 
Experimental
psychologist Arnold Leiman, a leader in undergraduate education
at UC Berkeley, has died at 67
06
Jan 2000
By
Patricia McBroom, Public Affairs
BERKELEY--
Arnold L. Leiman, a leader in undergraduate education, a legendary
teacher and a professor of psychology for three decades at the
University of California, Berkeley, died in his sleep Wednesday
morning (Jan. 5) at his home in Berkeley. He was 67.
Leiman
was treasured as a kind and caring professor, inspiring both
undergraduate and graduate students with a love of science.
He also was widely known on campus for his many top level administrative
roles, which focused on innovations in undergraduate education.
In
the early 1990s, as special assistant to the vice chancellor
for undergraduate education, Leiman inaugurated the popular
Freshmen Seminar program, which is taught by top-ranked professors.
He also was chair of Berkeley's Academic Senate (1990-91), chair
of the University of California's system-wide Academic Council
(1995-96), and faculty representative to the UC Board of Regents
(1994-96). Leiman won the campus's Distinguished Teaching Award
in 1990 and the Berkeley Citation in 1999.
Most
recently, Leiman was director of UC Berkeley's Center for Studies
in Higher Education.
"Arnie
Leiman was simply a great faculty member and leader of the campus,"
said UC Berkeley Chancellor Robert Berdahl. "Everyone who
knew him here will miss his leadership, his good sense, and
his warm human spirit. I personally will miss his good advice."
Born
July 5, 1932, in the Bronx and raised a New Yorker, Leiman earned
his BA from Antioch College in 1954 and his doctorate in 1963
from the University of Rochester, where he studied at the Center
for Brain Research. Hired at UC Berkeley in 1964, he was a professor
here for 36 years.
Leiman's
early research on the growth of neurons contributed to knowledge
of the development of the nervous system, but it was his ability
to put everything together, evoking a sweeping panorama of the
biological underpinnings of normal psychology and dysfunction,
sleeping and dreaming, memory and motor ability, that marked
his academic career.
He
had a reputation on campus as an inspired teacher. The year
he won the Distinguished Teaching Award, Leiman wrote this:
"Somewhere in education there has to be excitement, intrigue,
vitality, and a sprinkle of magic. A part of what I do best
is to weave through mountains of findings to find the story
that promotes an understanding of the working of the brain."
"Students
loved his courses," said Marc Breedlove, UC Berkeley professor
of psychology. "Arnie had an encyclopedic knowledge of
psychology and the nervous system. He seemed to remember everything
he ever read, and he loved learning it."
"I
will miss his great sense of humor, his fast, sharp wit,"
said Breedlove, who was a co-author with Leiman and Mark Rosenzweig
of the widely-used textbook, "Biological Psychology."
Leiman's
text, first published under the title "Physiological Psychology"
with co-author Rosenzweig in 1982, has been printed in four
editions and is used at 200 institutions through the country.
In
the Department of Psychology, Leiman helped establish studies
on campus in human neuropsychology, developing the first course
and working toward a doctoral program in that area. He also
supervised numerous graduate students in the field of biological
psychology.
Leiman
is survived by his wife, Lannon Leiman of Berkeley; their two
children, Timothy Leiman of Chicago and Jessica Leiman, a PhD
candidate in English at Yale University; a brother, Melvin Leiman,
who lives in France; and two sisters, Carole Abel of New York
City and Marlene Koslan of Florida.
A
campus memorial service is being planned for sometime this semester.
The family requests that donations in Leiman's memory be sent
to the Arnold L. Leiman Memorial Fund, UC Foundation, 2440 Bancroft
Way #4200, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720-4200.
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