, lower-income population that currently lives there and runs businesses there.

Richard W. Bulliet, a professor of history who also took heat as the liaison between the campus and Ahmadinejad, said in an interview that Bollinger was not deaf to the complaints of those who felt his actions were disrespectful to Jews, gays, women, African Americans and other minorities.

"Lee heard their cries and weighed their arguments," Bulliet said. "He just didn't want to let these self-interested groups interfere with his own highly-prized professional aspirations."

Bollinger is survived by his wife, Jean Magnano Bollinger, and two grown children. Details concerning his funeral and viewing have not yet been set.

p.s. The above account of Bollinger's passing is greatly exaggerated. In fact, it never happened. But we wanted Bollinger and his fans to get a taste of how his actual obituary is likely to read, since when the real one is printed, he won't be there to enjoy it. Happy Purim, Lee!