Interview with James Wilson Holsinger, Jr., February 13, 2019

Partial Transcript: Okay, it's, uh--I know the date because tomorrow's Valentine's Day.

Segment Synopsis: This segment covers the interviewer’s first question: what do you see as the challenges faced by the press and suggestions you have to overcome them? This segment shares other important details, such as the age of the press and the efforts made to expand the capabilities of the press.

Keywords: Consortia; Funding; Funding ideas; Kansas; Mississippi; Presses; University of Kentucky Press; University presses

Subjects: College publications; Education, Higher--Kentucky; Mississippi; Universities and colleges.; University Press of Kentucky; University of Kentucky; University of Kentucky. Press

Partial Transcript: Now what we have now is in the last General Assembly, uh, the Governor recommended not funding the press, uh, which was getting about a $680,000 supplement of state funds through the University of Kentucky.

Segment Synopsis: This segment covers the University's belief that all the consortium members should have a role in funding the deficit of the press. Members created the Clark Foundation to fund the University Press of Kentucky until the state legislature approves funding for the press through the government.

Keywords: 501c3; Academic presses; Budgets; Clark Foundation; College campuses; Consortia; Consortium members; Deficits; Editors; Expenses; Fiscal year; Funding; Fundraising; Governors; Grants; Institutions; Legislature; Mississippi; State funds; University of Kentucky Press; University presses

Subjects: College publications; Education, Higher--Kentucky; Universities and colleges.; University Press of Kentucky; University of Kentucky; University of Kentucky. Press

Partial Transcript: The, uh, the question becomes is it time to, after 50 years, to look as--is there a different model the press could be organized under that would, uh, give it more flexibility?

Segment Synopsis: This segment covers the ideas Holsinger has for overcoming funding concerns, including receiving state funding (501c3), fundraising, and modeling after Mississippi’s press funding solution. According to Holsinger, the press can be separately created as a 501c3, a type of non-profit organization, to receive funding directly from the state. If the University of Kentucky press transitioned to a 501c3, the press would continue to have support through the University's administrative agencies.

Keywords: 501c3; Academic presses; Budgets; Consortia; Consortium; Funding; Grant agencies; Mississippi; Non-profit organizations; State funding; University Press of Mississippi; University of Kentucky Press; University presses

Subjects: College publications; Education, Higher--Kentucky; Mississippi; Universities and colleges.; University Press of Kentucky; University of Kentucky; University of Kentucky. Press

Partial Transcript: A, and I've offered already to do it with--(clears throat)--with funding coming from other institutions is that any book that is...

Segment Synopsis: Holsinger discusses other possible ways to keep the University Press of Kentucky operational through charitable donations and state funding. He discusses the legal ramifications that would arise if the press were to close while books are still in the process of being published.

Keywords: Books; Clark Foundation; Committees; Copyright; Editorials; Faculty; Funds; Institutions; Legislature; Ownership; Peer review process; Publishing; Republicans; Staff; University of Kentucky Press; University presses

Subjects: College publications; Education, Higher--Kentucky; Mississippi; Universities and colleges.; University Press of Kentucky; University of Kentucky; University of Kentucky. Press

Partial Transcript: Aren't there enough Republicans on the Clark Foundation to get the state to put state money through the Clark Foundation for this?

Segment Synopsis: The interviewer asks follow-up questions about the funding crisis and Republican politicians' relationship with the Clark Foundation. Holsinger states that the Clark Foundation’s role is to work with the legislature (in conjunction with 16 members of the consortium) to gain funding. The press has to wait until 2020 for the funding to be approved; until then, the press has to find another source of funding.

Keywords: Budgets; Clark Foundation; Funding; Legislature; Republicans; University of Kentucky Press; University presses

Subjects: College publications; Education, Higher--Kentucky; Mississippi; Universities and colleges.; University Press of Kentucky; University of Kentucky; University of Kentucky. Press

Partial Transcript: Um, the news has been full of, uh, the issue of a, a southern medical school and racial issues.

Segment Synopsis: This segment addresses the racial controversy surrounding Eastern Virginia Medical school in the 1980s. Holsinger gives input into how he feels regarding the matter. He talks about two senior medical students being accused of wearing blackface and one other senior possibly being accused of sexual assault. Holsinger says this comes as a surprise to him due to it occurring in the 1980s, far past the civil rights movement.

