George Shur has a great deal of knowledge about education and the legal system, but most importantly, he knew when to walk away.

Shur, NIU’s general counsel for the past 20 years, is retiring in January.

“I have been practicing law for 35 years,” he said. “It’s just time. I don’t know how else to put it. I am tired and now seems like the right moment to walk away.”

Shur took NIU’s top legal position in 1983 and doesn’t think he has changed as much as the university has since then.

“I’d like to think that I haven’t changed much, other than being older and having grayer hair,” he said with a laugh. “This university has always been a place with a huge amount of potential. Since I have been here, a lot of that potential has been realized. This is a wonderful university with incredible opportunities for students and staff. That is being more and more recognized everyday.”

Ivan Legg, NIU’s executive vice president and provost, said the university couldn’t have done it without him.

“He is a fine person and a knowledgeable person, which is a combination that is hard to beat,” he said.

That respect is mutual, Shur said.

“I have continued to marvel at the abilities of faculty and students,” he said. “Every year, I gain more and more respect for people who are involved in education.”

Shur decided to become a lawyer because he loved the structure it provided.

“I love the law because it provides a structure within in which society can operate peacefully and civilly,” he said. “It is unfortunate that more and more people turn to lawyers to solve problems which could better be solved by good communication.”

Communication with Shur is something College of Law Dean LeRoy Pernell will miss.

“He has done a consistently fine job of being a source of common sense in resolving difficulties,” he said. “I will be sorry to not have the opportunity to interact with him on a regular basis after he retires.”

In post-retirement, Shur has agreed to be an assistant executive dean for the University of Pittsburgh’s Semester at Sea program, which make stops in places like Venezuela and Vietnam.

“I am very excited about it,” he said. “It was something that I applied for eight months ago, and didn’t expect to hear anything for at least a year. When the news came last week, it was a pleasant surprise because it fit into the plan perfectly.”

Besides travel and continued involvement in education, Shur plans to spend more time with his family.

“My family is wonderful,” he said. “They are everything to me.”

Shur will miss a lot of things about NIU, but there is one thing that he won’t shed a tear over.

“I will miss dealing with some really wonderful people on a daily basis, but I won’t miss getting up in the morning,” he said. Star Poll