John Stanga, our highly esteemed Wichita State University colleague, died on December 30, 2008, at the age of 69. He is survived by his three sons—Tomas, Joseph, and John Peter. As colleagues, we respected him as a unique scholar, teacher, and friend. In an era often characterized by narrow specialization, he was a true Renaissance man—not only publishing and teaching in several fields of our discipline, but also demonstrating a deep mastery of literature and music, particularly jazz.
Among his several journal articles, John published in the American Political Science Review (with Jim Kuklinski), Journal of Politics (with former student Wayne McIntosh), and American Journal of Politics (with Jim Sheffield). Highly significant was his article “Judicial Protection of the Criminal Defendant against Adverse Press Coverage,” a 75-page article that appeared in William and Mary Law Review. This work was later cited in the United States Constitution Annotated as the definitive work on the issue of fair trial versus free expression.
Stanga, a native of Louisiana, received his BA from Southeastern Louisiana College, an MA from Louisiana State University, and his doctorate from the University of Wisconsin. At the latter, he was influenced by Joel Grossman, Herb Jacob, and his dissertation supervisor, David Fellman. As the recipient of an NEH Fellowship, he later took a summer seminar from Nelson Polsby, who afterwards let many others know of his high regard for John as a political scientist.
He began his career as a journalist covering Louisiana state politics, served as an instructor at Lamar Tech for two years, and as a Wichita State faculty member from 1968 to 2008. For six years he chaired the WSU department and was appreciated as one who encouraged his faculty while using a light touch rather than a heavy hand. John never forgot his Louisiana roots and was an unmatched raconteur when entertaining friends with fascinating stories about the Long family and Lyndon Johnson. Among his varied interests were the avid support of personal liberties, wagering small bets on horses, and excelling as a gourmet cook in serving family and friends Cajun food, Louisiana gumbo, and his special bread pudding.
Stanga, unusually rigorous and demanding in the classroom, earned the highest respect from his students as both a teacher and debunker of myths. His teaching manifested the maxim of Pericles, “The mind is a fire to be kindled, not a vessel to be filled.” As a gifted writer himself, he demanded lucid and grammatically correct writing in all his classes. Moreover, his take-home exams in Constitutional Law and Civil Liberties achieved legendary status throughout the university. Uniquely, he created original hypothetical cases that did not lend themselves to correct or incorrect judicial decisions. Rather, he evaluated students on the quality of their logical analysis and legal reasoning. An indication of his unusually tough grading policy was the student scuttlebutt, “if you earn a C from Professor Stanga in Civil Liberties or Public Law, you have the ability to succeed at a good law school.”
Stanga's lasting impact is demonstrated by the careers of many former students. Political scientists at quality universities, successful attorneys, and judges at all levels, including the federal bench, provide vivid testimony to his legacy. In honor of John's sterling legacy, former students and colleagues have joined with his sons in creating a pre-law scholarship in his honor. John Stanga definitely achieved our highest esteem as teacher, scholar, colleague, and friend.
