The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-10-03
CITY OFFICIAL PAPER
THE UNIVERSITY MIDDLE.

Is there q conspiracy 20 wreck the
Washington state university How
long does Cor. Rogers propose to allow
his board OF regents TO pursue It's med
dlesome, off1cious and ruinous meth
odsg How far are politics and petty
personal ambitions TO De allowed TO al
feet the destiny OF the chief education
al institution or the slater What is the
inspiration that led these gentlemen to
usurp the functions OF the faculty. and,
without consultation with that body.
lay down rules OF conduct for profes-
sors. students and all others connected
with the institution
The plain facts appear to be that
President Edwards was dismissed be-
cause he had developed an unexpected
sense OF tbs responsibilities OF his POI
sitlon and attempted to define an edu-
cational policy that he had right to
formulate, and he could not be made
the subservient creature OF the superior
board. IL is more than likely that Pres
ident Edwards has made mistakes. and
his attitude toward the regents has not
been above criticism. but the account
ability for the present aepioraoie situa-
ton rests wholly upon the regents,
who have shown a seandalous disre-
gard for the true welfare OF the insti-
tuition. They have ignored the faculty.
Inundated the president. connived at
the underhand methods OF self-seeking
professors. and brought reproach upon
themselves, the university and the
state.
II is evident that the present board
OF regents-or the controlling members
OF the board--do not know what con-
stitutes great university. Beyond
that, they are either ignorant OF the
laws of the state which govern the uni
yerslty. or they have deliberately dis
regarded and violated them. The act
creating TIE state university expressly
rests In the faculty-or. more correctly
speaking, the several fscuuios-ths i'm
mediate government o. the institution
ana the student body. Tho policy OF
the law is in exact iine with the ap-
proved methods b. which all OF the
leading educational institutions In
Americ. are controlled. The faculty
is .he executive and the regents are adj
vlsory, and IN the broader sense. d.
rect the sehool's anai~s ard control its
finances. Imagine any OF the presi-
dents OF famous universities Low. OF
Columbia: Eliot. OF Harvard: kellogg.
OF Be- teley: Harper. OF Chicago; Jor-
dan. Of Stanford. and SO on-plsced In
any other position! They have been
able 20 build up and maintain great
colleges because they we're in fact. as
well as in name. At the head. and be-
cause they had the cooperation Of hsr-
m0uious and weil-eautpped faculties.
and. back ~ that, the confidence, ad-
vice and support Of The trustees. There
Is no ether way. Any other policy is
disastrous to she last degree.
rho people OF washington have
reason to know that lack Of harmony.
- enlightened methods, conservation
to their work by the faculty on the one
hand and unnecessary and laundering
Interference by the trustees on The
other. have been harmful % several Of
tts educational Institutions. 4 quarrel
between faculty and regents. or among
them. they know is poison 10 the life
blood q .he school They had hoped
that the state university would escape.
but Rogers Is governor. politics con
trolls the board 81 regents. and the fate
C the state university Is In TIRE balance.