Former Provost Milton Greenberg died on Aug. 27, according to a memo today from University President Neil Kerwin.
Greenberg served as provost from 1980 to 1993, according to Kerwin’s message to the AU community. Passionate about the practice of teaching and not just administration, Greenberg was also a professor in the School of Public Affairs and devoted much of his work to developing and rewarding high-quality faculty.
“College and university teaching represents more than expertise in a scholarly discipline,” Greenberg once said, according to the memo. “It means that you are privileged to be part of an extended community that constitutes one of the most important professions in the world.”
Greenberg helped establish the Greenberg Ph.D. Seminars for Effective Teaching, which have touched many doctoral students at AU. He also created the yearly Milton and Sonia Greenberg Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Award, which recognizes faculty members who have contributed to the body of knowledge about teaching and creating curriculum.
Greenberg was also an expert on the Servicemen’s Readjustment Act, also known as the “G.I. Bill,” which gave veterans across the country access to federal money to pay for higher education after it was passed in 1944.
The former provost maintained a strong connection with the school even after his retirement, Kerwin wrote in his memo.
“In addition to his passion for quality higher education, Provost Greenberg was a devoted fan of American University men’s basketball,” Kerwin wrote. “Until his recent illness, he was a fixture at AU Eagles home games. The Greenberg Track, encircling the Reeves Field, is named in Provost Greenberg’s honor.”
cjohnson@theeagleonline.com
