Leu, Donald J. (1923-2002)
Date Updated
10-15-2019
Department
School of Education
Academic Rank
Dean & Professor
Year Retired from SJSU
1980
Educational Background
University of California, Berkeley (Visiting Scholar), 1963‑64
Teachers College, Columbia University, 1954 Ed.D.
Teachers College, Columbia University, 1951 MA
Northern Colorado University, Education, 1948
Northwestern University, 1944 Navy Midshipman
Dickinson State University, 1943 Navy V‑12
Western Washington University, 1946 BS
Teaching Experience
Portland State University, 1980-1986
San Jose State University, 1968-1980
Michigan State University, 1954-1968
Public Schools, Stevenson, WA, 1947-1950
Administrative and Professional Experience
The World Bank (Consultant in Educational Planning).
The U.S. Department of State (Consultant in Educational Planning).
The United States Department of Defense (Consultant in Educational Planning).
32 Urban School Districts (U.S.), Consultant in Educational Planning.
59 School Districts (U.S.), Directing Executive Searches.
14 Community Colleges (U.S.), Directing Executive Searches.
State of Michigan (on leave from Michigan State University), Deputy Superintendent and Acting State Superintendent.
17 Nations throughout the world, Consultant in Educational Planning.
Selected Publications
Books:
Planning Educational Facilities;
Preparation Programs for School Administrators;
Planning for the Future;
New Forms of Community Education.
Numerous articles, etc.
Files
Personal Commentary
Life has been very good to me: my wife and I have enjoyed 53 years together and we have been blessed with five of the nicest "children" that I have ever met. Fortunately, we are all very good and supportive friends.
I came to SJSU in 1968 and appreciated the opportunity of working with Robert D. Clark, then president of our University. Candidly, I did not enjoy the rigid "centralization" by the Chancellor's office and the lack of adequate statewide faculty support, i.e., a 12 unit teaching load; 2 in a small faculty office; virtually no secretarial assistance to the faculty and little faculty development support. I did enjoy and appreciate getting to know and value a large number of outstanding and dedicated faculty members, staff and administrators.
With the passage of "Prop 13," I elected to leave SJSU and participate in the development of a young and growing University: Portland State University. It was an exciting and rewarding 7 years. We were able to design and implement a new doctoral program in education and a number of innovative "joint ventures" in close collaboration with selected school districts. We were also able to creatively support our faculty in their individual professional growth.
All my 50 years in education have been exciting and rewarding. I still maintain a part‑time consulting business (strategic planning) and I am learning much from my clients and the technology "wizards" (including our kids).
Personally, I still enjoy sailing (singlehanded to Alaska), skiing (an hour away), golf, backpacking, scuba diving (the Isle of Roatan and the Galapagos Islands), river rafting (the Amazon, Snake, Colorado, etc.) and other extensive travel. During the winter we "home base" in Las Vegas. Next month I will be visiting Antarctica on a Russian scientific vessel. Thanks to a large "circle of friends" and America's public education system, life has been very, very good.
Date Completed: 10/96
Adapted from: Biographies of Retired Faculty San Jose State University 1997: A Project of the Emeritus Faculty Association of San Jose State University. San Jose, CA: The University, 1997.