Abraham S. Fischler (January 21, 1928 – April 3, 2017) was an American

academic An academy (Attic Greek: Ἀκαδήμεια; Koine Greek Ἀκαδημία) is an institution of secondary or tertiary higher learning (and generally also research or honorary membership). The name traces back to Plato's school of philosophy, ...

, and was the second president of

Nova Southeastern University Nova Southeastern University (NSU or, informally, Nova) is a private nonprofit research university with its main campus in Davie, Florida. The university consists of 14 total colleges, centers, and schools offering over 150 programs of study ...

. Fischler graduated from

Columbia University Columbia University (also known as Columbia, and officially as Columbia University in the City of New York) is a private research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Church in Manhatt ...

in 1959 with his Ed.D. He went on to serve as assistant professor of Science Education at

Harvard University Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636 as Harvard College and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of high ...

and Professor of Education at the

University of California, Berkeley The University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley, Berkeley, Cal, or California) is a public land-grant research university in Berkeley, California. Established in 1868 as the University of California, it is the state's first land-grant u ...

before joining the fledgling Nova University in 1966. Fischler served as Dean of Graduate Studies and Director of the Behavioral Sciences Center from 1966 to 1969. He became the President of Nova Southeastern University in 1970 and was president until 1992. During his tenure as president, Nova Southeastern University developed and offered the first doctoral distance education program in the country in 1971. Fischler's distance education program was a precursor to modern online education programs but was the first of its kind at the time that it was created. Today, Nova Southeastern University remains a leader in distance education, offering programs online and via video conferences, at national and international instruction sites, and at the university's physical campuses. More than 11,000 students are enrolled in Fischler School of Education programs yearly. After retiring from the Presidency, Fischler served on the board of

Broward County Public Schools Broward County Public Schools is a public school district serving Broward County, Florida, is the sixth largest public school system in the nation. During the 2016–2017 school year, Broward County Public Schools served 271,517 students enroll ...

from 1994 to 1998. He has also previously served as a consultant to the

Ford Foundation The Ford Foundation is an American private foundation with the stated goal of advancing human welfare. Created in 1936 by Edsel Ford and his father Henry Ford, it was originally funded by a US$25,000 gift from Edsel Ford. By 1947, after the death ...

, to various state departments of education, and to school districts in other states. He has authored numerous textbooks, articles, and other publications concerning teaching methods and science education. Today, Fischler is President Emeritus and University Professor at Nova Southeastern University, and serves on the boards of a variety of community, arts, and education organizations. He continues to be active in the area of K-12 education reform, and publishes a blog on the topic titled
The Student is the Class
.

References

1928 births 2017 deaths University of California, Berkeley Graduate School of Education faculty Teachers College, Columbia University alumni Presidents of Nova Southeastern University Harvard University faculty {{US-academic-administrator-1920s-stub