Posted August 18, 1999

Richard Jennings

Richard W. Jennings, professor emeritus of law and an internationally known expert on corporate law and securities regulation, died Monday, Aug. 9, in Oakland following a stroke. He was 91.

Born in Missouri in 1907, Jennings graduated from Boalt Hall in 1939. He practiced corporate and securities law in San Francisco before joining the Boalt faculty in 1947. He retired from the law school in 1983.

Throughout his long and distinguished career, Jennings was a tireless advocate for investor protection and corporate responsibility.

During the 1960s, he wrote a series of law review articles that led to the abolition of the fixed-rate commissions system and to the reform of federal securities law.

His impact on the field of securities regulation, both here and abroad, was immense, according to law Professor Richard Buxbaum.

At Berkeley, Jennings helped establish the campus's International Legal Studies Program. During the mid-1960s and the tumultuous years of the Free Speech Movement, as chair of Berkeley's Academic Senate, he helped that body play a constructive role in resolving the controversies, according to Boalt Hall Dean Herma Hill Kay.

He is survived by his wife of 64 years, Betty Jennings of Oakland; a son, W. Thomas Jennings of Sacramento; his daughters, Susan Stangeland and M. Anne Jennings, both of Berkeley; four grandchildren; and one great grandson.

Contributions in Jennings' name may be made to the Boalt Hall Fund, which finances urgent needs of the school. A memorial service will be held in early September at the law school.

Joseph Wujek

Joseph H. Wujek, a lecturer in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences who specialized in engineering ethics, died July 15, in an automobile accident in Washington state. He was 66 years old.

His wife, Leanora, also died in the accident. The couple resided in Livermore.

Wujek began teaching engineering courses at Berkeley in 1992. He co-designed and taught courses on ethics for engineers, introductory electronics and multidisciplinary design. He was especially interested in voice recognition, adaptive machines, bioengineering and artificial intelligence, and the ethical issues raised by these emerging fields.

Wujek was past chair of the ethics committee of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). He served as faculty adviser to both the institute's student branch at Berkeley and campus's Student Pugwash group, which examines the effects of science and technology on society.

He was a recipient of the 1997-98 IEEE Outstanding Branch Counselor and Adviser Award, given annually to honor faculty members who "promote professional awareness and leadership development opportunities and who are exceptional role models for their students." Wujek was one of seven recipients of the honor, from among nearly 1,000 advisers nationwide.

"Professor Wujek actively promoted ethical engineering and the potential of our student chapter of IEEE," said undergraduates Helena Chan and Celia Lin. "He was a strong role model for students. We have all lost a key adviser, mentor and friend."

The Wujeks are survived by their four children. Memorial contributions may be sent to the Berkeley Engineering Fund, 208 McLaughlin Hall, UC Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720-1722, with checks made payable to UC Regents. Gifts in Wujek's memory will be designated for scholarships.

August 18 - 24, 1999 (Volume 28, Number 2)
Copyright 1999, The Regents of the University of California.
Produced and maintained by the Office of Public Affairs at UC Berkeley.
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