The San Francisco call., 1906-05-09

BIG LOSER
BY QUAKE
CuTtdilment Of Income Is
Disastrous to State
Institution.
Faculty Must Be Cut Down
or Members Salaries
Reduced.
Able Educators Likely to
Accept Offers From Out
side Colleges.

side Colleges.
The authorities Of the University of
California have just taken stock and
the result shows that the institution
has lost far more through the San
Francisco fire than the earlier figures
showed. In fact, the loss will be SO
heavy that the college will be serious.
ly crippled. The regents are soon to
meet to seek a solution Of the diff
Guilty. Hopkins Institute was de-
stroyed, but the more serious loss will
come through the great reduction in
the income Of the college.
The university owned large struc-
lures In San Francisco which yielded
revenue Of 100000 year. It also
had control Of large part of the Doe
estate. OF this estate $4,000 had
been set aside for a new library build.
ing. The site had been chosen and
the plans were being drawn up. It is
now feared that not more than
100000 will be available for the new
library.
The loss which Is causing the most
anxiety is the curtailment Of the uni.
versity income. The fire has cut
down the assessabale property to
such an extent that the college will
suffer to the extent of $4,000 annual.
ly. With the loss Of income from
buildings Of 100000 the Berkeley in.
stitution will receive $4,000 less a
year than formerly.
The cost Of maintaining the college
is at present about 100000 yearly.
OF this sum about 100000 goes for
administration. repairs on buildings,
apparatus. machinery and the employ
ment of ground laborers and janitors.
It will not be possible to make any
great reduction in this expense. The
remaining 100000 goes for the teach
ing force, and here Is where the re-
trenchment will be made.
It either means; that the faculty
must be cut down third or the pro-
fessors must accept reduced salaries.
Under existing conditions the profes-
sors are greatly underpaid. They re-
ceiye barely enough to pay their
household expenses and where the
families are large the professors must
carry work on the outside to meet
both ends.
Heads Of departments receive on
the average $4,000 year. These are
men who have made life studies of
their subjects and the remuneration
is out Of all proportion to the sum
they merit. 1t is stated that a third
reduction in salaries is contemplated.
This will reduce salaries below the
living wage and many Of the most
brilliant men in the university fac
ulty may be forced to move from
Berkeley.
It Is known that score Of the
ablest professors have standing offers
from Eastern universities and the fear
is expressed that they win find it nee
essary to accept.
A plan suggested by which the old
er men of the faculty may be retained
contemplates the restriction Of the
curriculum to the essentials only.
The pruning knife may be applied to
the frills. The high graduate courses
would be eliminated and the course
Of study made to resemble that OF
ten years ago.
The agricultural and mining col
leges derive part of their support
from the Government and would not
be impaired in efficiency. In view Of
the increasing demand for engineers
the scientific colleges would be al
lowed to continue without. change.
The Lick Observatory. the philosophy
department. the department Of Orien-
tai languages and several other d.
visions Of university work are pro-
vided for by special foundations and
would not be affected by the proposed
retrenchment. The culture colleges
will therefore suffer. The classics,
foreign languages, English literature
and the Like will be placed upon q
mere skeleton basis. It Is considered
possible that the teaching forcs in
the culture colleges may be cut d
half
This disaster comes to the univer
sity when it was rapidly expanding
1t certainly faces a critical year.
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