UCCSN Board of Regents' Meeting Minutes
1-27-1940
Volume 5 - Pages 276-281
REGENTS MEETING
January 27, 1940
The Board of Regents met at 9:30 O'clock January 27, 1940 in
their office at the University, Regents Ross, Brown and Williams
being present. Absent: Dr. Olmsted, Mrs. Wardin.
The meeting was called to order by the Chairman.
List No. 7, Regents Checks, Nos. 9082 to 9097 inclusive for the
net sum of $51,920.51 and List No. 19, State Claims Nos. 39211
to 39231 inclusive for the net sum of $25,577.82 were, on motion
of Mr. Ross, approved by the following vote:
Judge Brown Aye
Mr. Williams Aye
Mr. Ross Aye
On motion of Mr. Ross, the minutes of the December 14, 1939 meet-
ing were approved by the following vote:
Judge Brown Aye
Mr. Williams Aye
Mr. Ross Aye
On motion of Judge Brown, the following mid-year graduates were
approved for the indicated degrees and diplomas, as recommended
by the University faculty and approved by the President:
COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCE
Bachelor of Arts
Setliffe Hunter Bourne Alberta Gould Nicoli
Verna Bullis Murrell W. Nutting
Louis Capurro La Verne Park
Leo W. Doyle Oden Romwall
Leone Kramer Arthur Simpson
Bachelor of Science
Elma May Smalley Kathleen Starratt
TEACHER'S DIPLOMA OF HIGH SCHOOL GRADE
Verna Bullis Kathleen Starratt
TEACHER'S DIPLOMA OF GRAMMER GRADE
Martha Jane Winer
COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING
Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering
Edward Frank Kuhlan George Edwin Wade
Frederick Alexander Maynard
Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering
John H. Marean
Bachelor of Science in Mining Engineering
Charles Martin Harris Samuel Greeley Wilson
John Morgan Hoffman
COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE
Bachelor of Science in Agriculture
Earl Maurice Brooks Julian Ward Mapes
Walter Chris Christensen James C. Mc Donald
Vote:
Judge Brown Aye
Mr. Williams Aye
Mr. Ross Aye
President Hartman presented the letters of appreciation for the
Regents' expressions of sympathy and flowers from the families
of Chief Justice Taber, Judge Curler and Mr. Gebhart, Mr. Hunt's
Secretary.
On motion of Mr. Williams, the Tribute in Memory of Mr. Hunt, as
approved by the Executive Committee of the Board was unanimously
adopted:
TRIBUTE IN MEMORY OF MR. S. FRANK HUNT
A westerner by adoption, Mr. S. Frank Hunt's primary in-
terests were in the mining world, where he served for over
50 years. Although very much a self-made man, he became a
master in the fields of Geology, Mineralogy and Mining.
Mr. Hunt was a practical Christian, who believed in trans-
lating divine precepts into kindly deeds and who advocated
the daily reading of the Bible by the students studying
under his foundation during Summer field trips. There is
no doubt that he himself, through long, weary years, first
as an unsuccessful prospector and later in his search for
health, found solace in the reading of The Word.
Samuel Franklin Hunt was a rugged individual possessed of
the sterling qualities of devotion to duty, loyalty to ideals
and friends, gratitude to the State from whose wastelands he
drew his fortune, kindness and generosity to those around
him and an abiding faith in youth. He was at his happy best
whenever he could assist some one over a bit of hard going
or could do something which in after years would prove of
benefit to a younger person. In his simple, unostentatious
way, he lifted the burden of debt from the back of many a
former friend and associate. Life finally dealt generously
with him only because of his untiring industry, patient
perseverance and enduring faith in the greatness of God
and man.
In the passing of S. Frank Hunt on the sixth of this month
(January) the University of Nevada lost an honest friend and
faithful helper. We, the Regents, share in the loss of a
numerous group who, through years of association, had come
to know him and to learn his worth. Of him we can truly say,
"Kind hearts are more than coronets
And simple faith than Norman blood."
