In Memoriam - Professor Emeritus William Baum

GVSU Professor Emeritus of Political Science William "Bill" Baum passed away on December 25, 2007. Bill taught at GVSU for over 40 years and was known for his expertise on the Holocaust and U.S. Constitutional Law.

Recently, an endowment to fund the William Baum Lecture Series was established. The fund has been used to bring speakers to GVSU including U.S. Senator Ken Salazar. Just this month, in conjunction with Amnesty International at GVSU, the fund was used to bring Bukeni T. Waruzi Beck to speak on Child Soldiers in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Mr. Beck is the founder of a grassroots organization, AJEDI-Ka, who has been working on the front lines of this humanitarian crisis.

The Grand Haven Tribune published an obituary on Dr. Baum. For the full article, click on the link above. Here are a few excerpts:

He obtained a Ph.D. in political theory from the University of Iowa. He taught for 50 years, starting at Creighton University and South East Missouri State College, and 40 years at Grand Valley State University.

His recognition for academic excellence and awards span his 50 years of teaching, including Teacher of the Year, and being honored by the Jewish community because he "researched, initiated and taught with sensitivity and compassion the depth and drama of the Holocaust." . . . He also published many scholarly articles in his fields of expertise and was frequently sought after for TV appearances.

Bill was a pre-law student advisor, and many partners in law firms locally and in other states credit him for their success as attorneys.

There are many ways that Bill will be remembered. One will be as a true humanitarian. When he was head of the political science department at a southern university, at the beginning of his career, he was told he couldn't hire a black teacher; he submitted his resignation. This began his life-long passion for doing what he believed was right and for fighting the battles that needed to be fought for human rights and dignity. His strength, determination and tenacity inspired those who knew him.

Bill never complained about his personal struggles or pain. He took enormous pride in his independence and he never made excuses. He silently faced and overcame daily challenges; he was humble and valiant in his courage throughout his life.

A memorial service will be held at Christ Community Church in Spring Lake on Saturday, January 5, 2007, at 1 p.m. Please consider Planned Parenthood and the Nature Conservancy for contributions.

Arrangements are being handled by the family.