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TheS PECTI^UM Vol. 21, No. 3 State University of New York at Buffalo Friday, Juim 26.1970 by Janice Doane Contributing Editor getting their response to Dr. Keter back to Albany before the Board of Trustees makes their decision.” straight-forwardness of the man and of his answers,\ Mr. Rosen said. “He seemed to have the courage of his convictions and came right out and said what he felt. “We skirted the issue of ‘order’,” Mr. Rosen continued. “However Dr. Kettcr promised that he would be on the scene at the sign of any disruption. If someone would have been on the scene all this violence would have been unnecessary.” “On the issue of the Colleges (the Collegiate System) he said that they have not developed along the lines originally envisioned,” Mr. Rosen added. By a 12-2 vote, the Board of Trustees of the State University of New York elected Dr. Robert L. Ketter, 41, as the new president of the State University of Buffalo. The Board announced its decision following a meeting Wednesday morning in New York City. Dr. Ketter, Department of Engineering and current chairman of the Hearing Committee on Campus Disruptions, will assume his presidential responsibilities on July 1 at a salary of $40,000. He has formerly served this University as dean of the Graduate School and vice-president for Facilities Planning. President Martin Meyerson has issued the following statement: “As colleagues, Robert Ketter and I worked closely together in developing new directions for the State University of New York at Buffalo and in planning its Amherst campus. I extend to him my best wishes and congratulations on becoming President of this great University, distinguished for the caliber of its students and faculty, and for its historic traditions of academic freedom and aspiration. Though my resignation takes effect the beginning of July, I am ready to aid President-elect Robert Ketter and the University at Bufalo which means to much to me.” “When you’re representing 5000 students, an hour isn’t enough to get a total picture of the man” Graduate Student Association President Michael Rosen said. § Opinions of Dr. Ketter reached from the consultations ranged from a favorable reaction from the Graduate Student Association to a statement by the Student Association that Dr. Ketter is a “totally unacceptable candidate.” I a o Law and order “Personnally I do not feel that my own question was answered in any specific way,” Dr. connolly said. Dr. Ketter answered my question concerning the structure of the University by saying only that it ‘needed attention’. This seemed to be underlying the original question.” At Dr. Ketter’s meeting with seven Provosts and two University-wide Deans, two different issues seemed to be at stake, according to Eric Larrabee, Provost of Faculty of Arts and Letters. These were on the one hand “each individual’s opinion of Dr. Ketter and on the other the way that the consultation was handled.” ‘The University Council was looking for a ‘law and order’ type of candidate,” John Charles, Acting Student Association President said. “In Dr. Ketter they found him.” Oh d Rushed consultation “Many were not at all satisfied with the consulting procedure” Dr. Larrabee said. “It was very hurried and not adequate at all.” Although Dr. Larrabee would not comment on his own personal position, he mentioned several issues raised at his meeting. “Dr. Ketter feels strongly that he does have administrative ability and that he can talk meaningfully across the barriers,” Dr. Larrabee said. “He made it clear that he would be a man on the scene. Conference held Tuesday Dr. Ketter met with several representative campus groups before his election at a hastily called series of conferences Tuesday afternoon. The meetings, held at the request of Chancellor Gould, gave each group an opportunity to question Dr. Ketter and express their opinions to him. The seven representative groups included Student Association, the Executive Committee of the Faculty Senate, the Graduate Student Association, the Council of Provost and Deans, and the Civil Service Employees Association. g 'O <D C/2 “He also claims that he is devoted to the College idea (the Collegiate plan) and said that he has defended the principal of it.” As to the possibility of an exodus of academically distinguished people should Dr. Ketter be selected as President, Dr. Larrabee said that “several of the Provost questioned this and the academic quality of an University run by Dr. Ketter. “Both the governor and the chancellor have said that a University President should have the distincition of his own area and further opinions on education,” Dr. Larrabee said. “A ‘law and order’ man is not what will solve the problems of this University,” Mr. Charles continued. “Although he may be qualified, his simple presence can do more harm than good.” The Student Association sent a telegram after their consultation to the Board of Trustees. It stated; “The Student Association met with Dr. Ketter today. Our initial reaction finds him totally unacceptable. His attitude and reputation are such that his appointment as SUNYAB President will severely increase and in fact provoke campus unrest.” The Faculty Executive Committee adopted a resolution after their consultation which they sent as a telegram to the Board of Trustees in Albany. It read as follows: “The Executive Committee does not feel it appropriate to express an opinion of any candidate for the Presidency of the State University of New York at Buffalo. S3 is »ne Executive Committee does however regret that in its opinion, full and adequate consultation with the Executive Committee in the selection of a President of the State University of New York at Buffalo has not occured.” “In our interview he seem completely bland and talked in generalities,” Mr. Charles said. “He very neatly skirts around answers whenever possible.” “1 believe he’ll make an honest attempt to communicate with students, but his idea of where students are and where they are really at is two entirely different things.” Civil Service opinion Dr. Ketter also met with nine Civil Service Employees. The majority of the University staff are Civil Service employees. “The man seems capable and one who would do a very good job as President,\ Ed Dudek, one of these employees who met with Dr. Ketter said. Vh a <D Hurried meetings The hurried .nature of the consultations, with each meeting lasting only one hour, was also criticized by other groups. ‘The nature of the meetings seemed brusque in regard to the seriousness of the situation,” Eric Larabee, Provost of the Faculty of Arts and Letters said. “The procedure wasn’t adequate enough.” “Personally I feel that these meetings came unfortunately very very late,” Thomas Connolly, Vice Chairman of the Faculty Senate commented. “I do not know how much success these groups would have in “1 was satisfied with the answers that he gave to our questions,” Mr. Dudek mentioned. “He answered them in the same way I imagine Acting President Regan would have.” Attributing the negative reputation Dr. Ketter has received as coming from a small segment of the students, Mr. Dudek said: “I myself served on the Ketter Commission and found his actions as head very fair.” Straight-forward man Graduate Student Association Chairman, Michael Rosen, after his consultation with Dr. Ketter said that the nominee had “some number of good points,” and that the GSA members on the whole seemed to “have no violent opposition to the candidate. “What impressed all of us was the
