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Show USAC Trustees Ask Peterson to Resign Post Following the public announcement Thursday that the Utah State Agricultural college board of trustees trus-tees had asked Dr. E. G- Peterson, president of the college for 2S years to resign his position, Logan and Cache county civic and educational leaders and groups today expressed their confidence in his administration. According to a statement made by local members of the board, the action was taken May 15 when the board held their annual budget meeting in Salt Lake Citv. I f:? Dr. Peterson, who verified the report that a representative of the board had notified him of the request for his resignation, said he had not yet reached a decision but would base his action on "what appears to be best for the welfare of the institution." Governor Herbert B. Maw said he had not received an official report on the details of the board session but had been contacted by a faculty group when he visited visit-ed Logan last Monday. "I am sure," he commented, ."that neither I nor the board will permit anything to be done which will be detrimental to the college." Faculty groups rushed to the support of the president with statements expressing confidence and urging him not to resign. Dale Lewis, Logan, student body president, announced last Thursday Thurs-day he would call a mass meeting meet-ing of all members of the student body to protect action taken by the board. The action was taken at a closed meeting in the Hotel Utah, Salt Lake City, May 15. It was reported report-ed that the trustees agreed to keep the matter secret one rumor ru-mor being that it was even kept secret from the governor until one member "kicked over the traces" and notified him by long distance telephone call to southern Utah. Reports as to the vote calling for Dr. Peterson's resignation conflicted one version being that it was seven to three and another that it was six to four. Two members mem-bers Thorpe B. Isaacson of Salt Lake City and Ray E. Dillman of (Continued on Page Four) E. G. PETERSON PETERSON TO RESIGN USAC TRUSTEES ASK (Continued from page One) Roosevelt were not present and the chairman, C. G. Adney of Corinne, votes only in the case of a tie. Board dissatisfaction' with Dr. Peterson reportedly stems back to institutional policy. One group thinks the institution should confine con-fine itself more closely to agricultural agri-cultural and related subjects and not attempt to cover the field of a general university. Supporters of Dr, Peterson claim that there are also some personal animosities toward the president on the part of some members of the board. Board members who . cast votes were Hyrum Blackhurst, Salt Lake City; Leon Fonnesbeck, Logan; James S. Prestwich, Cedar City; Charles Redd, La Sal; E. H. Street, Richfield; L. C. Montgomery, He-ber; He-ber; Henry Peterson, Logan; Merrill Mer-rill N. Warnick, Pleasant Grove; Dr. W. W. Merrill, Logan, and Secretary of State E. E. Honson. The source of the seven to three division of the board was a Logan trustee. Source of the report that the vote was six to four was an employe of the college. The line-up was reportedly as follows: For requesting the resignation, resig-nation, Fonnesbeck, Peterson, Prestwich, Redd, Street and War-nick. War-nick. Against requesting the resignation, re-signation, Monson, ex-officia member, mem-ber, Montgomery and Merrill. The reported divisions conflicted as to Mr. Blackhurst and he was in Washington, D. C, and could not be contacted Thursday night. At the meeting in the Hotel Utah, Dr. Peterson's budget for 1944-45 was approved without change and his reappointment was authorized, according to the reports. re-ports. "Since receiving the suggestion of the board of trustees that I resign during the coming fiscal year," said Dr. Peterson, "I have been given the matter careful consideration. In the course of these deliberations I . naturally have consulted, confidentially, some friends, both personal and institutional. I recognized my re-sponsobility re-sponsobility to the faculty and presented pre-sented the situation to them in strict confidence and asked for their advice and suggestions. Those have come to me and have been moved by the strong expressions of confidence in the administration of the college. "I still am giving consideration to the request and I hope to ac quaint them soon with my decision. deci-sion. Inasmuch as the . . . college I and its future is the important j matter involved, I shall base my i action on what appears to be best for the welfare of the institution." Reports of actions of various groups at the college during the past several seething days were released by the public relations