NIU mourns former professor, vice provost

Longtime NIU biology professor T. Daniel Griffiths, who became a vice provost for research and graduate programs at Marquette University in July of 2003, died Dec. 21 in Milwaukee. He was 57.

Griffiths suffered a heart attack Thursday, Dec. 16. He is survived by his wife, Barbara, and sons Michael, Eric and Justin.

“The entire NIU community is saddened by the death of Dr. Griffiths,” said NIU President John Peters. “Dan devoted much of his life to the betterment of Northern Illinois University, and we are a richer institution for his efforts. Our hearts and prayers go out to the Griffiths family in their time of grief.”

Griffiths’ colleagues at Marquette shared in that grief.

“Dan was a valued member of our senior leadership team, and he will be greatly missed,” Marquette President Robert Wild said. “The prayers and sympathy of all of us here in the Marquette community are with Dan’s wife, Barbara, and all the other members of the Griffiths family.”

Griffiths came to NIU in 1981 from the University of Rochester in New York. Three years into his long tenure in the Department of Biological Sciences, he helped to establish its Ph.D. program.

He received nearly $1 million in federal grants from the National Institutes of Health for his research, primarily centered on how DNA is translated into mutations or cancer. The specific research involved the effects of ultraviolet light and other mutagens on DNA replication, DNA repair, mutagenesis and chromosome structure in mammalian cells.

Other research involved how light and other agents can damage the eyes, possibly resulting in various age-related eye diseases.

Jerrold Zar, who retired in 2002 after an 18-year term as dean of the Graduate School and vice provost for Graduate Studies and Research, was chair of the biology department when the “very conscientious” Griffiths was hired.

“His field of radiation biology was something that the department did not have at the time, so he was considered to be a good person to bring in,” Zar said. “We had submitted about 11 proposals (for a doctoral program) over many, many years, and succeeding at that was one of my priorities when I became department chair. Hiring Dan, who had a good research record and good research potential, was very important in our proposal being successful. He was certainly in that cohort that helped us get over that hurdle.”

Griffiths held a bachelor’s degree in biology from Earlham College, and a master’s and doctorate from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. In addition, Griffiths did post-doctoral work at Washington University’s School of Medicine in St. Louis.

While at NIU, he also served as executive secretary of the University Council and president of the Faculty Senate, becoming a familiar face to many on campus as the man who introduced Peters each fall to the audience at the State of the University Address.

After Zar retired, Griffiths was named acting vice provost for research and acting dean of the Graduate School.

“He certainly had the best interest of the department and the university foremost in his mind,” Zar said. “He exemplified good faculty membership, and was respected for the way he represented faculty.”

His achievements at Marquette include increasing the number of Ph.D. graduates, increasing funds for internal research awards to faculty, and establishing the Marquette Research Institute, a faculty development program.

Condolences can be sent to the Griffiths family, 1852 W. Brantwood Ct., Milwaukee, Wis., 53209.

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