Lotus Delta Coffman was the fifth president of the University of Minnesota, serving from 1920 until his death in office on September 22, 1938.

He married in Salem on December 28, 1899, to Mary Emma Farrell born September 12, 1877 Paoli, Indiana, daughter of William H.H.P.

& Charles H.) gave the university $2 million for endowment of the Mayo Foundation for Graduate Medical Study and Research.

Black students mistakenly placed in university dormitories at admission were forced to leave, often after just one night's residence.

It was recommended in 2019 that Coffman's name be removed from the student union partly due to his racist policies.

He supported the 1929 Carnegie Report, which criticized college football as overemphasized, and agreed with the Big Ten's prohibition of athletic scholarships and post-season bowl games.