Introduction
Professor Robert “Bob” Schultz, a legendary educator and steward of Oregon’s public lands, died Thursday, April 2, 2026.
Schultz retired at the end of 2018 after 56 years of teaching at Oregon State University. During his time at Oregon State, nearly every student in civil and construction engineering passed through his classroom and encountered a professor with exceptionally high standards and a dedication to student success.
Schultz joined Oregon State in the fall of 1962 as an assistant professor after earning bachelor’s and master’s degrees in civil engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute. In addition to his scholarly pursuits at WPI, he was a gifted athlete and earned 12 varsity letters in football, baseball, and basketball and served as captain of the basketball team his senior year. At OSU, he was promoted to associate professor in 1965 and full professor in 1970, teaching not only on campus but also evening courses at Linn Benton Community College during the 1970s.
His professional accomplishments earned national recognition, including the SaGES Career Recognition Award, the ASCE Surveying and Mapping Award, the Richard M. Bressler Senior Faculty Teaching Award, and numerous honors celebrating his impact on engineering education.
CH2M HILL Professor in Civil Engineering
Blue Primary, Yellow Secondary
Oregon Beach Bill
One of Schultz’s most enduring public contributions came in 1967 with the passage of the Oregon Beach Bill. He played a critical role in developing the methodology that defined the boundary between public and private lands along the Oregon coast — work that helped secure permanent public access to Oregon’s beaches.
“The general public has benefited significantly from his expertise,” said Michael Olsen, CH2M HILL Professor in Civil Engineering. “Beyond the classroom, his contributions to the development of surveying methods supporting the implementation of the Oregon Beach Bill have benefited both Oregonians and visitors alike by helping define and protect public beach access.”
As a teacher, Schultz was exacting and deeply principled. He emphasized fundamentals, such as drawing a sketch, checking one’s work, always “watching for blunders,” and other lessons that former students carry throughout their careers.
“He expected a lot of them, and they respected him for that,” Olsen said. “He had a passion to see students achieve true success, and he redefined what it means to be persistent — unwavering in upholding moral principles and what he felt was right.”
Advancing the profession
Schultz’s influence extended far beyond OSU. Nearly all registered land surveyors in Oregon attended at least one of his professional workshops, which helped countless practitioners prepare for and pass licensure exams. He also served on the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology’s Engineering Accreditation Commission and was a life member of several professional societies.
To colleagues, Schultz was both a legend and a mentor. Christopher Parrish, professor of geomatics, recalled sitting in on one of Schultz’s classes early in his career. “I thought I already knew the subject matter well,” Parrish said, “so I was shocked at how much I learned — about surveying, teaching, mentoring, storytelling, and more.”
Schultz’s legacy lives on in the professionals he taught and the standards he upheld.
“Everywhere I traveled across the state, after introducing myself as a faculty member at OSU,” Parrish said, “the first question was always, ‘How’s Bob? Please tell him I said ’Hi!’’”
Those wishing to honor Schultz’s legacy may make a gift to the Robert J. Schultz Memorial Geomatics Endowment Fund by visiting the OSU Foundation giving page and entering the fund name in the search field.