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Chico State

Fond Farewell: Political Science Professor Emeritus Bob Stanley

Bob Stanley
Courtesy photo

Professor Emeritus Robert “Bob” H. Stanley, who taught political science and criminal justice for 31 years, passed away August 16, 2021. He was 68.

Born February 13, 1953, in Santa Monica, he earned his bachelor’s degree in philosophy at Texas Christian University in 1975, his juris doctorate at University of Texas School of Law in 1978, and his PhD in history at the University of Virginia in 1986. From 1982–87, he served in several positions at Brown University, including director of the Center for Law and Liberal Education. He served as visiting assistant professor of history at the University of New Hampshire from 1987–88, and then spent a year teaching at the University of Texas at Arlington. He remained a member of the Texas State Bar all his life.

In 1989, Stanley began his career at Chico State and became an important asset to the legal studies program. Among the classes he taught were “Vital Political Problems,” “Law, Politics, and the Distribution of Justice,” “Civil Rights and Civil Liberties,” and “Foundations of Constitutional Law.” He imparted his legacy on thousands of students through the years, many of whom began their program coursework with his “Introduction to Legal Studies” and ended it with his “Senior Seminar in Legal Studies.”

“Professor Stanley’s intense love of the law and commitment to civil rights was apparent the moment I walked into my first class on the first day of my legal studies,” said graduate student Ann Wilson. “His incredible knowledge, his amazing provenance, and his passion for teaching resonated with me as it did with all of his students, inspiring us to learn, reason, and advocate. It is an honor to call Professor Stanley a mentor, and more importantly, a friend.”

Stanley was known for creatively using film to give the historical context of law to enrich students’ perspective of current legal decisions. Using the Socratic Method in his classes, he challenged his students to develop the analytical skills that prepared many of them for success in law school. He committed himself to delivering the same high-quality education he himself received; believing that if he brought his best to the classroom, students would—and did—rise to the occasion.

“He cared about his students, the material he taught, and above all, making a difference in young lives,” said Jackie Noble (Political Science, ’19), who is now pursuing her Master of Public Administration. “He loved to tell us about baseball and was so excited to retire so that he could spend more time watching the games. He always had time to stop and chat and made us feel like we could come to him for anything.”

During his tenure, Stanley was a long-term chair of the department’s retention, tenure, and promotion committee, managing hundreds of candidates’ files with a dedication to helping his colleagues advance in their careers. He also advocated for a CSU systemwide catastrophic leaves donation program that, once enacted, allowed thousands of employees to receive donated sick time from their peers.

An accomplished scholar, he was also known for his wit and ability to find humor in nearly everything, as well as his capacity for love and compassion.

“In addition to being an inspiring teacher, Bob was a loyal friend and colleague,” said Professor Emerita Teddy DeLorenzo. “He left an indelible mark on those of us he enveloped with his big hugs. What a pleasure it was to have taught beside him for the last 31 years to see how much he loved his students and how much his students were inspired by him.” 

Stanley was one of the first colleagues Professor Diana Dwyre met when she came to Chico State in 1997, and she describes him as “a cherished friend and mentor, a confidant and trusted colleague.”

“He inspired his students by challenging them to fully develop their critical thinking skills, and he brought his colleagues together to pursue our shared goals,” she said. “Bob was witty, fun and intense, and I will miss our passionate conversations about politics, history, music and movies.”

Professor Emeritus Ed Bronson, who founded the Community Legal Information Clinic (CLIC) in 1970, expressed his gratitude for what a strong supporter Stanley was of the program, and said he helped facilitate countless law school careers.

“Best of all, he was a wonderful colleague and friend,” Bronson said. “We ate lunch together for 30 years, almost never missing a single date. He would be the first one that I would always talk with about CLIC, my classes, and of course the San Francisco Giants.” 

Stanley retired from Chico State in 2015 but continued teaching until 2020. In recent years, he returned full force to his love of music. He wrote and recorded original songs and cover songs of the musicians he loved, including the Eagles and Bob Dylan. He also enjoyed sharing time with his friends, roasting his own coffee beans for the perfect cup, and cooking chili.

He is survived by his brother, Bill Stanley; cousin Nancy Browne; her husband Fred Besthorn; and her children Laurel Eisler and Lee White. No services are planned. Family and friends invite remembrances to be shared on his online memorial page and have started a GoFundMe to raise funds to create a University tribute in his name.

The University flag will be lowered Thursday, September 9, in his memory.