Colleagues:
In the last several days we have learned the sad news of the deaths of two former members of UNL's English Department. Dr. Donald Gregory, who had been director of General Studies since 1987, died on July 17; he was a professor of English before moving to the General Studies position. Dr. Louis Crompton, emeritus professor of English, died July 11 in California. Both of these men were leaders in their respective fields and many at the university are deeply saddened by their loss.
Dr. Gregory provided strong leadership in General Studies for 22 years, giving thousands of students a sense of place at UNL. He joined UNL in 1967, and from 1981-87 was chief adviser in English; he had advised undeclared students for 11 years prior to assuming that formal position. Dr. Gregory was the first and only director of the Division of General Studies. His total of 42 years of service to this university and its students is nothing short of remarkable. Because of his leadership, UNL has an advising program in General Studies that has won numerous national awards, along with the trust of countless students and nervous parents. Don is a past recipient of the James V. Griesen Exemplary Service to Students Award, as well as a Parents Association award for contributions to students. In 1987, he was the first recipient of the Student Foundation/Builder's Award for Outstanding Advising. He is survived by two sons, a daughter-in-law, a brother and sister-in-law, and three grandchildren. His immediate colleagues tell me he considered the UNL community his second family. Services for Dr. Gregory are pending and more information will be provided via campus communication channels in advance of the service.
Dr. Crompton was a pioneer in the field of gay and queer studies. He joined our faculty in 1955 and retired in 1989. He had an international reputation as a scholar of Bernard Shaw. In 1970, he taught the second Gay Studies course in the nation. He advised UNL's first gay student organization and helped found UNL's Homophobia Awareness Committee to improve the climate for gay and lesbian people at UNL and was a longtime member UNL's Committee on GLBT Concerns. In 1986, he received the University of Nebraska's Outstanding Research and Creative Activity Award, and in 2003, received the Chancellor's Award for Outstanding Service to the GLBT Community. In 1974 he co-founded the Gay and Lesbian Caucus of the Modern Language Association. Two major pieces of scholarship, "Byron and Greek Love," (1985, University of California Press) and "Homosexuality and Civilization," (2003, Harvard University Press) won international acclaim. Earlier this year Student Involvement and the LGBTQA Resource Center established a scholarship in his honor to benefit needy students studying in the LGBTQA area. Dr. Crompton is survived by his husband, Luis Diaz-Perdomo, El Cerrito, Calif., formerly of UNL; a brother and sister-in-law; a nephew and a niece. A memorial service will be scheduled in Lincoln this fall.
Both of these individuals contributed immensely to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, both in terms of scholarship and academic leadership, but also in terms of mentoring, guiding and caring for students and others. We are grateful for having known them.
Harvey
