UW-Green Bay Mourns the Loss of Professor Emeritus Clifford Abbott

Longtime faculty member made lasting impact through language preservation and interdisciplinary teaching

Published on Feb. 3, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

The University of Wisconsin–Green Bay announced the passing of Professor Emeritus Clifford Abbott, who served the university for over four decades until his retirement in 2015. Abbott was known for his pioneering work in Oneida language preservation, his collaborative spirit, and his dedication to interdisciplinary teaching and scholarship.

Why it matters

Professor Abbott's career exemplified the university's mission of community engagement and interdisciplinary learning. His work with the Oneida Nation to document and preserve their language has had a lasting impact, while his contributions to academic programs like Information Sciences helped shape the university's distinctive identity.

The details

Abbott joined UW-Green Bay in 1974 after earning degrees from Tufts and Yale. He played a critical role in the federally-funded Oneida Language Project, securing over $1 million in funding to collaborate with the Oneida community on language documentation, preservation, and instructional materials. Throughout his tenure, he taught a wide range of courses from linguistics to communication, and was instrumental in developing the university's Information Sciences program. Abbott also served in various leadership roles, including as Chair of Information and Computing Sciences and on the Faculty Senate.

  • Abbott joined UW-Green Bay in 1974.
  • He retired from the university in 2015 and was named Professor Emeritus.
  • A celebration of Abbott's life will be held at a later date.

The players

Clifford Abbott

Professor Emeritus at the University of Wisconsin–Green Bay who served the university for over four decades, making significant contributions to Oneida language preservation, interdisciplinary teaching, and academic program development.

Oneida Nation

The Indigenous community that Professor Abbott collaborated with extensively on Oneida language documentation, preservation, and instructional materials.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“His work is invaluable to us... he was a very understanding person who was diligent in his work.”

— Amelia Cornelius, Oneida elder (uwgb.edu)

“I like the small size. Also the opportunity to work with other faculty members and be able to do quite a variety of different kinds of teaching.”

— Clifford Abbott, Professor Emeritus (Fourth Estate)

“I still maintain an interest in metaphors... I would also like to be able to get into a position to do more with cognitive processing as it involves language.”

— Clifford Abbott, Professor Emeritus (Fourth Estate)

What’s next

A celebration of Cliff's life will be held at a later date.

The takeaway

Professor Abbott's career exemplified UW-Green Bay's commitment to community engagement, interdisciplinary scholarship, and the preservation of Indigenous languages and cultures. His lasting impact will continue to shape the university and the broader region.