Robert R. “Bob” Augsburger, a former Stanford vice president, passed away Dec. 31 at his home in Portola Valley due to a brain tumor. He was 83.

Augsburger was educated as a lawyer and a businessman. He joined Stanford in 1971 as vice president of business and finance, supervising Stanford’s vast real estate holdings. According to Palo Alto Online, during his time in office, he worked to renovate and expand the Stanford Shopping Center. He also appreciated open spaces and enjoyed walking The Stanford Dish and Webb Ranch, and believed in condensing development in quasi-urban centers to preserve open spaces elsewhere.

In 1977, Augsburger founded Peninsula Open Space Trust (POST), a nonprofit organization coordinating the efforts of landowners, donors and government organizations toward the goal of land preservation.

Recently, Augsburger had lectured at Stanford’s Graduate School of Business (GSB), teaching courses on nonprofit management.

Palo Alto Online also reported that after retirement, he served on the advisory board of the GSB Oral History Program and as an officer of the Stanford Historical Society. Augsburger was particularly interested in the history of the Stanford endowment fund. Prior to his death, Augsburger was collecting material on important financial developments in the fund in hopes of writing a book on the subject.