Interview with A. D. Albright, December 13, 1988

Partial Transcript: Uh, we, uh, we ended last time, uh, talking about the rotation of deans and department chairs.

Segment Synopsis: Albright talks about the newly added Spanish program and the turmoil it brought to the institution. He mentions how the programs are installed to help the institution grow and improve.

Keywords: Central administration; Department chairs; Language programs; Turmoil

Subjects: College administrators; College environment; College students--Attitudes.; Education, Higher--Kentucky; Educational change--Kentucky; Universities and colleges--Administration.; Universities and colleges--Departments; University of Kentucky; University of Kentucky. Department of Languages; University of Kentucky. Department of Spanish

Partial Transcript: Let me ask you about, uh--you know, we've talked a lot about the--Oswald and how the university changed...

Segment Synopsis: Albright talks about how not only was the academic revolution public, it was personal due to his position in the administration at the University of Kentucky. He talks about how he learned that there were two ways to enforce change: through revolution or steady progress. He speaks upon how his job involving small matters and issues are taken care of in a one by one approach, carefully evaluating each one to apply the best fit. He talks about the expansion of various disciplines.

Keywords: Curricula; Dr. John Oswald; Expansion; Inflation; Mergers; Public relations; Revolution

Subjects: College administrators; College environment; Education, Higher--Kentucky; Educational change--Kentucky; Universities and colleges--Administration.; Universities and colleges--Departments; University of Kentucky

Partial Transcript: And, and up to this time of course, you’d been a--you know, in your scholarly research you had looked at leadership, had you looked at policy development...

Segment Synopsis: Albright speaks about the duration of the process of making changes for the institution. He talks about how each department is built upon their own foundations but will they all work together to develop new changes for the university.

Keywords: Department expansions; Duplication; Leadership; Policy development; Reconfiguration

Subjects: College administrators; College environment; Education, Higher--Kentucky; Educational change--Kentucky; Universities and colleges--Administration.; Universities and colleges--Departments; University of Kentucky

Partial Transcript: Well, you know, it’s interesting from--t--I think, uh, you know, from your experience here at UK during this, during this time with Oswald...

Segment Synopsis: Albright talks about the ideas he had as he was coming into the new institution and wanting to build an improved education for the undergraduate level. He goes on to talk about Otis Singletary's effect on the university.

Keywords: College freshmen; Dr. Otis Singletary; Notions; Plans; Undergraduates

Subjects: College administrators; College environment; College presidents; Education, Higher--Kentucky; Educational change--Kentucky; Universities and colleges--Administration.; Universities and colleges--Departments; University of Kentucky

Partial Transcript: But, you don’t see the--it hasn’t, uh, ended up with the movement that maybe you saw in the Oswald years.

Segment Synopsis: Albright talks about how the university president Dr. David Roselle affected the university. Most of the programs that have a solid, substantial base, are weakened because they attempt to cater to everyone, leading to a diminishing status and less emphasis.

Keywords: College integration; Discipline; Dr. David Roselle; Dr. John Oswald; Leadership; Minorities in higher education; National Asphalt Institute; Ripple effect; School management and organization; Universities and colleges--Evaluation

Subjects: College administrators; College environment; College presidents; Education, Higher--Kentucky; Educational change--Kentucky; Universities and colleges--Administration.; Universities and colleges--Departments; University of Kentucky

Partial Transcript: Here are--here's one hand full of programs that we're really gonna bear down on, and here's another set that we're going to ready for, uh, attention.

Segment Synopsis: The interviewer and Albright start to talk about an article in the newspaper about the university’s excellence and Albright then talks about leadership.

Keywords: Anemic; Excellence; Leadership; Programs; Society

Subjects: College administrators; College buildings; College environment; College facilities.; College publicity; Education, Higher--Kentucky; Universities and colleges--Administration.; University of Kentucky

Partial Transcript: Do you see the university headed in the same general direction that, that, uh, you and Jack Oswald left it going in?

Segment Synopsis: Albright talks about the direction the university is going in and some of the problems he might have with it, such as the undergraduate programs.

Keywords: Direction; Dr. John Oswald; Educational enterprise; Freedom; Institutions; Jack Oswald

Subjects: College administrators; College environment; College presidents; Education, Higher--Kentucky; Educational change--Kentucky; Educational change.; Universities and colleges--Administration.; University of Kentucky

Partial Transcript: That’s kind of like those problems you were talking about ad hoc, uh, solutions.

