Julian F. S. Foster

Julian Foster, professor emeritus at California State University, Fullerton, passed away summer of 2003. Julian's 31-year career at CSUF was one of great accomplishment in many diverse ways. He was a superb teacher of Political Philosophy and American Politics, known for imposing high standards on his students and requiring analytical thinking within the best traditions of his Oxford and UCLA education. He was also a scholar of note. His edited book and several publications dealing with student activism and University politics were important contributions to that literature in its early stages. His most widely read piece, a monograph entitled None Dare Call It Reason, written to counter a notorious right wing tract, was widely circulated and received much national publicity.

His most important contributions however were as an advocate of the facultyrun University. A fearless foe of administrative rule, he worked to insure faculty governance as CSUF expanded from a largely teachers college to the present multi-phased University. An expert in the logic and craft of University legislation, he wrote policies and procedures that insured faculty control of the personnel process and academic freedom. As chair of the political science department from 1978 to 1984, he championed high academic standards and clearly defined rules for promotion and tenure. Three times he chaired the University Academic Senate, using it as a forum for the rights of the faculty. A skilled politician, he gained the respect of key administrators and was able to accomplish his goals without overt confrontation. The result was often referred to within the system as the “Fullerton way”: strong faculty governance with genial concurrence from a respectful, if leery administration.

Julian leaves his wife of 45 years, Beatrice, and three children. He is sorely missed by his colleagues and the University community.