Interview with Thomas D. Clark, January 16, 1987

Partial Transcript: We had said that, uh, at this session, Dr. Clark, we would, uh, get into the, uh, uh, mid-fifties on into the sixties of UK history but we wanted to start out today with a discussion of the Committee of Fifteen.

Segment Synopsis: Thomas D. Clark talks about the creation of the Committee of Fifteen at the University of Kentucky, and discusses its purpose and his role on the committee. He talks about some of the other people on the committee, and discusses the reports they created.

Keywords: Academics; Bill Ward; Centennial; Committee members; Committee of Fifteen; Curriculum; Dr. Frank Dickey; Dr. Herman Donovan; Dr. John Oswald; Future; Job offers; Reports; Robert Mills; Studies; Subcommittees; Undergraduate library

Subjects: Academic libraries.; College administrators; College environment; College teachers--Social conditions; Universities and colleges--Administration.; Universities and colleges--Curricula.; Universities and colleges--Departments; Universities and colleges--Faculty.

Partial Transcript: I believe if you go back and look at those reports you'll see that we did get some changes, uh, affected in the university.

Segment Synopsis: Clark talks about some of the changes that were suggested by the Committee of Fifteen to improve the university, and discusses how those changes were received by the faculty and administration. He talks about why certain people were hesitant about the changes. He talks about his workload as a professor along with his duties on various committees.

Keywords: Accomplishments; Attitudes; Changes; College of Arts and Sciences; College of Commerce; College of Education; College of Engineering; Committee chairman; Community colleges; Cost; Dean Cecil Carpenter; Dr. Frank Dickey; Dr. John Oswald; Enrollment; Graduate school; Improvements; National organizations; Objectives; Obligations; Overcrowding; Proposals; Recommendations; Reports; Robert Ezekiel Shaver; Sacrifices; Support; Time

Subjects: College administrators; College environment; College facilities.; College teachers--Social conditions; College teachers--Workload; Educators; Universities and colleges--Administration.; Universities and colleges--Faculty.

Partial Transcript: Now the second mandate of the committee--we came up to '65. We had planned well in advance to ask whoever was president of the United States to come visit the university.

Segment Synopsis: Clark talks about some of the issues that occurred at the Centennial Celebration for the University of Kentucky, including a speech given by United States President Lyndon Johnson, and what Clark saw as Johnson's disrespect of UK, as well as the disregard shown for former university president Frank Dickey.

Keywords: Alumni awards; Angry; Attitudes; Centennial; Ceremony; Dr. Frank Dickey; Dr. John Oswald; Helen King; Insulting; Mandates; Personality; President Lyndon B. Johnson; President of the United States; Speeches; University of Kentucky Alumni Association

Subjects: Campus visits; College administrators; College presidents; Johnson, Lyndon B. (Lyndon Baines), 1908-1973; Presidents--United States; Universities and colleges--Administration.; Universities and colleges--Public relations

Partial Transcript: Well, um, I guess in some ways though that, uh, the, the good things that came out of it wa--were the reports from the committee and the recommendations--

Segment Synopsis: Clark talks about W. S. Taylor, head of the College of Education, who believed he would become the next president of the university after McVey's retirement, and discusses what occurred when Donovan was appointed instead. He talks about the search committee that was choosing a replacement when Donovan retired and why their recommendations were ignored and Dickey was chosen as his successor. He talks about the politics involved in both appointments.

Keywords: Accomplishments; Dean William Taylor; Dr. Frank Dickey; Dr. Frank McVey; Dr. Herman Donovan; Frank Peterson; Future; Governor Happy Chandler; Past; Personality; Political appointments; Search committees; Successors; Transition period; W. S. Taylor

Subjects: College administrators--Rating of; College administrators--Selection and appointment.; College environment; College presidents; Kentucky--Politics and government; Politicians--Kentucky; Universities and colleges--Administration.

Partial Transcript: When, uh, Dickey planned to resign I picked up a--I just picked up a shred of gossip that Frank was going to retire.

Segment Synopsis: Clark talks about his role on the search committee for a new university president after Dickey's retirement. He talks about the qualifications the committee was looking for in a candidate, and talks about some of the people who were suggested. He talks about how Oswald became a candidate, his opinions on Oswald, and how Oswald was chosen as the next president.

Keywords: Abilities; Athletics; Board of trustees; Candidates; Dr. John Oswald; Governor Bert T. Combs; Legislature; Modernization; Ralph Angelucci; Search committees; Steve Diachun; Successors

Subjects: Campus visits; College administrators--Rating of; College administrators--Selection and appointment.; College environment; College presidents; Universities and colleges--Administration.

