Interview with Lewis W. Cochran, January 14, 1986

Partial Transcript: Today we’re going to be talking about your, uh, your involvement with Kentucky State University over the past few years.

Segment Synopsis: Introduction from interviewer Terry L. Birdwhistell. Here, Cochran explains how he became involved with Kentucky State University and who all reached out to him about the position.

Keywords: Academics; Introduction; Kentucky; Retirement; Vice presidents

Subjects: Kentucky State University.; Universities and colleges--Administration.

Partial Transcript: N--um, we, we want to go back and get your assessment of President Butts, we want to get your assessment of the desegregation, uh, uh, order and all--and that...

Segment Synopsis: Cochran breaks down the overall academics at KSU during his first impressions. He explains his overall opinion on the instructors and educational material.

Keywords: Academics; Courses (material); Illiterate; Overviews; Run-down; Students

Subjects: Academic overview.; Illiteracy.; Kentucky State University

Partial Transcript: They had a whole series of reports that came out then.

Segment Synopsis: Cochran discusses various issues that occurred at Kentucky State University during William A. Butts' presidency, including a charge of reverse discrimination, plans to create new colleges, budget issues, possible closing of the university, the possibility of KSU becoming a community college, and issues with the state legislature.

Keywords: Board of Regents; Discriminations; Equal; Legislature; Opportunity; Plans; Programs; Proposals; Resolutions

Subjects: College administrators; College integration; College presidents; Equal opportunity.; Integration; Kentucky State University; Reverse discrimination; State government.; Universities and colleges--Administration.

Partial Transcript: During that late spring/summer, we identified and suspended 12 different academic programs.

Segment Synopsis: Cochran recalls the major program and staffing changes at Kentucky State University. He speaks of the reductions that took place and the adjustments needed to benefit the institution’s future.

Keywords: Adjustments; Foundation; Reductions; Restructuring; Suspensions

Subjects: Academic program.; Foundation conference.; Group studies.; Kentucky State University; Study leave

Partial Transcript: Well, somewhere in that point, a real controversy began to develop over the acting president and the presidency.

Segment Synopsis: Cochran speaks of the new controversies within the institution. He speaks of racial issues brought up amongst the committee and a request for new leadership.

Keywords: Committees; Controversies; Leadership; Racists; Segregation

Subjects: Institution president; Kentucky State University; Racial issues.

Partial Transcript: We initiated a lot of things that summer, made many other proposals that, um, have not yet been implemented.

Segment Synopsis: Cochran talks about what has and has not been implemented at Kentucky State University. The proposals for the institution and its institutional and program development are discussed.

Keywords: Admissions; Advising; Evaluations; Implementations; Proposals

Subjects: Act.; Kentucky State University; Mentor system.; Public service; Summer advising conference