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The South's Outstanding College Daily

Thursday Evening, July

UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY, LEXINGTON

18, 1968

Vol. LIX, No. 156

Johnson Resigns Student Affairs Post;
Creech To Be Named Interim President
To Assume Similar
Spot At Berkeley
Robert L. Johnson, UK vice president for student
affairs, resigned Monday to take up a similar position
at the University of California at Berkeley.
Mr. Johnson, who will leave UK Sept. 3 to .become
vice chancellor for student affairs at Berkeley, gave only
one reason for leaving. He said that, although the
prospect of leaving Kentucky caused him "great personal sadness", he could not pass up an apportunity
to be associated with "one of the most distinguished
universities in the world."
A native of New York, Mr. Johnson came to UK
in I960 to organize and direct the Medical Center's
Division of State and Local Services, and was elevated
to the vice presidency in December, 1964.
Dr. John VV. Oswald, who is also leaving UK in
September for a position in the University of California system, in a formal statement praised Mr. Johnson's work at UK. He said:
"Mr. Johnson has made a tremendous contribution
to the University of Kentucky, first in his key role of
Director of State and Local Services during the early
period of the development of the Medical Center and,
since December, 1964, as the head of student affairs.
stu"Under his direction, all of the
dent activities at UK have been brought together in
offices of the dean
a single coordinated program-th- e
of students, athletics, student financial aid, the foriegn
student office, the placement service, and the office
of counseling and testing. Mr. Johnson further assumed
leadership, with faculty and students, in the development of UK's student code, which has become a prototype for many universities and colleges throughout
the country. Since the death of Mr. Shively, Mr. Johnson has also served ably as acting director of athletics.
"The contributions Mr. Johnson has made to the
University have been many and great, and his leadership will be sorely missed."
Mr. Johnson rejected speculation by some UK officials that his resignation may have been influenced
by the recent controversy surrounding the appointment of a new athletic director for the University.
Mr. Johnson was head of the screeening committee
which recommended Dr. William McCubbing of Virginia Polytechnic Institute for the position. After it
was approved by the UK athletics board, the recommendation was tabled by the Board of Trustees and
Dr. McCubbin has since withdrawn as a candidate.
Mr. Johnson also denied the reports that his decision to leave was influenced by conservative reaction
to UK's policies on student rights.

Board To Act Friday
In Special Meeting
the

Robert
Johnson

dent.

(
Glenwood
Creech

;

;

He is recognized as a chief architect of the student
rights code it adopted by UK in May, 1967. The code
disclaims a parental role for the university, and sets
out specific violations for which students can be disciplined.
In his letter of resignation to Dr. Oswald, Mr.
Johnson wrote: "It is not without sadness that I leave
Kentucky. It has been more than eight years that I
have been associated with the University. . . .During
that time, I have formed a host of friendships on
campus and throughout the Commonwealth, and during
that time I have come to have profound respect for
students, and staff.
my associates-facultContinued on Page 2, CoL 3
y,

UK Students Have War At Home
By GUY MENDES

Five members of the UK community are from the part of Africa which used to be known as
Nigeria, but is now divided in
Nigeria and secessionist Biafra,
a country smaller than New Jersey which broke with the Nigerian federal government 14
months ago. A war is now being
waged between the two countriesa war that is second only

Band Director Dart Fired;
Says Unfair Play Involved
Fred Dart, director of UK's
marching band, has been dismissed from the position he lias
held since 1966.

William Harry Clarke has
been named to succeed Dart by
Dr. Hubert P. Henderson, head
of the Fine Arts Department.

Dart, who was relieved of his
duties on June 20 by Dr. Henderson, said that he was given

four verbal reasons for his dismissal but lias not yet received the
reasons in writing.

Dart says that Dr. Henderson told him that he was dismissed because Dart:
Directed poor handling of
majorette tryouts at Stoll Field
on April 30.

Did not keep Dr. Henderson
informed of bids on band uniforms.
Used poor judgement in purchasing band instruments.
Did not make proper arrangements for a band at the
UK Blue-Whifootball game.
5, CoL 2
Continued on
te

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Biafra Against Nigeria
Each morning they wake with
the knowledge that members of
their families may be dying in
a war which ravages their homeland some 5,000 miles away.
Yet they continue with their
work at the University, for they
know that other than voicing
their opinions, they can do little to aid their countrymen.

