Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1899-09-12

over, the reception was in no sense my
reception, and was as far as possible
from being private" reception.
7. The action of the board in abol-
ishing the Office of vice president was
not taken on my recommendation, and
I would greatly prefer to make no ref
erence to it, but my silence would
doubtless be misconstrued by some per-
sons, and it therefore seems desirable
to included some reference to it IN TINS
statement. The matter referred TO IN
your editorial as the cause OF the aDoil-
ton of the vice presidency was not
even mentioned, so far as | can re-
member, by any member of the board
at the August meeting, at which the
action was taken. Two considerations
were urged by members of the board
for taking the step: first, that there
were no particular duties for the vice
president to perform. and the additional
salary paid might therefore better be
saved to the State; and, second, that
in the absence of the president OF the
University, the vice president, assum-
ing the functions of the president, APP
proved bills which neither the presi-
QSnI VI Tic Univ Cl Sly AlO1 liz OCAAO VI
regents were willing to have approved.
This fact was brought out by questions
put to me by a member of the board
who was on the committee TO audit the
accounts. | was reluctant to answer
the questions put to me-. but upon be-
ing required to reply | did so, and the
result was that the fact came out that
the vice president had, in my absence,
and without my knowledge, approved,
as acting president, certain accounts
which l had previously declined to APP
prove on the ground that they were not
necessary expenditures. The board de-
sires to hold some one official respons-
ible for the expenditures of the Uni
versity, and therefore ordered, long
ago, that no accounts should be paid
unless approved by the president of the
/ University. In order to secure uni
formity of action, and to make the re-
sponsibility certain and definite, the
suggestion was made to abolish the
office of vice president, and this sugges-
ton was adopted by unanimous vote.
1t was an expedient to secure greater
uniformity in administration of the fin
ances and to centralize responsibility
for expenditures.
The press of the State has usually
been most helpful to the University.
1t is to be regretted that information
is not sought at the University itself
by all the papers, instead of giving
credence to unfounded rumors. The
records and accounts of the University
are always open to inspection by any
one who desires to see them. Informa-
ton will always be given to the Reg
lister or any other paper in the State
regarding any feature of the University
work. Is it too much to hope that rea-
sonable efforts to ascertain the truth
will be made before incorrect state
ments are printed in reputable papers?
The University is having the largest
attendance in its history; its work Is
growing in every direction; it has a
board of regents composed of upright,
self-sacrificing men, who are sssxing al
most infinite pains to guard the inter
ests of the University and the State at
every turn. If the press of the State
will help it in its work, by making
only statements which have been care
fully authenticated, the University will
be able to make rapid strides forward,
and to serve the State with ever in
creasing usefulness.
Very truly yours.
JEROME H. RAYMOND.