Western Front - 1974 December 10

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DECEMBER WINDS — With winter here, this scene of wind and rain on Bellingham Bay may become quite common. — photo by John McCartney
Vice president finds Western stay'depressing'
by CONNIE TEDROW
Packing his things in preparation for his move
to Wisconsin, Jerry Anderson, vice president for
academic affairs, admitted his stay at Western has
been "one of psychological and economic
depression."
"I've enjoyed it here," Anderson said, "but I
would have preferred to come at a different
time."
"The problems Western has been through
during the past 16 months are the result of
circumstances prior to that time," Anderson said.
"I checked Western out before deciding to
come here, but I found the problems were much
greater when I got on board than I could
visualize."
Anderson, who resigned his post effective Dec.
20, will begin his new position as Vice
Chancellor at the University of Wisconsin at
Oshkosh Jan. 6.
Anderson predicted good news for Western in
next year. "I think the legislature will approve
one to two salary increases for faculty members
next year." he said. "It looks inevitable to me. I
wish there had been more good news like that,
while I was here."
Additional promising news for Western,
according to Anderson, is the reinstatement of
faculty members "let go" during the
Reduction-in-Force (RIF) policy for 1975-76,
based on what he termed, "grossly inaccurate
state projected enrollment figures. Western will
have 35 to 45 more faculty positions," he said.
College enrollment at Western will stabilize at
8,600, Anderson said, and further emphasized
that prediction by saying, "University status (for
Western) seems inevitable to me. In the next
legislative session the image of Western will
drastically change. It will become Western
Washington University."
In summary Anderson said, "My God, now it
happens, But I am delighted it has, if it had only
happened sooner. We've gone from the depths of
depression to a period of stabilization — if not
growth," he said. "Who would have predicted
this stabilization 12-15 months ago?"
Anderson, however, is not completely pleased
with the advancements made at Western during
his stay. "I am still very concerned about the
lack of trust on this campus," he said. "The
mentality of some members of the campus that
all administrators are to be mistrusted is a real
concern."
"I accept criticism, but I don't give up my
rights," Anderson said, referring to phone threats
and defamation of character statements he
claimed were made against him.
"I have received anonymous threatening
phone calls to my home regarding things I had
nothing to do with," he stated. "Some of these
calls included harrassment of my family."
Anderson claimed he had a "good idea" where
the calls were coming from, but refused to reveal
this information.
Anderson carefully outlined improvements
made at Western during his stay. One of these
was the development of an academic planning
process, a system which Anderson said, "Had we
had it before, we could have predicted the future
much better, and if not avoided, at least lessened
the economic problems of this year."
Another was the establishment of a
Human-Services program, enabling students to
receive external degrees for their work outside
the Western campus.
Others listed were a change in summer session
offerings, the completion of the Whidbey Island
branch of the institution, the Bridge Program in
Fairhaven, the Seattle-Urban Center which acts as
an extended classroom for students, and the
internal approval of a Ph.D. program in
psychology.
There has been a myriad of improvements,
Anderson said, even under the economic
depression. "I have difficulty thinking of anyone
that has had the problems Western has this past
year," he said.
"I am delighted the new president and vice
president will have a much more pleasant
environment to work within," he said.
JERRY ANDERSON
inside... ^
Student living: available alternatives
Both campus and community housing are examined in
this week's Frontscope. See pg. 8.
Parody: North Pole Scrooge
The Western Front takes a comical look at behind the
scenes Christmas preparations with reports from our
correspondents at the North Pole. See pg. 5.
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