University of Alaska Fairbanks - Denali Yearbook (Fairbanks, AK)

Page 29 text:

Neil Humphrey August 1977 - December 1977 Foster Diebold December 1977 - July 1979 The decade of the 70 ' s began with the conclusion of William Wood ' s reign as President of the University of Alaska. As a Polar Star editorial said upon his resignation in 1973, Wood will be the last great administrative autocrat and with him will go a big piece of the machine. The financial controversy which surrounded the conclusion of his 13-year tenure as president left a haunting legacy for later presidents. During the last three years of his term, the students had only recently forgotten that he was responsible dissolving their only effective and powerful tool, their student corporation (1964). Students again found themselves subject to what appeared to be administrative fiat. After initiating a plan for a student union building in the mid-sixties, and securing a loan from the legislature in the early 70 ' s, students were dismayed to discover that their designs for the building were discarded, they had no effective voice in the administration of their Union, and that their building would be named the Wood Campus Center. Robert Hiatt was the next president of the university. In I974, after calling for cuts in a number of academic programs, students donned black armbands in protest. Under his administration the university ' s problems with millions of dollars in cash-flow became public. In the turmoil he resigned and Charles Ferguson assumed the interim position. Neil Humphrey was hired but soon resigned. After three months of exceptionally hard work by my staff and me, I conclude that the financial and administrative problems of the University are not correctable at this time. ..the university has, unfortunately, been very poorly administered in recent years, he stated. Foster Diebold was selected by the regents to serve a limited term. It was hoped that he would bring the university to a point of financial and administrative accountability. During his term a national search for a permanent president led to the appointment of Jay Barton. President Barton has labored to bring the university out of the crisis period of the 70 ' s and favorably into the new decade. He has reestablished the fiscal and administrative accountability. His planning process has integrated students in a way never contem- plated by his predecessors. By initiating policies of student and faculty participation and by developing good rapport with state authorities Barton has made the future of the university look bright. Jay Barton July 1979 - current By Bill Zybach History 25

Page 28 text:

Presidents of the University during the past 1 years William Wood 1960 - June 1973 Robert Hiatt July 1973 - February 1977 Charles Ferguson Interim, February 1977 - August 1977 24 History

Page 30 text:

26 Activities ..