, 1908-03-27


on July II, before the commission
appointed by Governor Brooks for thu
purpose of making al examination int
the affairs of the state university and
making report to him, President Tisde
gave much valuable testimony. His
evidence relating to political pressure
and all hat portion relating to inter
ference with him as the chief execu
tive officer of the institution is given
entire. His evidence relating to minor
details, experiment station, normal de,
partment, preparatory department
ETC., is not given, for the reason that
it has no bearing upon the question d;
issue at the present time. 1t was
however, all the same general tenor.
that the president was not in any de
gree shorn of his power and had all
the freedom in the performance Of the
duties of his office that any college
president could desire.
Interference by Board.
The questions were by Mr.. Maurer
as follows:
@. Has there been any interference
in the administering of educational de
partments by the board of trustees OF
executive committee?
A. l have not felt so. l have con
suited, of course, very freely with the
executive committee and the board.
0. | believe that the matters of
grounds and buildings have not been
considered a part of your jurisdiction
new buildings. You would have moth.
ing to do with that Part, as the legis'
lture should authorize the appoint.
ment of a building commission.
Confidence in His Judgment.
A. l should be glad to say just i
word. l haven't had the same author,
iy in the matter of buildings and
grounds, repairs or the business side
Of our institution that l have in the
purely educational department, and
yet / want in all fairness to say this,
and | wish Mr.. Gramm were here to
confirm it: l have fiattered myself
that the president of the board of trus
tees and OF the executive committee
has had a growing confidence in my
judgment and have felt within the las;
year a distinct tendency to shoulder
upon me more of the details, more OF
the executive work in the department
nf hrti1lina nc and urnunlc could ~
into it in some detail if the commits.
sion wish, but l do not know that it il
necessary.
Q. Now, in regard to the matter of
the purchase OF supplies, you have
nothing to do with that, with the ex.
ception of approving the purchase in
certain lines?
Was Given Much Freedom.
a. Not with the purchase. l would
ike to say a word, however, in regard
10 our system which didn't appear in
the examination yesterday. 1t appear
ed in the examination yesterday that
certain lump sums were appropriated
by the board of trustees to each de-
partment and then they spent that
money as they pleased. / am afraid
uhat would give a wrong impression.
Along the first of April of each year
The head of each department submits
TO me a report of hat department and
gives me as nearly as they can an item,
zed list of supplies, new laboratory
equipment etc, that they will need for
the coming year, with the approximate
catalogue prices; for instance, apparat.
Us and supplies. l go over this item
Hed list with a good deal of ARE with
each department. If | do not under
s'and anything in the list, l go to The
head of the department to ask them
aoout II and l prepare a provisional
uudget Ii | cannot provide for every.
'nnS that seems desirable in all de.
~psrtnents from the moneys available,
= STU and cut out and confer with the
neads OF departments as to the things
uey need most and things they can
Oest do without from the items up for
Nonslderation, and then | cut out from
"y recommendation things l feel we
.annot provide for. l consult with the
secretary, DR.. Hebard, as to whether
ms notions of what funds should be
aseu by these individual things are
c'rect' Then this provisional budget
NINE goes to the board of trustees
~ budget Of the experiment station
ue.hs Incorporated in this general bud
All those things, every thing that
,hF 10 do with the educational side OF
~ institution, with the equipment q
professors, I feel that the board OF
a,ees has given me as much free
~ as any president should desire.
1 r. NOW, applying the same test Ii
several departments that / have
,,ay suggested with regard to the
muitural department and expert
,.o. station, would you have any 90
..oaa to assuming the responsibility
lung full authority Is given, max