Keywords: 1980s; Accusations; Blackface; Controversy; Doctorates; Hugo Black; Ku Klux Klan (KKK); Medical schools; Politics; Post modernism; Race; Racial issues; Sexual assault; Yearbooks

Subjects: African Americans--Social conditions.; College environment; College students--Attitudes.; College students--Conduct of life.; College students--Social conditions; Eastern Virginia Medical School; Race discrimination.; Race.; Racism; United States--Race relations.; Universities and colleges.

Partial Transcript: Yeah, so as a, as a doctor and a mej--medical educator, one of the deeper issues in all of this, uh, and we've seen it play out in the media is that, uh, do these, uh, young doctors, uh, if they have these stereotypes in their, in their lives at that time, do they in any way carry this into their treatment of patients and make assumptions about patients whether, uh, patients of a different race, patients of a different ethnicity, a different religion...

Segment Synopsis: This segment poses a question feeding off the previous topic of racial issues regarding doctors. Holsinger believes doctors want to treat their patients as human beings. He responds to an article saying doctors couldn't treat LGBTQ+ patients with the same sensitivity as they do their other patients, but he states, "You treat people as human beings, and you care for them and about them. That's part of being a doctor." He states that employees treating patients as they would a family member is the key to a successful organization.

Keywords: Doctors; Gender issues; Health care organizations; Homophobia; Hospitals; LGBTQ+; Medical field; Organizations; Patients; People of color; Racial issues; Treatment and care

Subjects: African Americans--Social conditions.; Gender Issues.; Minorities.; Physicians; Prejudices.; Race discrimination.; Racism; United States--Race relations.

Partial Transcript: And you know I had a chance to run a, a VA medical center that was the premiere hospital in the system.

Segment Synopsis: Holsinger covers his accomplishments within his field, stating he never intended to go into the medical field but overall is satisfied with how it turned out. He also includes how he got his medical inspiration from his great uncle. Holsinger had the chance to run a VA Medical Center (which was the premiere hospital in the system), take over the University of Kentucky's medical center from Peter Bozinworth, and construct a new Health and Family Services Cabinet.

Keywords: Army Reserves; Careers; Department of Veterans Affairs; Doctors; Hospitals; Medical care; Peter Bozinworth; VA Medical Center

Subjects: Medicine.; Physicians; University of Kentucky; University of Kentucky. Medical Center

Partial Transcript: And we haven't really talked yet about my Army career but, uh, when I moved to, to Gainesville, Florida in 1968 they were just forming a, um, an Army, um, medical company, um, a medical clearing company, and I became its first commander.

Segment Synopsis: Holsinger delves into his career in the army starting in his late 20s, spanning 30 years. Moving to Gainesville, Florida, he started his career where he applied the skills the army gave him to opportunities he was presented, such as forming a medical clearing company in 1968. He then progressed to 1st commander and received a career development award from the VA.

Keywords: 1968; Commanders; Department of Veterans Affairs; Gainesville (Fla.); Gainesville, Florida; Houston (Tex.); Houston, Texas; Medical Caring Company; Medical clearing company; Medical schools; Research; Surgical residents; VA Hospital; VA Medical Center; Vietnam

Subjects: Florida.; Military service, Voluntary.; Physicians; Surgery.; Texas.; United States. Army.

Partial Transcript: For example--(interviewer coughs)--when I did, uh, a, uh, a master's thesis--

Segment Synopsis: Holsinger’s master's thesis was written about a VA project in which he inquired how much the VA could collect if they could bill and collect for third party reimbursement. In total, he found the VA could collect one billion dollars if they billed, which in 1981 was passed through Congress and allowed. In his time as a state surgeon working with the Nebraska National Guard and going to Omaha from 1972-1974, he did a staff study to investigate the hearing problems of the Gama Goat drivers. This study led to better hearing protection for the drivers and a promotion to lieutenant colonel for Holsinger.

Keywords: Advanced Inventory Officers Course; Billing; Congress; Department of Veterans Affairs; Gama Goat; Hearing problems; I-80; Lieutenant colonels; Master's degrees; Master's thesis; National Guard; Nebraska; Omaha Nebraska; Projects; State General; State Surgeon; VA Medical Center; Veterans Affairs

Subjects: Military service, Voluntary.; Money.; National guard; Nebraska.; Physicians; United States. Army.

Partial Transcript: Well, one of the things I like to, uh, ask people toward the end of their life history, uh, that they've shared is, uh, what you're most proud of in your life.

