The Coconino sun., 1926-08-06
ELLINWOOD CHARGES HUNT
WITH UNIVERSITY POLITICS

Announcing that he had called a
meeting of the board of regents of
the Arizona state university at Tue
son for August Z, E. f. Ellinwood,
chancellor of the board and opponent
of Governor Hunt for the democratic
nomination for state executive, de-
clared that he is fully convinced that
the governor and his political follow
ers are planning to throw the Unlver-
sity bodily into politics.
"At this hour | am. fully con-
vinced," Mr.. Ellinwood said, "that
Governor Hunt and his political fol-
lowers are planning to throw the
University of Arizona bodily into pol
itics. AS president Of the board of
regents of the university, | cannot re-
main silent. have called meeting
of the board of regents for August z
and | am anxious that the people OF
Arizona shall know the true situation
before this meeting is held. The peo-
ple of Arizona will be looking on.
They should be looking on with full
understanding of what it means.
at is an evil thing to throw the
university into politics. The deplor
able attempt must be dragged into
the light of day. When so exposed, 1
know the people will treat it with the
contempt it deserves. | have purpose
.ly refrained from resigning as mem
ber and president of the board OF re-
gents of the university SO that l
might stand between the university
and those who seem to be willing to
wreck it.
"The alleged charges brought
against President Marvin were eag-
erly listened to by Governor Hunt.
He absented himself from most of
the hearings. He pleaded fer delay.
He finally was unable to appear at
the meeting where all charges against
Doctor Marvin were dismissed by the
board of regents. The charges
brought against President Marvin
comprise the most petty minded, pus-
illanimous lot of gossip / have ever
had to listen to. 1t would be nothing
short of outrageous to force President
Marvin out OF the university upon
the testimony presented at the hear
ings held by the board OF regents.
To blacken the reputation OF an able,
clean and honorable young man on
the threshold of such career as
Doctor Marvin surely has before him
would be so unjust as to be uncon-
scionable, nothing less.
"Rumors are persistent, and prob
ably based upon fact, to the effect
that Governor Hunt and his followers
on the board of regents purpose to
discharge President Marvin. The
University of Arizona, under the lead
ership of President Marvin has been
brought from third class university
to first class university. But there
is still weak spot, the agricultural
college. Here Doctor Marvin met re-
sistance which could not be overcome
under the faculty constitution. 1t has
not functioned except for some foun-
dation work upon which real agrl-
cultural college can be built. 1t IS
now largely failure and of no prac-
teal help to the farmers of Arizona.
This condition of the agricultural
college is due to the faculty constitu-
ton control which President Marvin
found in operation when he assumed
the presidency. He has not had the
power to select the personnel. of the
college, to prescribe its course or to
arrange the extension and eXperimen-
tai work. He had not the power to
select or control the executive head
of the agricultural college.
"This weakness has been overcome.
At the last meeting of the board of
regents held two weeks ago we Sc
cured, over opposition, the abroga-
ton of the faculty constitution. This
was essential The faculty constitu-
ton provided that the members Of
the faculty and neither the president
Of the university nor the board of re-
gents should say who should be hired
to teach, who should be discharged
and what should be the curriculum OF
the university.
''The agricultural college has been
ham-strung along with the other de-
partments of the school. The agrl-
cultural college must function. Doctor
MARVIN appreciates the need. He un-
derstands the cause of the present
conditions. He has consistently tried
to place at the head the foremost
authorities on agriculture in the
United States Agriculture is of tre-
mendous importance in Arizona.