Partial Transcript: Now back to the committee that was serving with Frank Dickey.

Segment Synopsis: Clark talks more about Dickey's appointment as president of the university and discusses Happy Chandler's role in his appointment.

Keywords: Abilities; Committee of Fifteen; Dr. Frank Dickey; Dr. John Oswald; Elvis Stahr; Frank Peterson; Frustrating; Governor Happy Chandler; John Kuiper; Personality; Political pressure; Pressure; Search committees

Subjects: Chandler, Happy, 1898-1991; College administrators--Rating of; College administrators--Selection and appointment.; College environment; College presidents; Kentucky--Politics and government; Politicians--Kentucky; Universities and colleges--Administration.

Partial Transcript: Course this was during the second Chandler administration, '55 to '59, and when Wilson Wyatt announced for governor in '58, one of the, uh, planks in his platform, if you will, was to, uh, take politics out of University of Kentucky.

Segment Synopsis: Clark discusses how politics and politicians influenced the University of Kentucky. He talks about faculty members' involvement in political issues and the response of the university administration.

Keywords: Dr. Frank Dickey; Dr. Frank McVey; Dr. Herman Donovan; Exploitation; Fired; Frank Peterson; Governor Happy Chandler; Governor Keen Johnson; Personality; Political appointments; Professor Calhoun; Professor Gladys Kammerer; Wilson Wyatt

Subjects: College administrators; College environment; College presidents; College teachers--Political activity; College teachers--Social conditions; Educators; Kentucky--Politics and government; Politicians--Kentucky; Universities and colleges--Administration.; Universities and colleges--Faculty.; Universities and colleges--Public relations

Partial Transcript: I wanted to ask you, uh, with your, uh, uh, election as, uh, faculty representative to the board of trustees, uh, how did that experience, uh, work out for you?

Segment Synopsis: Clark talks about the discussion and decisions made by the board of trustees on the issue of faculty retirement plans.

Keywords: Authoritarian; Board of trustees; Clifford Smith; Dr. Frank Dickey; Faculty representative; Paternalistic; Politics; Ralph Angelucci; Representation; Retirement system; Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association – College Retirement Equities Fund (TIAA–CREF); Voting

Subjects: College teachers--Pensions; College teachers--Social conditions; Educators; Retirement; Universities and colleges--Faculty.

Partial Transcript: I, I--oh yes, I was on the board when one other thing came up and that was the dissolution of the University School.

Segment Synopsis: Clark talks about the board's decision to close the University School run by the College of Education.

Keywords: Rasty Wright; Teachers training; University School of Education; Upper class

Subjects: College teachers--Training of.; Universities and colleges--Administration.; University of Kentucky. College of Education

Partial Transcript: I, in, in your two year term on the, on the board were there particular board members that impressed you and were there particular board members that you felt maybe didn't contribute as much as you would have liked?

Segment Synopsis: Clark gives his opinion on some of the members of the board of trustees that he served with and their abilities as board members.

Keywords: Athletics; Board members; Board of trustees; Clifford Smith; Doc Beauchamp; Dr. Hall; Herschel Murray; Medical school

Subjects: College administrators; Universities and colleges--Administration.; University of Kentucky. Medical Center

Partial Transcript: Now there was one thing on the board that didn't impress me.

Segment Synopsis: Clark talks about some of the other issues the board of trustees dealt with over the years including an issue with a cow breeding operation as well as controversy surrounding property purchased by Frank Peterson. Clark discusses his salary at the university.

Keywords: Breeding stations; Budgets; Bulls; College of Agriculture; Discussions; Frank Peterson; Property; Raises

Subjects: College teachers--Salaries, etc.; Educators; Universities and colleges--Administration.; Universities and colleges--Faculty.; Universities and colleges--Finance

Partial Transcript: What about, uh, Combs' role on the board?

Segment Synopsis: Clark discusses his opinions on the state governor serving as a member of the University of Kentucky Board of Trustees.

Keywords: Board of trustees; Governor Bert T. Combs; Governors; Influence; Interference; Roles

Subjects: Kentucky--Politics and government; Politicians--Kentucky; Universities and colleges--Administration.; University of Kentucky

Partial Transcript: I thought we might stop here and then next time we could get into the, uh, uh--talk some about the Frank Peterson case that came up.

Segment Synopsis: Clark sums up the interview by talking about some of the problems the university faces, especially the lack of support it receives from the state. The interview is concluded.

Keywords: Funding; Problems; Public opinion

Subjects: Universities and colleges--Finance; Universities and colleges--Public relations; University of Kentucky