Interview with A. D. Albright, September 20, 1988

Partial Transcript: Um, let's see Dr. Albright. We're going to have a, sort of a shortened session today because you have to--you have to, uh, be downtown in--around, well, about an hour or so.

Segment Synopsis: Albright discusses UK's extended community college program and how it brought another dimension to the university. He explains that some of the university faculty thought the avocation for community colleges reduced the potential enrollment pool of the university. Albright explains that UK's involvement with community colleges gave it a presence throughout the state that it hadn't had before and helped it with funding as well as politically. Albright was in favor of the community colleges being connected to the university since he couldn't see the state government being able to run them, but he stresses that this wasn't an unchangeable situation. Albright thinks that, thirty years on, the community college system and its relationship to UK needs to be re-examined some point in the near future, particularly vocational schools. He discusses how certain programs, like two year programs, might be able to be done in collaboration between community colleges and the university.

Keywords: A.D. Albright; Arnold D. Albright; Arnold Dewald Albright; Community college system; Community colleges; Dr. A.D. Albright; Dr. Arnold D. Albright; Dr. Arnold Dewald Albright; Extended programs; State government; University of Kentucky; University of Kentucky, Lexington

Subjects: Administration.; College administrators; Community colleges.; Education, Higher--Kentucky; State governments--United States.; Universities and colleges--Administration.; University of Kentucky; University of Kentucky. Community College System

Partial Transcript: In terms of the qua--quality of the education received, at the co--at the--through the extended programs and later on through the--in the community colleges, being under some scrutiny by faculty members and others, how did you go about defending that at the time?

Segment Synopsis: Albright discusses how the quality of education wasn’t as good as he would have liked to have seen it. He explains that the university did try to employ the very best people that it could, but early community colleges were not well funded. Albright states that community colleges provided students with an access to higher education that they might not have been able to utilize otherwise. Albright stresses how outlining the years of your basic program is an important element in structuring a community college. Albright expresses that every student should receive a well-rounded education in the sciences and arts.

Keywords: A.D. Albright; Arnold D. Albright; Arnold Dewald Albright; Community college system; Community colleges; Dr. A.D. Albright; Dr. Arnold D. Albright; Dr. Arnold Dewald Albright; Extended programs; Higher education; Liberal arts programs; Quality of education; University of Kentucky; University of Kentucky, Lexington

Subjects: Administration.; College administrators; Community colleges.; Education, Higher--Kentucky; Education--Aims and objectives.; Education.; Universities and colleges--Administration.; University of Kentucky; University of Kentucky. Community College System

Partial Transcript: What, a--as an educator, uh, person who was in charge of the program and, later on, as--in charge of the academic program for the total university, what were we educating these people--what were we pre--preparing them to do? What--what was our goal?

Segment Synopsis: Albright explains that there was a responsibility to provide students with a liberal arts education. He states that one of the main goals was to provide programs that would help people become employed after they graduated. Albright says that he wanted to help provide students at community colleges with a start in education in the hopes that they would continue on at a four-year school after completing their two-year degree. He says that most students did continue their education at a four-year institution after getting their two-year degree from their community college. Albright states that the goal was to open up opportunities for students. Albright discusses how there was difficulty transferring community college credits to the university. Birdwhistell and Albright discuss how the relationship between universities and community colleges have promoted social class division through things like entrance requirements and GPA transfer. Albright remarks that the idea was that, if you wanted to move up socially, you needed a ‘classic’ job (lawyer, doctor etc.). He explains how making money is used as a measure of social and political status and how you needed to be in one of the "elite" programs if you wanted to be included in that higher social status.

Keywords: A.D. Albright; Arnold D. Albright; Arnold Dewald Albright; Community college system; Community colleges; Course credits; Dr. A.D. Albright; Dr. Arnold D. Albright; Dr. Arnold Dewald Albright; Educational goals; Educational opportunities; Elitism; Employment preparation; Entrance requirements; Extended programs; Higher education; Liberal arts education; Liberal arts programs; Professional elitism; Quality of education; Social class; Social status; Transferring credits; University elitism; University of Kentucky; University of Kentucky, Lexington

Subjects: Administration.; College administrators; College credits; Community colleges.; Education, Higher--Kentucky; Education--Aims and objectives.; Education.; Social class in education; Social status.; Universities and colleges--Administration.; University of Kentucky; University of Kentucky. Community College System

Partial Transcript: I guess it would relate to, uh, in your, uh, situation when you could've easily have stayed in Tennessee doing what you were doing and doing it well and yet you went and got your--your doctorate at NYU and--and I suppose that had personal reasons as well as, uh, future job related reasons so--is that a fair assessment?

Segment Synopsis: Albright discusses how he didn't know what he was going to do when getting his degree at NYU, but it enriched him personally. Birdwhistell mentions how this applies to many other people as well, whether they are obtaining a GED or a higher degree like Albright. Albright expresses his dislike for when people include their degree titles after their names in letters. Albright discusses why enrollment in Kentucky is down because education is not as promoted by the state as it is in other places and there hasn't been a reward for people in the state that have continued on towards a degree because of the lack of employment opportunities. Albright expresses that the state needs to find ways to get people to value education and stresses that people need to support one another in getting an education.

Keywords: A.D. Albright; Arnold D. Albright; Arnold Dewald Albright; Community college system; Community colleges; Dr. A.D. Albright; Dr. Arnold D. Albright; Dr. Arnold Dewald Albright; Educational enrichment; Educational value; Employment; Extended programs; Higher education; Motivation; Social status; University of Kentucky; University of Kentucky, Lexington

Subjects: Administration.; College administrators; Community colleges.; Education, Higher--Kentucky; Education--Aims and objectives.; Education.; Social class in education; Social status.; Universities and colleges--Administration.; University of Kentucky; University of Kentucky. Community College System

Partial Transcript: When you’re talking about the value of education and, uh, we’re--we're just about to run out of time for today--uh, the difference in the values in the family, what about the difference in value that the leadership of the state places on education?

Segment Synopsis: Albright talks about how education has changed in the decades following the 1950s. He discusses how colleges are very expensive and many people either can't afford to attend or can't justify spending the money. Albright believes that higher education needs to adopt a new formula and that there needs to be a better state public school system.

Keywords: A.D. Albright; Arnold D. Albright; Arnold Dewald Albright; College financials; Dr. A.D. Albright; Dr. Arnold D. Albright; Dr. Arnold Dewald Albright; Educational enrichment; Educational value; Higher education; Motivation; Public school systems; Public schools; State school systems

Subjects: Administration.; College administrators; Community colleges.; Education, Higher--Kentucky; Education--Aims and objectives.; Education.; Educational change--Kentucky; Public schools; Universities and colleges--Administration.; University of Kentucky; University of Kentucky. Community College System