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Show UfUVIERSI T Y REGENTS REJECT OFFER OF COMMITTEE Salt Lake, April 14. The Tribune says: In a courteously couched, but sting-I sting-I lng communication to the committee of twenty-five, representing the Alumni Alum-ni association, last night, the hoard of regents of the University of Utah virtually vir-tually admitted that there were two distinct sides to the university squabble squab-ble its side and the wrong side. The committee of twenty-five met at the Commercial ctub and, aside trom many Inconsequential suggestions sugges-tions and motions, 6pent the greater part of Us time awaiting the reply of the board of regents to a communication commu-nication sent to Chairman Rlter some days ago, and In which the good offices of-fices of the committee were offered to tbo end of reaching an adjustment of the troubles at tne university. The communication finally came and. a a sample of caustic language, it was worth the wait. Upon the committee, com-mittee, however, which was. to use the words of Dr. A. S. Condon of Ogden, "shown to the door and politely po-litely thrown out," it fell as a wet blanket. As the reading by Secretary George E. Merrill of the committee of twenty-five proceeded, members of the committee moved uneasily in their chairs, and there was a sigh of relief when the reading had been concluded. Not Unanimous. The communication of the board was signed only by W. W. Riter, chairman, and there was no indication indica-tion as to the vote upon it. It was announced later, however, that the communication was opposed by Regents Re-gents W. W. Armstrong, George C. Whltmore and Ernest Bamberger. The communication of the board of regents in full is as follows- Salt Lake City, Utah, April 13. 1915. Honorable W. J. Barrette, Chairman, and Committee of Twenty-five. Gentlemen:' We beg to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of April 10, 1916, tendering ten-dering your services and offering to cooperate with us "In bringing about a better understanding of conditions III at the university." In the outset, we express the desire de-sire and belief that nothing herein after contained will be construed, in any degree, as reflecting upon the fairness, disinterestedness or ability of your committee or of any member thereof. We understand that your appointment appoint-ment came entirely without self-seeking; that you approach the perform ance of the duties thus imposed with reluctance and possible with misgivings, misgiv-ings, and that your motive is the public-spirited desire to assist in composing com-posing the unhappy ferment at the university. You will agree that the situation demands that we should answer your communication with the utmost candor can-dor Lack of Confidence. Your committee owes its creation to a lack of confidence in the fairness, fair-ness, ability and knowledge of the board of regent6 a lack of confidence on the part of a majority of the alumni and senior classes of the university uni-versity present at the recent alumni meeting, and no doubt, on the part of other good citizens. We are invited in-vited to acquiesce in this opinion, and to submit our deliberate Judgments and the conduct of the university to the review of your committee. Were we disposed to abdicate our functions, we could Belect no more worthy successors suc-cessors than your able and distinguished distin-guished body, but, whatever may be the vlems of others, we have not lost confidence In our own judgment and integrity. We are accused of being ignorant of university affairs, although, uniformly uni-formly and, we believe, to an extent almost unparalleled elsewhere, we have devoted time and thought to our duties as regents. Our motives are impugned, and we stand accused of having sought to compel thought and speech at the university uni-versity to conform to the imaginary demands of the "interests" financial, political and religious of which we are assumed to be, either jointly or Bevorally, the abject and willing tools; yet, we solemnly assert that neither the board nor either of Its committees, nor any member thereof, we believe has over sought to shackle or repress that freedom of thought and expression without whloh a university uni-versity must necessarily fall abort of its great objective wo iunuci asseverate as-severate that no professor or instructor instruc-tor at the universtty, either in the present juncture or any other ttnw i within our knowledge, has beea die- missed or demoted for or on account of his teachings. Two or three dis- I connected incidents, of a more or less trivial character, have been paraded as the sure proofs of a determined policy of repression and opportunism. Humor In Committee. i And here, by way of parenthetical humor, permit us to ask: What assistance as-sistance can the alumni and the public pub-lic hope from your committee of twenty-five, composed of such a formidable formid-able array of corporate managers and attorneys and high church officials, If -l ' the board of regents stands condemned condemn-ed for repression of thought and opportunism op-portunism because of the affiliation of some of Its members with big business busi-ness and with the "dominating church?" The president of the university, a-60, a-60, has been arraigned and convicted at the bar of this destructive agitation agita-tion Doctor Kingsbury, who is essentially es-sentially a gentleman, deliberate, courteous and gentle, is now portrayed portray-ed as hasty, Inconsiderate and tyrannical tyran-nical It hao been suggested that the board remove the doctor as the head of the school and grant him a ! leave of absence for one year on full Pay. The board Is convinced that this action ac-tion would not compose the situation, and would be construed, and very properly, as on attempt on our part to saddle Doctor Kingsbury with the entire responsibility for an alleged condition of affairs for which the board of regents Is equally answerable. answer-able. The largo majority of the board stands. In the present crisis, unqualified unquali-fied for Doctor Kingsbury. We remember re-member his many years of tireless, honorable and effective service. We do not forget how. as the man at the wheel, he steered the university through the dangers of our local religious re-ligious and political controversies This has demanded wisdom and diplomacy, diplo-macy, for which and for the chief part he has played in the remarkable growth of the university along every line of scholastic and material development, devel-opment, he deserves, we submit, the commendation and gratitude of the people of Utah. Uphold Kingsbury. We beg, therofore, to repeat what we said In our "Public Statement," that in respect of the nonempkyment for 1916-16 of four certain teachers and of the changes in the English department, de-partment, we uphold the recommendations recommen-dations of Doctor Kingsbury and respectfully re-spectfully decline to reconsider or al-fter al-fter such action. As to the resigned members of our teaching force, it may be said that these resignations were unsolicited ana pureiy voluntary . cut, it is answered an-swered that the teachers concerned were compelled by their