Arthur Rosenthal, a longtime leader in academic publishing, died in early July 2013. Rosenthal directed Harvard University Press from 1972 until his retirement in 1990. While at Harvard, Rosenthal served on both the AAUP and AUPS (American University Press Services) boards, and was president of the Association in 1983-84.
As chair of the AAUP Copyright Committee, Rosenthal testified in 1973 on behalf of university presses before a Judiciary Committee on proposed revisions to the US Copyright Law. Rosenthal’s recognition of retiring colleague Maud Wilcox at the 1989 Annual Meeting inspired the founding of the AAUP Constituency Award.
Before joining the university press community, Rosenthal founded Basic Books in 1952, which he oversaw for 20 years until selling it to Harper & Row. Both the New York Times and Harvard Magazine published obituaries for Rosenthal.