On motion of Mr. Williams, the request of the Chairman of the
Committee on Scholarships and Prizes, as presented and approved
by Dr. Hartman that the catalog statement concerning the Regents'
Scholarship be amended by sustituting for the phrase "on the
basis of scholarship" (which occurs in the 2nd line of the print-
ed statement in the catalog) the words, "whose names have appear-
ed on the honor roll both semesters of the year in which the
award is made and who have been awarded no other scholarship of
greater amount" was deferred for final decision until the next
meeting.
President Hartman advised the Board that on January 15 he receiv-
ed word from Dr. C. W. Warburton, Director of Extension Work,
Washington, D. C., approving Tom Buckman's election as Acting
Director of the Nevada Agricultural Extension Department during
Dr. Creel's leave of absence, on conditions stated in Dr. Hart-
man's letter to him under date December 20, 1939.
Dr. Hartman read Mr. J. O. Elton's letter of December 16, 1939
to Mr. Carpenter and Mr. Carpenter's notes thereon concerning the
present and prospective status of the Mountain City Copper Com-
pany. It was in the judgment of 2 of the 3 members that the Uni-
versity's stock in this company should be peddled at the earliest
possible time and at the best possible market, understanding that
but a limited amount of stock would be sold by the University at
any one time, so as not adversely to affect the market.
President Hartman presented with his approval the recommendation
of Commissioner Dinsmore that Wayne B. Adams and Edward L.
Randall of his Department both be granted a salary increase of
$25 per month, payable from the Petroleum Products Inspection
Fund, and effective February 1, 1940. Mr. Adams now receives
$275 and Mr. Randall, $190 per month. Mr. Williams moved the
advances be approved as recommended. Vote:
Judge Brown Aye
Mr. Williams Aye
Mr. Ross Aye
President Hartman approved Dr. Creel's recommendation of Septem-
ber 23, 1939, which recommendation the Regents asked him to con-
sult about with Dr. Creel and to report back to them, that Mrs.
Marie Watkins be advanced in rank to Chief Clerk of Agricultural
Extension and that her salary be increased from $1860 to $1980,
payable from Federal Smith-Lever Funds, both advances to be
effective from September 1, 1939. Judge Brown moved that these
advances be granted to Mrs. Watkins. Vote:
Judge Brown Aye
Mr. Williams Aye
Mr. Ross Aye
Dr. Hartman submitted with his approval, the recommendation of
Professor Hill that J. Raymond Butterworth be elected Assistant
in English for this semester, at a salary of $750, payable in
6 equal monthly payments effective January 2, 1940. Mr. Butter-
worth earned his bachelor's degree at Syracuse University and
his master's degree at the University of Southern California and
has had 2 years' teaching experience. Professor Hill writes that
Mr. Butterworth's "preparation, his excellent personality, his
refinement and his genuine interest in the work qualify him....
for the position."
Mr. Williams moved adoption of the recommendation. Vote:
Judge Brown Aye
Mr. Williams Aye
Mr. Ross Aye
Dr. Hartman recommended the acceptance of an award by the Nevada
Livestock Production Credit Association of Reno of two cash
prizes of $75 and $25 respectively for the best and second best
papers by students of the University's College of Agriculture on
farm and livestock production credit, subject to the conditions
set forth, the initial award to be available in January or Febru-
ary, 1941 and that announcement of the award be made in the forth
coming catalog. Judge Brown moved the acceptance of the award.
Vote:
Judge Brown Aye
Mr. Williams Aye
Mr. Ross Aye
President Hartman presented the application of Mr. Joseph W.
Wilson for the position of Assistant Director of Agricultural
Extension and supporting letters, stating that he had told Mr.
Wilson that in the event Dr. Creel returned to the Directorship
and Mr. Buckman resumed the Assistant Directorship, Mr. Wilson
would be "out on a limb" and that he had advised Mr. Wilson not
to press the matter at this time.
