Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-04-10
DIR. GROSE UPHELD.
Action of the Trustees of the University of
South Dakota.

Action of the Trustees of the University OF
South Dakota.
To the Editor of The Dispatch:
AS have many friends in Pittsburg who will
desire to know the truth about the university
trouble, and as all reports hitherto sent out
have been by students and not at all truthful,
trust that as matter of news, as well as
justice. you will print the enclosed statement
made by the trustees of the university. There
would have been no trouble but for one OF two
professors, who knew they were to be dismissed
by the trustees, and set to work with some Of
the students to injure me. H. B. GRosE.
Official Statement of the Trustees.
The Board of Regents, after carefully con-
sidering the University case, decided to keep
the University open. In order to make the
condition of things as favorable as possible, the
board reinstated the suspended students, this
TO take effect at the beginning of next term.
The President of the Board gave the three
suspended students present some sound advice,
saying that the board had by n means indorsed
their course, but regarded their future, and
should expect them henceforth to be law-abid-
ing citizens. The disciplinary action of the
trustees was sustained and approved.
The following resolution, indicating where
the Regents laid the chief censure for the U nj
Verslty troubles, was unanimously passed:
"WHEREAS, There have been brought to the
attention of this board certain facts which
relate to the management of the State Uni
versity at Vermillion; it has been
Resolved l. Not to close the University. 2.
The board regrets the unfortunate conjunction
of events which resulted in the petition from
the students, addressed to the Regents, and the
request of certain members of the faculty, ad
dressed to the President of the Faculty. desir-
ing his resignation This request seems TO the
Regents to lead to the subversion of discipline
In the University. and in so far to be decidedly
rah hnn eTsN
the maintenance of discipline, in which the
President may be considered to represent the
authority devolved upon the Board of Regents"
Their Course Strongly Censured.
The members of the faculty present were
informed by President Edgerton that the board
was unanimous in its censure of their course,
and that the resolution represented the mider
sentiments of the members; that some men,
bers favored terms very much more emphatic.
He asked if they were willing to accept the
conditions and continue their work in proper
cooperation with the President, and they as.
sented.
The following resolution, disposing of the
petition, was presented by the trustees as their
unanimous action, and the resolution sustain
ing and indorsing the President. was also
adopted by the Regents:
"WHEREAS, The students of the University
have presented to this board a petition asking
that the President be not reelected for another
year, on the ground that his personal influence
scholarship and executive ability are not such
as to inspire the confidence and enlist the CO.
operation of the faculty. students and general
public; in support of this, offering merely the
general assertions that there is great dissatis-
faction with the President among the students;
that there has been q marked decline of in
terest in the University and it's work. and that
there has been a decline of public confidence
and interest in the University throughout q
large portion of the people of the State!
therefore,
Resolved, That, in the opinion of the board,
the grounds of the petition are not we'll taken,
and the assertions made in support of them
are contrary to the facts. The trustees have
carefully watched the administration of the
University, and wish to bear the highest testi-
mony to the executive ability, personal
character and scholarly qualifications of the
President"
A Very Prosperous Year.
The past year has been one of remarkable
smoothness in the conduct of affairs. The
board and President labored under the embar-
rassment of a greatly reduced appropriation,
yet the year IS regarded by the board as in
every way prosperous; the thorough work, Or
der and earneStness were remarked upon favor.
ably by the Regents in their report; the enroll
ment of students was almost as large as in the
year preceding; the University was steadily
growing in the esteem and confidence OF the
people, and there was every reason to expect a
prosperous future. The board met on the 10th
OF March, and the members visited classes and
made investigation of affairs generally finding
them in most satisfactory condition. For
nearly Il week the Executive Committee was in
daily session, with no intimatIon of anything
but the best feeling between the students
anu the President The board Is unable
to account for the sudden outbreak among
the students on any grounds contained
IN the petition, and unable also to recon-
cile the position taken by the majority of the
faculty i'll countenancing, approving and thus
a6etting condition of affairs which by their
admission to the board could only result in in
jury and probable ruin to the University. The
board desires in this public manner to express
its appreciation of the efficient and satisfactory
service of the President, and of the dignified
and right attitude which he has maintained In
the present trying circumstances.
The Regents decided to hold special meet
ing the last of May, and postponed till then the
consideration of the Quesi ion of faculty for all
five of the institutions under their charge
Regent Brandt, Chairman of the University
Committee of the Board of Regents was in
structed to visit the University and arrange
affairs for the ensuing term SO as to bring ex-
penditures within the appropriation
VERMILL1oN. s. D., April 6.