consciences to resign and thus to escape an employment em-ployment destructive of self-respect. It is asserted that those resigning professors "stand on holy ground." If 6uch be the case, Is It Impious for us to suggest that the ninety or so teachers who have not resigned stand on unholy ground? Is it not quite logical log-ical to conclude that they are either devoid of conscience or, as opportunists, opportun-ists, have compromised with their consciences con-sciences in order to save their salaries? sal-aries? But, rather do we reach the conclusion conclu-sion that the gentlemen who have resigned did so hastily and without due consideration. We regret this Inconsiderate action, so far, at least, as concerns the majority of them, since wo are thus deprived of the services of competent men whose positions po-sitions it may possibly be difficult to fill. It seems relevant, however, here to note that the reasons now assigned by some, at least, of the resigning professors are quite complex when compared with the simple reasons given giv-en by them In their letters of resignation. resig-nation. The attitude of the board doB not arise from the arrogant assumption that it is Infallible. Whatever the iBBue In the beginning of this controversy contro-versy may have been, it has now become be-come Shall the regents exercise their discretion in the control of the university, or shall they surrender that discretion and control to any group of Instructors who may feel themselves to be wronged and who may arouse the public to their support, sup-port, or to the faculty as a whole, or to your committee, able and trustworthy trustwor-thy as It unquestionably is? This we are prevented from doing because of our deep consciousness that, on the whole, we are right, and from our unwillingness to create a precedent under which the ultimate control of the university shall be submitted sub-mitted to a mass meeting rather than to the determination and discretion of the board. We are satisfied that we do not misronstrue the motives of some of the instructors concerned when we conclude that they propose either to rule the university or to ruin It. The evidence seems clear that a determined deter-mined effort Is being made to convince con-vince the public through press and periodical, and to persuade other universities uni-versities that no self-respecting teacher teach-er can join our faculty, and that no student desirous of open-minded in structlon can profitably attend our school. Persuaded that the good of the university uni-versity is to be promoted through closer relations between the faculty and the regents, we created a committee com-mittee on faculty relations. Committee Powers. This committee Is authorized to meet with the committees of the faculty fac-ulty In consideration of such matters mat-ters and things as may pertain to or be of interest to the faculty In their personal and scholastic relations. We have the assurance of Dr Love joy. who recently visited this city as the representative of the Associated University Uni-versity Professors, that the appointment appoint-ment of this committee puts the Uni versity of Utah fully abreast of Princeton and one or two other schools, where the faculty, from the prfessorial viewpoint, is accorded proper, though. In fact, quite unusual recognition We also learned from him that the alleged Inadequacy of consultation between the faculty and the regents, which has characterized our practice in the past, constitutes no exception to the general rule In the universities of the country. Under our resolution or April 7 we Bhall begin on April 16 to fill the vacancies va-cancies caused by resignations, and will continue to fill them as rapidly as consistent, believing that the welfare wel-fare of the university demands that there shall be no further delay In this regard. University Will Suffer. We are not so blind as to believe that the university will not suffer because of this agitation, but we feel confident that If we persist in our determination, unrestrained and destructive de-structive agitation will be discouraged; discour-aged; the legitimate supremacy of the board of regents and of the president, in their respective spheres, will be assured; the faculty will be accorded auch tenure of office and privileges as wisely may be granted, and the school, maintaining that same high standard of freedom of thought which, despite denials has characterized its past career, will shortly recover from Its wounds. In conclusion, we thank you for your offer of service and cooperation. We again assure you that we do not doubt that your sole object in making this tender is to bring about the welfare wel-fare of the university, and you will, we believe, ascribe to us in justice the pursuit' of tbo same object But for the reasons horelnbeforo briefly outlined, and meaning no discourtesy, dis-courtesy, we beg to be excused from participating In your suggested Investigation Inves-tigation and from offering advice as to vour procedure. We have the honor to be, very respectfully, re-spectfully, THE BOAKD OF REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY. By W. W. Rlter, Chatrman. Dosplte the fact that the board of regents re-gents refused to have anything whatever what-ever to do with tho committee of twenty-flvo, however, and that the committee members felt aggrieved over the treatment accorded thetn, tho committee still has a lingering hope that the conference to be held at the University of Utah this evening may bring abiding order out of so-called so-called chaos This conference will be between a committee representing the professors who have not rcsiRned, the faculty relations committee, which represents the board of regents, and a committee representing the professors profes-sors who have resigned There, also will be present six memberH of the committee of twenty-five, but it Is not expected that this committee will take any part in the conference, being there principally in the role of spectators. spec-tators. At the meeting of the board of regents, re-gents, which was held yesterday morning, morn-ing, the board received the list of questions prepared by Dr A O. Love-Joy, Love-Joy, secretary of the American Association Asso-ciation of University Professors. The questions were read and much discussed. discus-sed. Finally the suggestion was made that the regents file the questions ques-tions and that no answers be made to them. It was called to the attention of the board that it had verbally promised prom-ised Dr. Lovojoy when ho appeared before thwm at their request th.t answers an-swers would be made to such questions ques-tions as he would ask. After considerable consid-erable discussion It waa docided to appoint ap-point a committee to "frame tho answers" an-swers" and report the answers to tho regents. The committee namod consisted con-sisted of Regents W. W. Rlter. N. T. Porter, Waldemar Van Cott, W W. Armstrong, Dr. George W. Mlddleton and Antlion H. Lund. A communication from the Federation Federa-tion of Woman's Clubs, replylag to the rogents' answer to a former letter let-ter from tho women, was then read and referred to the committee on faculty fac-ulty rehttlons for report |