UK
Following tomorrow's special full meeting of
Board of Trustees, Dr. Clenwood L. Creech will probably be the acting president of the institution.
Dr. Creech is reported to have support from several
members of the Board, including former Cov. A. B.
(Happy)Chandler. Also, Cov. Louie B. Nunn, chairman
of the Board, has said he will not oppose the appointment of Dr. Creech.
At present, Dr. Creech is UK vice president for
University relations, a position he has held since January, 1965. Since the resignation of Dr. John W. Oswald earlier this year, the UK vice president has increasingly been mentioned as a possible interim presi-

to Vietnam

in bloodshed

and

destruction.
Biafra is the home of two
UK graduate students and a post
doctorate fellow, though when
they were last in that part of
the world, it was still considered
Eastern Nigerian. They now feel
strongly about their homeland
and its right to stand as an in-

dependent nation.

Another UK grad student hails
from federalist Western Nigeria
and firmly believes tliat Nigeria
and Biafra remain as one. A
fourth grad student who was
raised in the eastern part of the
country but spent several years
in the West, has not declared
allegiance to either side in the
conflict due to his ties on both
sides.
The war, which began a year
ago this month, is actually an
outgrowth of tribal hatred which
has plagued Nigeria since it
gained independence from Britain in 1960.
The Ibo, the principal tribe
of the East, were among the first
of the region to adapt to the
Continued on Page 5, Col. 1

There has even been speculation that Dr. Creech
has some trustee support to become permanent head of
the University. If he is named to the acting post tomorrow, this could be taken as a first move toward
the permanent top position.
Any opposition to the Creech appointment would
probably came from some members of the UK faculty,
who feel that his previous experience in public relations
and agriculture would be too limited for a presidential
post at a major state institution.
Dr. Creech is known to have considerable support
from outside the campus. It is believed that if he is
selected to the acting post, he will be backed by some
of the state's agricultural and alumni groups, as well
as some segments of the Lexington community.
Like Dr. Oswald, Dr. Creech has his academic background in agriculture, receiving his Ph.D. degree from
the University of Wisconsin in 1957. He is a native
Kentuckian who obtained both his B.S. and M.S.
degrees in agriculture from UK. Prior to his return
here to take the vice president's post, Dr. Creech
was director of the Division of Agriculture for the W. K.
Kellogg Foundation for six years.
Some members of the UK community have indicated
that they believe that a man with Dr. Creech's background is the type of person that the Board of Trustees will be looking for when they select a permanent
president. These people view the fact that he is a native as a definite point in his favor.
Another possible agenda topic for tomorrow's meeting
could be the naming of an acting athletic director.
Since the death of Bernie Shively, the post has been
vacant. Since the special full meeting of the Board in
June, when a motion was deferred to name Virginia
Tech physical education director, Dr. William McCubbin to the job, UK football coach Charlie Bradshaw
has apparently had the inside track for the position,

Sen. McCarthy Speaks
In Lexington Tomorrow

Sen. Eugene J. McCarthy, Democratic presidential hopeful,
will arrive in Lexington Friday at 12 noon at Blue Crass Field.
Following a motorcade from
the airport to downtown Lextucky is part of an, intensive
ington, Sen. McCarthy will ap- campaign in this state since it
rally at was recently declared a "pripear at a 1 unci-tim- e
approximately 12:15 p.m. in front ority state" by the senator's national campaign headquarters.
of the Fayette County Courthouse.
Kentucky is given the "priAfter the rally Sen. McCarthy
ority state" status primarily becan vote and
cause
will be driven back toBlueCrass
because Kentucky is the last state
Field where he will depart about
1:45 p.m. for Louisville. From
to choose its delegates," he said.
About 100 students and 60
there he will go on to Covington
for the last leg of his three-sto- p
adults have been canvassing the
entire Fayette County area
Kentucky visit.
and by telephone in an
McCarthy's visit immediately
preceeds the county meeting on effort to locate registered Democrats in favor of McCarthy and
Saturday, July 20, when Fayto recontact them this week and
ette County will chose its deleliave them attend the county
gates to the statewide Democratic convention.
meetings.
Sen. McCarthy recently adMary Beth McCarthy, niece
dressed another noontime rally
of Sen. McCarthy, toured Lexin Pittsburgh, Pa. at v' . u !;e
ington earlier this week in support of her uncle's candidacy drew a crowd estiuur' at J.uOO
for Democratic nomination for
persons. The Pittsburgh police
President.
reported this group as one of the
Phil Pat ton, chairman of the largest gathering they had ever
UK Students for McCarthy, said
seen at a political rally of tliis
that McCarthy's visit to Ken- - type.
door-to-do-

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