Mr. Williams stated that it had been ruled that an officer re-
tained his lower status responsibilities during the period in
which he assumed the duties of a higher office as its Acting
Head. There is, then, apparently no vacancy.
Mr. Ross moved that the action of the President be confirmed.
Vote:
Judge Brown Aye
Mr. Williams Aye
Mr. Ross Aye
Dr. Hartman read Dean Stewart's report of January 22nd covering
his recommendations concerning the University Farm. Judge Brown
moved the report be referred to the President and the Comptroller
for investigation as to costs involved and that they report their
findings, with recommendations, to the Regents at a future meet-
ing. Vote:
Judge Brown Aye
Mr. Williams Aye
Mr. Ross Aye
President Hartman reported that he had a conference with the mem-
bers of the History Department, excepting Mr. Smith who was in
no wise involved, to inquire into Miss Wier's charge that there
was a "whispering campaign" among the faculty on the University
Campus directed against Dr. Mazour. Dr. Hartman also asked the
Dean of Arts and Science to be present and to take notes. Dr.
Hartman read his own and Dr. Wood's notes. The conference re-
sulted in the clearing of Dr. Hicks from having conducted such
"whispering campaign" but did not so clear Mr. Feemster, who
charged the Head of his Department with having violated his
confidence. Mr. Ross moved that Dr. Hartman be commended for
the way in which he had conducted this investigation. Vote:
Judge Brown Aye
Mr. Williams Aye
Mr. Ross Aye
Dr. Hartman presented printed material from the Postal Telegraph
and Cable Corporation of date January 4, 1940 and asked that
Judge Brown might give his legal advice on their proposal. On
motion of Mr. Ross, these papers were referred to Judge Brown.
Vote:
Judge Brown Aye
Mr. Williams Aye
Mr. Ross Aye
Dr. Hartman reported a 2-hour conference with Dean Hutchison of
the College of Agriculture of the University of California in his
office at Berkeley January 23rd. Among other things discussed
and in reply to President Hartman's question, Dean Hutchison re-
plied that Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics and Biology are funda-
mentals to most of the courses offered in the College of Agri-
culture at California. Dr. Hartman read to the Board the follow-
ing letter which Dean Stewart had written at his request, cover-
ing his memory of their joint conference with Dean Hutchison.
Much of Dean Stewart's letter duplicated President Hartman's
verbal report to the Board.
January 25, 1940
Dear Dr. Hartman:
In accord with your request I am submitting herewith a brief
summary of my understanding of some of the facts which were
developed at our conference with Dean C. B. Hutchison of
the College of Agriculture of the University of California
in Berkeley, January 23, 1940.
Dean Hutchison outlined to us in detail the organization of
Agricultural work in the University of California. Dean
Hutchison is Dean and Director of the College of Agriculture.
He is Head of the agricultural work in the University. There
is only one Department in the University, or rather, in the
College, and that is the Department of Agriculture and Dean
Hutchison is the Head and Professor of the Department of
Agriculture. In other words, in California the College of
Agriculture and the Department of Agriculture are synonymous
terms. The Department of Agriculture is then divided into
various divisions such as Animal Husbandry, Dairy Husbandry,
Agricultural Economics, Irrigation, Farm Management, etc.
These are divisions of the Department of Agriculture and are
not themselves Departments.
There are 4 centers of agricultural work in California, at
which all 3 phases of agricultural work - resident, teaching,
research and extension - are carried on. These are located
at Berkeley, Davis, Riverside and Los Angeles. Each one of
these centers is in the charge of an Assistant Dean who has
charge of all 3 phases of the work in those centers and is
responsible directly to Dean Hutchison.
The extension work is under the immediate direction of Di-
rector B. H. Crocheron who, in turn, is directly responsible
to and reports to Dean Hutchison. Crocheron's title is
Director of Extension.
