Morton W. Weir

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Morton W. Weir
Interim President of Knox College
In office
October 1, 1998 – December 31, 1998
Preceded byRick Nahm
Succeeded byRichard S. Millman
5th Chancellor of the
University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign
In office
April 14, 1988 – June 30, 1993
Preceded byMorton W. Weir
Succeeded byMichael Aiken
In office
Acting: August 21, 1987 – April 13, 1988
Preceded byThomas Eugene Everhart
Succeeded byMorton W. Weir
Acting Chancellor of the
University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign
In office
August 2, 1977 – December 31, 1977
Preceded byJack Peltason
Succeeded byWilliam P. Gerberding
Personal details
Alma materKnox College
University of Texas at Austin
ProfessionUniversity administrator, professor
Academic background
ThesisThe effects of instructions and expected number of trials on children's probability learning (1959)
Doctoral advisor 
Academic work
DisciplinePsychology
InstitutionsUniversity of Illinois

Morton W. Weir, born July 18, 1934, in Canton, Illinois, is an experimental psychologist and academic. After earning a BA from Knox College and an MA and PhD from the University of Texas at Austin, he joined the department of psychology at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 1960 and subsequently served in a number of administrative capacities, retiring from the chancellorship in 1993.

Education[edit]

Weir graduated cum laude from Knox College in 1955 as a pre-medicine major.[1] In 1958, he received an M.A. in experimental psychology from University of Texas at Austin[2] and his Ph.D. a year later in the same field.[3][1]

Career[edit]

Weir was a professor of psychology at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign for 33 years.[1] In addition, he served there as head of the department of psychology, as vice chancellor for academic affairs, vice president for academic affairs, interim chancellor, and chancellor.[4] On leave from the University of Illinois, he served as director of the Center for the Study of Youth Development, Boys Town, Nebraska (1979-80) and after retirement from administration at the University of Illinois, served as interim president of Knox College (1998-99) and as senior foundation representative, University of Illinois Foundation (1993-2000). His research and scholarship included learning and problem solving with children, behavioral genetics, and social policy. He served on a number of editorial boards of scientific journals; the National Research and Evaluation Advisory Committee, Project Head Start; the Developmental Behavioral Sciences Study Section, National Institutes of Health; commissioner and president, North Central Association of Colleges and Schools; and on a number of other professional boards and committees. He was awarded an Alumni Achievement Award and an honorary Doctor of Laws from Knox College; the Reading Recovery Teacher Leader Award; the William Winter Award for Service by the University of Illinois Foundation and a Foreign Service Award from the Foreign Ministry of Japan.

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c "History of Knox College Presidents".
  2. ^ Weir, Morton Webster (1958). The effect of verbalization in children's learning as a function of chronological age (M.A.). The University of Texas at Austin. OCLC 37420465.
  3. ^ Weir, Morton Webster (1959). The effects of instructions and expected number of trials on children's probability learning (Ph.D.). The University of Texas at Austin. OCLC 35306516 – via ProQuest.
  4. ^ Buck, Thomas (June 17, 1971). "Chicago Circle Chief Opposes Split with U.I. Urbana Campus". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved July 15, 2017.
Academic offices
Preceded by Chancellor of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
1977
Acting
Succeeded by
Preceded by Chancellor of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
1987–1993
Succeeded by