Segment Synopsis: Albright talks about some of the issues he has with the undergraduate programs at other universities. He refers to a liberal arts school that he thought made some questionable decisions.

Keywords: Direction; Education; Institutions; Organization; Undergraduates

Subjects: College administrators; College buildings.; College environment; College graduates; Education, Higher--Kentucky; Educational change--Kentucky; Educational change.; Universities and colleges--Administration.

Partial Transcript: Now one of the, one of the institutions I, uh--or we, uh, uh, adopted some policies, one was that if a, if a program is to be discontinued, then the faculty members will be, will be provided, uh, an opportunity to go to an institution for a period of time at university expense to either get some re-schooling, or to enlarge what he or she already has.

Segment Synopsis: Albright talks about some of the policies that they adopted, specifically he talks about one that ensures the faculty’s well-being in case a program is discontinued.

Keywords: Changes; Institutions; Policies; Re-schooling; Society

Subjects: College administrators; College environment; College presidents; College teachers--Social conditions; Education, Higher--Kentucky; Educational change--Kentucky; Educational change.; Universities and colleges--Administration.; Universities and colleges--Departments; Universities and colleges--Faculty.; University of Kentucky

Partial Transcript: Yeah, I, I think you're right and, uh, that's what interests me about the Roselle administration because, uh, uh, coming in with an idea of change, but yet finding how quickly change can be in a quagmire of, uh, of other types of, uh, events.

Segment Synopsis: Albright talks about the idea of change during the Roselle administration, mainly in the athletic and educational institutions.

Keywords: Aspirations; Athletics; Changes; Education; Institution; Quagmire

Subjects: College administrators; College athletes; College environment; College presidents; Education, Higher--Kentucky; Educational change--Kentucky; Educational change.; Universities and colleges--Administration.; University of Kentucky

Partial Transcript: As the, uh, journalists say, uh, about their sources...

Segment Synopsis: Albright talks about the Oswald administration and how he didn’t really know how they were spending money, a fact which he did not like.

Keywords: Administration; Debt service; Dr. John Oswald; Finances; Funding; Goals; Institutions; Jack Oswald; Money; Objectives; Plans; Strawman

Subjects: College administrators; College environment; College presidents; Education, Higher--Kentucky; Educational change--Kentucky; Universities and colleges--Administration.; Universities and colleges--Finance; University of Kentucky

Partial Transcript: I had dinner with, uh, Louie Nunn the other evening.

Segment Synopsis: Governor Louie Nunn invited Albright and his wife to dinner. They began speaking about matters that Nunn shied away from due to his lack of power at the time. Nunn told Albright that he did not regard President Oswald as a president, nor did he support most of his decisions.

Keywords: Education; Louie B. Nunn; Power; Reminiscing

Subjects: College administrators; College environment; College presidents; Education, Higher--Kentucky; Educational change--Kentucky; Governors--Kentucky; Nunn, Louie B., 1924-2004; Universities and colleges--Administration.; University of Kentucky

Partial Transcript: He said, "I want you to take the presidency of Northern Kentucky University.”

Segment Synopsis: Governor Louie Nunn offered Albright the position of president at Northern Kentucky University, but he was unable to accept it because he took a position in Belgium for the following year. Albright talks about the idea of combining University of Louisville and University of Kentucky, but the idea was dismissed by Nunn. Albright talks about how in discussions, he would never dilute his priorities or strengths, and would never turn his ideals over just for the interests of higher powers.

Keywords: Carryover; Community; Northern Kentucky University; Odds; Presidency

Subjects: College administrators; College environment; College presidents; Education, Higher--Kentucky; Educational change--Kentucky; Governors--Kentucky; Nunn, Louie B., 1924-2004; Universities and colleges--Administration.; University of Kentucky; University of Louisville

Partial Transcript: Course at the same time all this, uh, campus, uh--the campus was being stirred up by these academic changes and new programs...

Segment Synopsis: Albright talks about how the changes in society have affected the development of the university. He talks about the solutions and the actions taken to improve this situation.

Keywords: American society; Community; Developmental change; Solutions; Student population

Subjects: :Educational change.; College administrators; College environment; College students--Attitudes.; Education, Higher--Kentucky; Educational change--Kentucky; Universities and colleges--Administration.; University of Kentucky