We had a pleasant 1/2 hour conference with Director Crocheron
and he was very insistent in emphasizing the fact that Dean
Hutchison was his superior officer. Fortunately, also, the
offices of Dean Hutchison and Director Crocheron are in the
same building on the same floor and are really adjacent of-
fices. There is a wonderful spirit of coordination and co-
operation in agricultural work in the University of Califor-
nia. Both Director Crocheron and Dean Hutchison emphasized
the fact that there was daily conference between these two
men whenever problems arose which made such a conference
necessary, in fact, Director Crocheron stated that he often
consulted with the Dean several times during the day on
certain problems.
Director Crocheron emphasized the fact that all employees
in the extension division are employed by the University
Board of Regents and were paid from funds exclusively under
the Regents' control. Most of the employees of the extension
division were classified as extension specialists and while
they had certain tenure of office, they did not have Uni-
versity classification as members of the faculty. Some of
the earlier members of the extension division, that is, those
who were employed some 15 years ago, were classified as As-
sistant Professors, Instructors, etc. The more recent em-
ployees are not so classed. However, all these employees are
eligible for retirement under the University pension program.
Director Crocheron stated that he had in his safety deposit
box a letter from the University Comptroller stating that
when he reached the age of 70 years, he would be eligible
for a pension which might equal 2/3 of his salary received
while in active service, provided it did not exceed $4000
per year. Director Crocheron stated that he had contributed
nothing to a fund to provide for this pension, but that the
pension for him and many other would be paid for out of the
current University budget at the time of retirment when the
University would buy him an immediate annuity in a life
insurance company of Crocheron's own choosing. Director
Crocheron stated that all the more recent employees of the
University were required to contribute 5% of their salaries
for the establishment of a fund to provide for future pen-
sions.
Dean Hutchison emphasized and reemphasized the fact that the
College of Agriculture consisted of 3 essential divisions:
resident teaching, experiment station or research work, and
extension service. He stated that he could not conceive of
a successful attempt being made to establish a College of
Agriculture that was deprived of the close association with
those who are interested primarily in research and extension
work. He stated that some members of his staff who had spe-
cial attributes for a certain type of work would devote their
time exclusively to research or extension as the case might
be. He stated that many members of his staff combine the
research with teaching to the mutual advantage of the man
doing the work, the student body and the University.
A number of years ago the work in the Riverside center was
devoted exclusively to research, and resident teaching was
not carried on at that place. When he first attempted to
have these men at Riverside give some instruction in experi-
mental work to students who were primarily interested in
research, he had some difficulty in getting his men, who had
previously devoted their time exclusively to research, to do
some teaching. They resented the presence of students and
objected having their research thoughts disturbed by having
students lying around under foot asking annoying questions.
This difficulty has been now overcome at Riverside and the
men there now welcome the opportunity to do some instruc-
tional work and, as a result, they are better research men.
Whenever a member of his staff has to do research and
teaching, he is, of course compensated for his service from
research or instructional funds on a pro rata basis.
Dean Hutchison also emphasized the fact that the flocks,
herds, soil plots, etc. were available for and used by all
members of the staff for research, teaching or demonstration
work. He could not conceive, for example, of the necessity
of maintaining a dairy herd exclusively for experimental
work. It was just a matter of plain common sense and economy
to use such a dairy herd owned by the University, for re-
search, instructional purposes and extension work as the
case may be. In the same manner, flocks of poultry and
sheep, herds of beef cattle and agronomic soil plots served
this triple use.
I was very much impressed, as a result of our conference,
not only with the close coordination of the agricultural
work of the University of California, but by the excellent
spirit of good will, cooperation and mutual respect and
confidence that prevails there.
Respectfully submitted,
Robert Stewart, Dean
College of Agriculture
Chairman Ross showed the Regents and the President an enlarge-
ment he had had made of a photograph of the first student body,
faculty and janitor of the University, which enlarged photograph
he plans to have framed and hung in their office at the Univer-
sity.
Unless the Chair calls an earlier meeting, the Commencement meet-
ing on May 11th will be the next Board meeting.
Adjourned.
Silas E. Ross
Chairman
Carolyn M. Beckwith
Secretary