Interview with Frank Welch, January 14, 1976

Partial Transcript: Well, Dr. Welch, uh, I thought we'd begin by, uh, uh, talking about when you first came to the University of Kentucky.

Segment Synopsis: Dr. Frank Welch is introduced. He talks about becoming Dean and Director of the University of Kentucky College of Agriculture when Dean Cooper retired. He discusses the reputation of the college before his arrival, whether he was advised by Dean Cooper when he arrived, and the rumors that the appointment of the position would be influenced by politics.

Keywords: Committees; Dean Thomas Cooper; Dissension; Dr. Herman Donovan; Kentucky; Land Grant College Association; Leadership; Mississippi; Outsiders; Political appointments; Pressure; Problems; Reputations; Retirement; Rumors; Staff; State fair board meetings

Subjects: College administrators--Selection and appointment.; College department heads; College presidents; Universities and colleges--Administration.; Universities and colleges--Professional staff; University of Kentucky. College of Agriculture

Partial Transcript: Well let's, let's talk for a few minutes then about the, the staff as you found it there.

Segment Synopsis: Welch talks about whether he appointed new staff when he became Dean of the College of Agriculture. He gives his opinions of the staff at the time. He discusses the conflict that occurred within the college and across the state over the grass seed Kentucky 31 Fescue. He talks about why the Dean of the College of Agriculture was also the Director of the Experiment Center and the Director of Extension Services.

Keywords: American Association of University Professors (AAUP); Aubrey Brown; Changes; Dean Thomas Cooper; Deans; Director of Experiment Station; Director of Extension; Firing; Help; Job positions; Kentucky 31 Fescue; Land grant colleges; Newspapers; Personality; Problems; Staff members; Thomson Bryant; W. L. Mahan

Subjects: College administrators--Selection and appointment.; College department heads; College publicity; College teachers--Selection and appointment.; Universities and colleges--Administration.; Universities and colleges--Departments; Universities and colleges--Employees; Universities and colleges--Faculty.; Universities and colleges--Professional staff; University of Kentucky. College of Agriculture

Partial Transcript: Uh, from, from your, uh, comments on Dr. Donovan it appears that, uh, the administration at the university supported the College of Agriculture very well during the time you were there.

Segment Synopsis: Welch discusses how President Donovan, university administration, and the state legislature supported the College of Agriculture financially. He talks about working with the state legislature and the General Assembly. He discusses whether the agricultural extension service was effective, and how it was funded.

Keywords: Agricultural advancements; Agriculture; Budgets; Dissemination of information; Dr. Herman Donovan; Earmarking; Effective; Farmers; Funding; General Assembly; Legislature; State government; Support

Subjects: College administrators; College presidents; Universities and colleges--Administration.; Universities and colleges--Finance; Universities and colleges--Research; University of Kentucky. Agricultural Extension Service; University of Kentucky. College of Agriculture

Partial Transcript: Some people have criticized the overemphasis on research and writing at the, uh, expense of teaching as the major criteria for promotion and tenure at the university.

Segment Synopsis: Welch discusses the criticism that too much emphasis is put on research at the expense of teaching. He talks about the University of Kentucky College of Agriculture's relationships with other colleges in the state.

Keywords: Agricultural Extension Program; Agricultural programs; Berea College; Cooperation; Criticism; Preference; Promotions; Publishing; Regional universities; Relationships; Rivalries; State universities; Writing

Subjects: College publications; College teachers--Tenure.; College teaching.; Educators; Universities and colleges--Faculty.; Universities and colleges--Research; University of Kentucky. Agricultural Extension Service; University of Kentucky. College of Agriculture

Partial Transcript: Uh, discussing the, the extension agents, uh, of course back in the thirties with the Depression and the, uh, triple-A legislation I think the role of this increased a great deal.

Segment Synopsis: Welch discusses whether there were any black county agents in Kentucky during his time at the university. He talks about black students at the University of Kentucky and whether he feels he did enough to encourage their application to the College of Agriculture.

Keywords: Agricultural Extension Program; Assistant county agents; County agents; Criticism; Dr. Atwood; Farmers; Frankfort (Ky.); Home agents; Kentucky State College; Kentucky State University; Pressure; Staff members; Tuskegee Institute

Subjects: African American college students--Social conditions; African American college students.; African Americans--Education--Kentucky--Lexington; Agricultural extension work--Kentucky; Agricultural extension workers; College integration; College students, Black; Discrimination in higher education; Minorities in higher education; University of Kentucky. Agricultural Extension Service; University of Kentucky. College of Agriculture

Partial Transcript: One point I wanted to bring up that doesn't fit in here too well but, uh, about a veterinary school at the University of Kentucky.