Segment Synopsis: Holsinger's proudest moments surround his highly accomplished wife and four daughters. His wife has a PhD in management, a minor in marketing, a couple of master's degrees, and a short successful career in seminary. He has 4 daughters, two with a PhD, one is an ordained deacon in the United Methodist Church, and one is a biology teacher at a Kentucky community college and is an author.

Keywords: Administration; Biology teachers; Careers; Classrooms; Community colleges; Counselors; Daughters; Education; Family; Grandchildren; Granddaughters; Grandsons; High school students; Kentucky Community College; Lawyers; Management; Medical schools; Ordained deacons; PhD; Seminary; Teaching; United Methodist Church; University; Wars; Wife

Subjects: Community colleges.; Doctor of philosophy degree.; Families.; Kentucky.; Lawyers; Teachers

Partial Transcript: Anything else you're proud of?

Segment Synopsis: Holsinger states that he’s proud of how he has been able to make a difference in the lives of others. That, for him, spans a broad range from his patients, overseeing people in organizations, to helping rebuild the U.S Army after the Vietnam War. He became heavily involved in administration and at the end of his career he was able to go back and teach at the college of public health for 12 years.

Keywords: Army; Careers; Organizations; U.S Army; United States; Vietnam War; War

Subjects: Patients; Physicians; Public health.; United States.

Partial Transcript: You know, uh, last time Jim, uh, you were, uh--we had a great conversation about the role of religion in your life...

Segment Synopsis: The United Methodist Church created controversy for Holsinger; at one point he was accused of suing the church when actually the church had sued the foundation he was a chair member of. The church and the Good Samaritan Foundation went through legal battles over the control of certain funds, which at the time were going to various places such as the Good Samaritan College of Nursing clinic. Holsinger was also accused of funneling money to the University of Kentucky even though it occurred before he served on the board.

Keywords: Arbitration; Association of Theological Schools of the United States and Canada; Board of trustees; Chancellors; Churches; Controversy; Deals; Funneling money; Good Samaritan College of Nursing; Good Samaritan Foundation; Healthcare; Medical centers; Methodist churches; Surgeon General

Subjects: Church.; Methodist; Physicians; University of Kentucky

Partial Transcript: Okay, here's, here's another one.

Segment Synopsis: Asbury Theological Seminary attempted to remove Holsinger from the board for being a board member of the Association of Theological schools of U.S and Canada because the association was investigating the accreditation of the seminary and it posed a conflict of interest. This added to the already complex relationship Holsinger had with religion in his career and eventually led to his resignation from the board of Asbury Theological Seminary, stating they were asking him to be less than truthful with regulatory agencies.

Keywords: Association of Theological Schools; Board of Trustees; Seminary; Trustees

Subjects: Asbury Theological Seminary; Canada.; Religion.

Partial Transcript: 'Cause of the World--being a part of the officers of World Methodist Council, when we gave Nelson Mandela the World Methodist Peace award, uh, I had a chance to meet Nelson Mandela.

Segment Synopsis: Holsinger reflects on the many significant interactions he had with influential people through the United Methodist Church. He met Nelson Mandela when Mandela was awarded the World Methodist Peace Award. He also encountered former president of Macedonia, Boris Trajkovski, as well as head of the Catholic Church, St. Pope John Paul II.

Keywords: Accreditation; Agency; Asbury Seminary; Asbury Theological Seminary; Board members; Board of trustees; Canada; Conflicts; Degrees; Democratic Freedom Party; Executive committees; Macedonia; Nelson Mandela; Orthodox Christians; Pope; Schools; Seminary; St. John Paul II; Theology; Treasurer; Trustees; United Theological Seminary; World Methodist Council

Subjects: Accreditation; Asbury Theological Seminary; Canada.; Religion.; Theology.

Partial Transcript: Well the question that pops into my head, Jim, is that, you know, I, I want you to fess up: is there anything you've ever done just halfway?

Segment Synopsis: Holsinger approaches every task he signs up for with sincerity and devotion. He elaborates that each major part of his life, from joining the Army to marriage, was him entering into a covenant to give that particular thing his all. In talking about his covenants, there is a small side conversation brought up about the time Holsinger was almost not granted clearance in a project in the Army. This issue was due to a pen pal relationship with a Soviet Union cardiologist, even though the conversations were strictly based on the similarities they had in the medical field.

Keywords: Army; Careers; Churches; Clearance; Covenants; Jobs; Marriage; Methodist churches

Subjects: Letters.; Pen pals.; Physicians; Religion.; Soviet Union.