L. Report on Center for Developmental Change



     Dr. Angelucci requested that Dr. Albright give a brief background on the
Center for Developmental Change and present Dr. Weidner who would report on
the future plans for the Center.

     Dr. Albright said that about three years ago, somewhat informally at first,
a group of the faculty and some of the department chairmen and others began
meeting and discussing how the University could address itself more directly to
some of the problems which are urgent and which have been recognized by legis-
lation at the Federal level--such as, redevelopment of underdeveloped areas in
the State and, on a much wider scope, in the country. At that time, the University
was already addressing itself to such a problem through two contracts in an under-
developed country overseas. These meetings went on at some length, a number of
people became interested, and it became apparent that in order to cross discipli-
nary lines and research interests some vehicle must be found which could ac-
complish this. Two years ago the Center for Developmental Change was authorized
by the Board of Trustees. A search began immediately for a director. After a
very careful and exhaustive search, the unanimous recommendation was made that
Dr. Edward Weidner head up the Center for Developmental Change. He is one of
the eminent people in this country and on the international scene in public adminis-
tration, has written widely, and the University is fortunate to have him to launch
the Center and its activities. The University took on a $200, 000 contract before his
arrival which has been turned over to him and negotiations for another contract
amounting to $270, 000 are inthe initial stages. The Center is already recognized
throughout the country as a unique development in higher education and Dr. Albright
predicted that it would become very well known in a short time.

     Dr. Weidner concurred in Dr. Albright's statement that the Center for De-
velopmental Change at the University was unique in American higher education and
its uniqueness was probably the primary factor in his acceptance of the director-
ship. In describing the difference between the University's program and others,
Dr. Weidner stated that the tendency is to point at other people and say that "they"
have development problems while ignoring our own. There are many international
programs of one kind or another and no large university is without some locus for
this function. The University's program, however, will include the "we"l as well
as the "they". Rather than always studying problems in other places, attention
should be given to the study of common problems, such as a comparative study of
the depressed mining communities of Kentucky and the depressed mining communi-
ties in other countries. In making such studies the individual professor is handi-
capped by limited time and limited resources. One role of the Center for Develop-
mental Change will be to facilitate this type of study. Appalachia and its develop-
mental problems will provide another area of interest and the Center will wish to
"take a look" at the community, an approach which other universities take sparingly,
preferring to worry about the broadtotalpicture. The University has many re-
sources which can be utilized- -the Sociology Department, the College of Medicine,