Segment Synopsis: Welch talks about considering adding a veterinary school to the College of Agriculture at UK and discusses why he ultimately decided against the idea. He talks about how the expansion of the University of Kentucky campus resulted in parts of the College of Agriculture moving away from campus.

Keywords: Alabama; Arrangements; Cooperation; Dr. Herman Donovan; Expansion; Farmers; Farms; Funding; Georgia; Inevitable; Land; Needs; Priorities; Veterinary school; Veterinary science

Subjects: Campus planning.; Campus size; College administrators; College buildings.; College campuses.; College facilities--Planning.; Universities and colleges--Finance; Universities and colleges--Research; University of Kentucky. College of Agriculture

Partial Transcript: Dr. Donovan in his book about UK states that the Kentucky legislature and certain interests were, uh, sometimes more concerned with a winning, uh, football team and new basketball arena rather than spending money for, uh, academic programs and new buildings.

Segment Synopsis: Welch discusses the criticism that university athletic programs receive more funding than academic programs. He gives his opinion on the quality of the M. I. King Library at the University of Kentucky.

Keywords: Adequacy; Adolph Rupp; Agriculture Library; Athletics; Basketball; Bear Bryant; Emphasis; Football; Funding; Legislature; M. I. King Library; Needs; Quality; Research; Resources

Subjects: Academic libraries.; College sports--Economic aspects--United States.; Universities and colleges--Finance

Partial Transcript: Well when attending professional meetings around the country, uh, what feedback did you get from, uh, other--others in your field about the quality of the College of Agriculture at the University of Kentucky?

Segment Synopsis: Welch discusses the reputation of the University of Kentucky College of Agriculture among other universities and scholars. He talks about how his work with national projects may have influenced his own reputation.

Keywords: Land grant colleges; Leave of absence; Meetings; National projects; Reputations; Resources; Respect; Southern; Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA)

Subjects: College administrators; Universities and colleges--Administration.; Universities and colleges--Evaluation; Universities and colleges--Ratings and rankings.; University of Kentucky. College of Agriculture

Partial Transcript: Uh, in 1956, uh, you were nominated as a possible choice to succeed, uh, Dr. Donovan as president.

Segment Synopsis: Welch gives his opinions on university presidents Donovan and Dickey.

Keywords: Cooperation; Dr. Frank Dickey; Dr. Herman Donovan; Personal relationships; Problems; University presidents

Subjects: College administrators--Rating of; College presidents; Universities and colleges--Administration.; University of Kentucky. College of Agriculture

Partial Transcript: Talking a minute about the students in the College of Agriculture, uh, as dean and director did you have very much contact with the individual students?

Segment Synopsis: Welch talks about whether he had personal contact with the students in the College of Agriculture when he was the dean. He talks about women in the college and on the staff and the types of programs they generally applied for. He discusses a lack of classes on the thoroughbred industry.

Keywords: Agronomy; Associate deans; Changes; Contact; Curriculum; Employment; Farm management; Home economics; Horses; Personnel; Separation; Staff members; Stereotypes; Support; Thoroughbred industry; Women

Subjects: College administrators; College students--Attitudes.; Sex discrimination in higher education.; Sexism in higher education; Universities and colleges--Curricula.; University of Kentucky. College of Agriculture; University of Kentucky. College of Agriculture and Home Economics; Women in higher education.; Women--Education (Higher)

Partial Transcript: And then of course the emphasis on tobacco research now at the University of Kentucky.

Segment Synopsis: Welch discusses the types of research being conducted on tobacco at the university during his time as dean. He talks about whether health concerns were part of the research. He talks about how research on tobacco kept him in touch with the university after he left to work in Washington D.C.
[Interruption in taping occurs during this segment.]

Keywords: Assistant Secretary of Agriculture; Contributions; Department of Agriculture; Emphasis; Health concerns; Health implications; Tobacco Center; Tobacco genetics; USDA funds

Subjects: Tobacco--Health aspects; Tobacco--Research; Universities and colleges--Research; University of Kentucky. Agricultural Extension Service; University of Kentucky. College of Agriculture

Partial Transcript: Well is there anything we haven't discussed that you would like to add that you feel would be important in a, in a record of your years at the university?

Segment Synopsis: Welch summarizes his time at the University of Kentucky as Dean of the College of Agriculture. He talks more about the controversy over Kentucky 31 Fescue grass seed and where the staff members involved in the conflict worked after leaving UK. The interview is concluded.

Keywords: Conflicts; Congenial; Controversy; Decade; Dr. Martin Weeks; Fired; Happy; Kentuckians; Kentucky 31 Fescue; Staff members; Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA); William C. Johnstone

Subjects: Agricultural extension workers; College administrators; College department heads; Universities and colleges--Administration.; Universities and colleges--Faculty.; University of Kentucky. College of Agriculture