Show I I albe UNFAIR PROCEDURE On last Wednesday night hardly a student in the u university and hardly a citizen in the state even suspected that Dr Kingsbury was about to resign resign re reo sign as president of the university On Thursday night he lie had resigned and Dr John A A. A Widtsoe had been orn om appointed as his successor by a a majority of the board of regents To one viewing the matter from the outside and apparently even to a minority mi Ull- minority of the regents this important public duty of choosing a president for the state university seems to have been een performed mysteriously undemocratically undemocratically hastily Dr Widtsoe's name appears to have been railroaded through in a manner decidedly unfair unfair un fair to all parties concerned It seems unfair first to the people of the state to have the impression go goforth goforth forth orth that we are so self-satisfied self or orso orso orso so completely dominated by church or political in influence that we will not even look over the country in order to see ee what material might be available from rom elsewhere but will choose a loal lo to cal al man within a few hours and without without with- with out ut even discussing the matter This latest action of the regents will undoubtedly undoubtedly un un- confirm educators and others others oth- oth ers rs throughout the country in the opinion pinion formed last spring that the the general attitude in Utah is a combination combination combination of complacency ultra ultra-conserva- ism passive submission to authority and intellectual stagnation Again it seems unfair to Dr Widtsoe Vidt soe oe himself to be selected in such a manner Is he then so lacking in the essential scholastic requirements and successful l experience that it is necessary sary ary to bar all possible competitors in n order to choose him Assuming that hat the board of regents had fully decided that he be was the right man for forthe forthe the he position was it advisable that the they hey should use so undemocratic a I method of selection It is a n well well- known fact that they have absolute authority to decide university affairs Why could they not have thrown the position open and then elected him from the open field with excellent reason The statement has been given out that limited time made an immediate appointment necessary in order that the new president might not be handicapped handicapped handicapped handi handi- capped in his work next year But the mode of Cf selection has apparently placed hint him under a much greater handicap handicap handicap han han- than a month or two of delay would have done Finally the procedure seems unfair to the regents themselves It increases increases increases in in- creases the probably unwarranted suspicion which commenced last year when they refused to permit a public investigation of university affairs Except Except Except Ex Ex- Ex- Ex for the stand they have taken in university matters the regents appear to be minded broad-minded widely-informed widely men commanding respect in both state and nation But the mysterious methods employed here have resembled resembled resembled bled more nearly the secret action of ofa ofa ofa a board of directors conducting a business for gain than a board of regents regents regents re re- re- re gents acting mindedly broad-mindedly and openly openly openly op op- op- op enly for the best welfare of the people of a great state I write without desiring to be presumptuous presumptuous presumptuous pre pre- sumptuous or ultra If my impression im im- the the impression of many others others others-is is wrong I shall be very willing willing willing will will- ing to have it corrected Almost every every every ev ev- ery one would welcome a frank statement statement statement state state- ment indicating that the procedure was not grossly unfair But the opinions opinions ions of the people most vitally concerned con con- the the citizens of the state and the students of the University University should should not an for long be entirely ignored ignored ignored ig ig- ig- ig nored by the board of regents Respectfully HERMON J. J WELLS I |