Old Dominion University - Troubador Yearbook (Norfolk, VA)

Page 16 text:

Professor A1 Teich: It’s growing pains, that’s exactly what we have.” I don't believe that the community gives the respect to the university that it deserves. . . . Maybe I can give you another illustration . “Expert is always someone from out of town but we have persons over here who can conduct many of the surveys and the research programs that the university and business firms in the area hire other people outside to conduct. From time to time this university has tried to get these projects and lost them. We've made tremendous strides at Old Dominion in earlier years. . . but I don't think you find this spirit of dedication any more. . . You know there are two ways to quit: one is to leave, and one is to stay--but do nothing. And I believe that unless the administration finds a means of approaching the faculty, that a good number of the faculty will quit in one way or the other. The role of an urban university should be to supply the educational needs of the people living in the urban university. The problems of being an urban university as far as Old Dominion is concerned are great. The first thing of course is the financial problem, which basically comes around from the political problem. . . . The problem we've had at Old Dominion ever since if started is the same problem that Norfolk has had as far as the rest of the state is concerned. We’ve just been sort of the outcast historically speaking: the aristocracy lived up river, lived in Richmond or on the James plantations. Down here we had the merchant seamen and the maritime trade, and the plantation class always looked down on the merchant class. And so, as the power has shifted they’ve always looked down on us. . . . We concentrate to serve the needs of the people in this area, and so therefore we don’t have a good political base around the rest of the state. And since we don’t have that good political base, we don’t get the money we need. They’re not as sympathetic. ... Of course, one way to solve that is to establish a law school. And if you ever established a law school then you’d bring people in from outside and they, lawyers (since over half the General Assembly is made up of lawyers), are going to run for the General Assembly so we’ll not only have the votes in Norfolk . . . . we’d- have people from the rest of the state being interested in us.

Page 15 text:

The university can give to the community a number of things. Primarily it has given to the city of Norfolk a very valuable industry. . . It's really pumped a lot of new dollars into Tidewater. Secondly, the atmosphere of an academici community brings a type of intellect that is desirable in many cases. In some cases it brings an undesirable who is more interested in stirring up controversies than in finding solutions to problems, but you'll find that in any college. Those type of people seem to migrate to the academic world, but the bringing together of nine to ten thousand young people into our community is good for the community life. It gives an approach to a community that is desirable. Beyond that, you have established certain things that have been beneficial to the city—the police academy, for example. . .The community can give to the university support both through finincial assistance and through the moral support in the halls of the legislature . . . It's a two way street: I don't think you can expect the college to do everything for the community or vice versa . . We've got to work together. The university's biggest problem isthesame as facing the city of Norfolk: money. If you had the funds that have been requested by President Bugg for the expansion of your facilities and the increasing of your faculty and the raising of your faculty salaries, your major problems would be gone. The same is true for the city of Norfolk: If we had the dollars, we could do so many of the things that are necessary. Money is the primary problem, but after you get the money, you've still got the human element to work with . . . After you get the dollars, then the concern comes to a mutual understanding between the faculty, the administration, and the student body. One thing I wish Old Dominion would do, and I am confident I’ll never live longenough to see it, is get a football team that would be a winner.

Page 17 text:

When I came here fourteen years ago, I used to say that Old Dominion (then William and Mary In Norfolk) was nothing more than a glorified high school. It is now developed into a college, and Is really verging on becoming a university. The acquisition of the name “university doesn't mean that you really are one. I think we’re doing It, but as a result we have to develop an entirely new administrative structure. The old-line faculty members have to become accustomed to the newer situation. Many people came to Old Dominion who thought they were basically coming to a teaching Institution, a college. . . . Now It’s developing Into an urban university which needs teaching and research and publication. I think we have a tremendous lack of facilities for It, and you can’t really expect faculty members to teach the load that they do and do meaningful research and publication. In other words, it’s growing pains; that’s exactly what we have. I think that probably one of the most Interesting things that Old Dominion Is giving to the community right now is what e would call extension educational programs; .... It brings in an entirely new Insight to life. Old Dominion can give to the community not only a cultural uplift but it can give It an educational uplift , It can broaden the horizons of the Individuals living In the community .... This Is the whole purpose of education anyway: to introduce a person to the world around him. ... we ought to still be able to enjoy learning for the sake of learning. 1 firmly believe that the community should give more financial support. It Just isn’t doing it. . . One of the reasons they haven’t done it of course Is they’re afraid If they start picking U up then the state Is going to drop Its aid. I believe that probably the biggest problem at the current time deals with the morale of the faculty. In any time of expansion, any time you have a new administration coming In, you are going to have a radical change in the whole program and purpose of the university; you’re going to have morale problems. I do not believe that our faculty is overwhelmingly 100% in support of the current administration. They don’t understand It, they don’t know where they stand with the administration. . . I believe that there has been a drift developing Into a widening gap between the faculty and the administration. I don’t believe the faculty understands the administration and I don’t really believe the administration understands the faculty. . . I firmly believe that any administrator in the academic line should always teach. Therefore every dean should teach at least one course, every administrator and I even include the President. 1 think that its an absolute necessity that the academic administrators teach so that they can understand the problems of the teachers, the professors, and the students, and you can’t do it If you’re Isolated In an office.