office. Dr. W. L. Wanlass, dean of the school of commerce, reported on the action of the faculty following follow-ing presentation of the matter to them last Monday. The faculty, he said, voted overwhelmingly 1o support Dr. Peterson and sent the following communication to him: "As chairman of the special faculty meeting, I was requested to inform you that a motion to express the confidence of the college col-lege faculty in you as president was passed with only one dissenting dissent-ing vote." A resolution passed by the denns and directors' council and signed by Dean N. A. Pedersen of the school of arts and science. Dean cf Women Caroline M. Hendricks and Professor H. B. Hunsaker, follows: "The deans' council, together with Professor Hunsaker. president presi-dent of the faculty association, Professor Harold Kepner, president-elect of the faculty association; associa-tion; Professor Evan B. Murrav. budget representative; Dr. W. J. Vickers. chairman of the joint report: E. L. Romney. acting dean of men: Caroline M. Hendricks and Dr. W. W. Henderson, wish to go on record as being confident that your withdrawal as president of the institution, as suggested, would not only seriously jeopardize jeopar-dize the welfare of the college by sacrificing its present rating and high rank among the land grant colleges of America, but also would, as' a result, deprive the people of the state of . their present pres-ent unexampled opportunity to obtain a liberal and practical education. edu-cation. "Under your leadership the development de-velopment of the institution in its various fields of endeavor has been so harmonious and has met the expanding needs of the state so admirably that the loss of your vision and leadership as head of the institution would be no less than a calamity, not only to the college, its faculty and students, but to the people of the state as a whole." Professor Hunsaker r e p o r e d that the executive committee of the faculty association had voted unanimously to express full support sup-port and confidence in the president. pres-ident. The faculty advisory council coun-cil was directed to investigate the situation and report back to the facility as a body. The advisory council subsequently appointed a committee of five to act Dr. Wanlass, George D. Clyde, dean of the school of engineerig; Professor Pro-fessor Murray, Dr. H. R. Cutler and Professor Carl Frischknecht. The Logan chamber of commerce, com-merce, it was revealed, bad held two meetings of representative citizens of Logan during the past 10 days. Russell S. Hanson, chamber president, said the group passed a resolution requesting him not to resign and commending his administration. Mr. Fonnesbeck, Logan attorney attor-ney and a board member, said: "It was my idea that we try to pull this tooth with as little pain as possible. I think the board took the action because of the apparent growing dissatisfaction of some faculty members and be-I be-I cause of the way livestock and i agricultural services have been performed by the college and its branches, president Peterson has had a long term of service, and I feel it probably would be to the best interest of the college if hs resigned." Dr. W.W. Merrill, . another Logan trustee, dentist and chairman of the ache county Democratic committee, com-mittee, declined to make a statement state-ment on the ground that theboard members had been pledged to secrecy. Mr. Peterson, former member of the faculty and former member mem-ber of the state legislature, said: "I think the . institution would do better by a change in leadership. leader-ship. The most important function func-tion of the college is to train young people for democracy. To do this the institution itself must be democratic as well as able to teach democracy." Mr. Isaacson one of the absent trustees expressed surprise at the action and said: "I think a grave injustice has been done both Dr. Peterson and j the institution. I hope he doesn't resign and I am of the opinion I that the boartl, after reconsidering reconsider-ing the action, will give him a vote of confidence." Dr. Peterson has been president of the college since September 1, 1916. He received his early education edu-cation in the public schools, received re-ceived his B. S. degree from the USAC in 1904 and then as-tended as-tended the University of Chicago and Cornell university. He re-received re-received his PhD. degree from the Cornell university in 1909, subsequently subse-quently serving as assistant professor pro-fessor of bacteriology at Cornell and professor at the Oregon Agricultural Ag-ricultural college. Before becoming president of the USAC, he served as director of the Utah Agricultural Agricul-tural extension service. |