The School of Labor and Employment Relations is sad to announce the passing of Professor Emeritus and former Dean, Peter Feuille, following a lengthy illness.
Professor Feuille was the Dean of the now-School of Labor and Employment Relations from 1994 until 2006. A recognized leader in graduate education and research, the School of Labor and Employment Relations (LER) prepares students for careers in human resources and industrial relations. During his tenure as Dean, he oversaw tremendous growth in the program, nearly doubling the student body during that time. Notable among his many accomplishments as a leader were his leadership of LER through the transition from the historical focus on Industrial Relations to the modern focus on Human Resources, including a shift in curriculum, degree requirements, and degree name.
Feuille joined the School as a tenured faculty member in 1977, and returned to the faculty before his retirement in 2008. He taught Workplace Dispute Resolution and Collective Bargaining to students in the School and from the College of Law. In addition to his teaching and research, he was a nationally-known arbitrator, with expertise in collective bargaining, labor relations and unionization. He received his PhD from University of California, Berkeley, in 1973 and his Bachelor of Arts from Claremont McKenna College in 1967.
In addition to his scholarly work, he was involved in numerous professional organizations, including the National Academy of Arbitrators and the Labor and Employment Relations Association. He was in executive leadership for the latter, receiving both the Susan C. Eaton Scholar-Practitioner Award for distinction in the field, and the Lifetime Achievement Award for lifelong contributors to the field of Industrial Relations.
Professor Feuille is survived by his beloved wife, Susan, and his children, Julie King and Taylor Feuille. He was known by family, friends and coworkers for his unwavering defense and support of the LER program, dry and direct wit, keen eye for fiscal responsibility, and lifelong love of the Rolling Stones.
To honor Professor Feuille and his over 30 years of service, gifts can be made to the LER Scholars Fund. The Peter Feuille Scholarship is the first scholarship awarded from the LER Scholars Fund, a fund at LER providing scholarship support to current on-campus students enrolled in LER. If you would like to make a gift honoring Professor Feuille, please visit http://ler.illinois.edu/?page_id=115
To learn about services or read the full obituary in the News Gazette, please visit http://www.news-gazette.com/obituaries/2016-09-11/peter-feuille.html.