Famous for his Introduction to Sociology class, Moskos taught at Northwestern for more than 40 years and was beloved by students.

He was also deeply influential for his expertise on the armed forces, widely cited by journalists and scholars and known for crafting the “Don’t ask, don’t tell” policy that governs homosexuals serving in the military.

“Charlie was a great teacher, scholar, public policy influential and friend. He was great for Northwestern and will be missed,” President Henry Bienen said in a statement. A memorial service at Northwestern will be held soon, Bienen said.

Northwestern Provost Daniel Linzer called Moskos’s teaching “legendary,” while Mary Pattillo, chair of the sociology department, said Moskos would be “irreplaceable.”

He “died peacefully in his sleep after a valiant struggle with cancer,” according to an e-mail from his wife, sent to journalist James Fallows.

Moskos was diagnosed with a relapse of prostate cancer in August 2006, and took time off for treatment. He returned to teach classes again this past fall, but announced at the end of this year that he would not return, because of health reasons.

He wrote numerous books and research articles, and was given the Distinguished Service Award, which is the Army’s top honor for a civilian.

Moskos was “a remarkable man” and a “renowned scholar,” said Gen. David H. Petraeus, the commanding general in Iraq, in a statement.

According to a Northwestern statement, Moskos is survived by his wife of 41 years, Ilca; son Andrew, daughter-in-law Saskia and grandchildren Finn and Aidan, of Amsterdam, the Netherlands; and son Peter and daughter-in-law Zora O’Neill, of Astoria, N.Y.

A wake will be held Thursday from 4 to 9 p.m. at the Smith-Corcoran Funeral Home, 6150 N. Cicero Ave. The funeral will begin at 10 a.m. the following day at St. Andrew’s Greek Orthodox Church, 5649 N. Sheridan Road.

Read NU’s statement about Moskos.

Alex Campbell contributed reporting. More to come.

Charlie excelled as a scholar, teacher, mentor and in the quality of his friendships. While I treasure all Charlie’s gifts, it is his friendship and loyalty I will miss most.

– Aldon Morris, interim chair of Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences

Charlie had the kind of career at Northwestern that legends are made of, except in his case the stories of having taught tens of thousands of students with that perfect mix of rhythm and rigor are no exaggeration! The sociology department will miss him dearly. He is irreplaceable.

– Mary Pattillo, Professor of Sociology and African American Studies

Despite his success and notoriety, Charlie remained a patriotic, humble man who deeply believed in the virtue of public service for its own sake. He frequently lunched with four-star generals and members of Congress, but never let that swell his head.

– Phillip Carter, Washington Post military affairs writer and U.S. veteran

He had a very generous spirit and was always ready to laugh at himself. The one subject, in my experience, that he considered No Laughing Matter was the excellence of Greek-Americans, as compared with any other subset of humanity. As Ilca Hohn Moskos said in her message, “He was an academic, but not pretentious, funny, but not silly.” A very good man.

– James Fallows, reporter for The Atlantic

For those of us who served, there was simply no one else like him. He was analytical but personal, dispassionate but caring, and above all, a respected, thoughtful friend to so many of us in the military. I first met him at a conference at West Point in the early 1970’s, read almost everything he wrote, and I continued to see him periodically and correspond occasionally for over three decades. He truly had an impact on the military, and he gave many of us the reassurance that someone out there knew us, cared about us, and could help see our best interests as a nation and a military were looked after.

– Gen. Wesley Clark

Charles was a remarkable man, a renowned scholar who repeatedly offered thoughtful advice and thought-provoking ideas on the challenges with which we have grappled over the year.

– Gen. David H. Petraeus, commanding general in Iraq

He will also receive an honorary doctor of law degree, along with Lorraine Morton, Evanston’s mayor and a Northwestern alum.

“I’m deeply honored to address the Class of 2008 at Northwestern’s 150th annual commencement,” Daley said in a statement. “Northwestern is a very important part of Chicago’s history and I look forward to sharing a few ideas on how students can make an impact in their communities no matter where their careers might take them.”

Daley has served as Chicago’s mayor since 1989. In naming him one of the nation’s best big-city mayors, TIME magazine cited his popularity and authority, saying in 2005, “He wields near imperial power, and most of Chicago would have it no other way.”

“On the occasion of the Sesquicentennial Commencement, we are extraordinarily proud to honor the mayors who represent the cities that are home to Northwestern’s two campuses,” President Henry Bienen said in a statement.

This year is the school’s 150th commencement. It will be held June 20 at Ryan Field.

Video by Asha Toulmin and Hannah Fraser-Chanpong. Photos by Tom Giratikanon.

(Click for full version.)

Band members will talk about songwriting and making it in the music industry, the center’s Web site said. The event starts at noon in the McCormick Tribune Center Auditorium.

The band will also perform a free, public concert in Chicago’s Grant Park at 8 p.m. on the same day.

A&O Productions brought OK Go to Patten Gymnasium at the end of Fall Quarter.

Members of Northwestern’s board of trustees form most of the committee, which also includes six faculty members, two staff members, two students and two alumni.

“We are confident that we will be successful in finding outstanding candidates to serve as the Northwestern’s next president,” said the committee’s chair, William Osborn, in a statement.

Bienen plans to retire in August 2009. He has served as the university’s president since 1995.

The members of the committee can be found here.

Say goodbye to the CTA’s clunky Trip Planner. Google today launched a service that lets you plan those same Chicago expeditions on Google Maps. It’s not functionally different from the CTA’s version — except that Google Maps is simpler, faster, clearer and more helpful. It also seems better at recognizing addresses. (And will even tell you how much money you’re saving, compared to driving.)

Considering the CTA’s unfriendly image, it’s nice to see them actually make public transit a little easier. The Chicago Tribune story about the announcement observed the cultural chasm between the CTA and Google:

The announcement was made in a CTA meeting room that was transformed into a sound stage, complete with loud, pulsating music, pyramids of large colored cubes in Google’s color schemes, futuristic ergodynamic chairs and a large buffet table.