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University of California Berkeley Regional Oral -History Office University of California The Bancroft Library Berkeley, California University History Series Albert H. Bowker SIXTH CHANCELLOR, UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, BERKELEY, 1971-1980; STATISTICIAN, AND NATIONAL LEADER IN THE POLICIES AND POLITICS OF HIGHER EDUCATION With an Introduction by Joseph L. Hodges Interviews Conducted by Harriet Nathan in 1991 Copyright 1995 by The Regents of the University of California Since 1954 the Regional Oral History Office has been interviewing leading participants in or well-placed witnesses to major events in the development of Northern California, the Vest, and the Nation. Oral history is a modern research technique involving an interviewee and an informed interviewer in spontaneous conversation. The taped record is transcribed, lightly edited for continuity and clarity, and reviewed by the interviewee. The resulting manuscript is typed in final form, indexed, bound with photographs and illustrative materials, and placed in The Bancroft Library at the University of California, Berkeley, and other research collections for scholarly use. Because it is primary material, oral history is not intended to present the final, verified, or complete narrative of events. It is a spoken account, offered by the interviewee in response to questioning, and as such it is reflective, partisan, deeply involved, and irreplaceable. ************************************ All uses of this manuscript are covered by a legal agreement between The Regents of the University of California and Albert H. Bowker dated April 3, 1993. The manuscript is thereby made available for research purposes. All literary rights in the manuscript, including the right to publish, are reserved to The Bancroft Library of the University of California, Berkeley. No part of the manuscript may be quoted for publication without the written permission of the Director of The Bancroft Library of the University of California, Berkeley. Requests for permission to quote for publication should be addressed to the Regional Oral History Office, 486 Library, University of California, Berkeley 94720, and should include identification of the specific passages to be quoted, anticipated use of the passages, and identification of the user. The legal agreement with Albert H. Bowker requires that he be notified of the request and allowed thirty days in which to respond. It is recommended that this oral history be cited as follows: Albert H. Bowker, "Sixth Chancellor, University of California, Berkeley, 1971- 1980; Statistician, and National Leader in the Policies and Politics of Higher Education," an oral history conducted in 1991 by Harriet Nathan, Regional Oral History Office, The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley, 1995. Copy no. Albert H. Bowker, 1980. Cataloging information BOWKER, Albert H. (b. 1919) University Administrator Sixth Chancellor. University of California. Berkeley. 1971-1980; Statistician; and National Leader in the Policies and Politics of Higher Education. 1995, xiii, 274 pp. Family background; education at M.I.T., and Ph.D. from Columbia University, 1949; Stanford University: professor of mathematics and statistics 1947- 1963, Dean, Graduate Division 1959-1963, and development of statistics department and laboratory, and government -industry relations; Chancellor, City University of New York, 1963-1971: establishment of new colleges, graduate center, handling race relations, open admissions, city and state politics; UC Berkeley Chancellor 1971-1980: Master Plan; report, Berkeley in a steady state; academic quality and fiscal stringencies; Bakke case, and issues of access and discrimination; intercollegiate athletics; ROTC; craftworkers 1 strike; government regulations; moving fund-raising to Chancellor's Office; role of professional schools, faculty union; ventures in health and medical science; eliminating departments; Strawberry Creek College; Experimental College Program; relations with alumni, other East Bay colleges and universities, faculty, students, University constituents, Regents, City of Berkeley; other Berkeley reminiscences; University of Maryland 1981-1986, and government posts. Introduction by Joseph L. Hodges, Emeritus Professor of Statistics. Interviewed 1991 by Harriet Nathan for the University History Series. Regional Oral History Office, The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley. TABLE OF CONTENTS- -Albert H. Bowker PREFACE i INTRODUCTION- -by Joseph L. Hodges, Jr. ill INTERVIEW HISTORY- -by Harriet Nathan vi BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION xiii CHANCELLOR, UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, BERKELEY (1971-1980) 1 Stanford Sidelight 1 Multiple Interviews, and Accepting the Chancellor's Post 3 Chancellor's Office and the Professional Schools 6 Student Affairs 9 Priorities: the Cabinet and the Schedule 12 Academic Management: Appointments, Advancement, Budgets 13 Faculty Personnel Cases 16 Decision on the Criminology School 17 Relations with the Press 19 Relations with Political Figures 21 Relations with Regents 24 Abolishing Departments: Demography, and Design 25 The Neighborhood Idea for Undergraduate Education 26 Educational Ventures in Health and Medical Science 28 Fund-Raising 30 Issues: Psychiatry Clinic, Sexual Harassment, Faculty Union 30 Relations with Faculty 33 Chancellor's Authority: Budgets and Appointments 34 California Politics 35 The Berkeley Fellows 37 Cultivating Berkeley Alumni 38 Separating the Fund-Raising Function 39 Entertaining Donors and Important Visitors 42 The Quality of Public Ceremonies 45 Asian Studies . 47 Appointing and Supporting Deans 47 School of Education and Other Professional Schools 48 Accreditation 51 Intercollegiate Athletics 52 Role of the Dean of the Graduate Division 59 Relations with Students 63 Issues of Racial Discrimination 64 Credit for ROTC 66 Craft-Workers' Strike 68 Petition for Nixon's Impeachment 69 The Bakke Case 70 Relations Between System Head and Campus Head 71 Reflections on the University Presidency 75 Report: Berkeley in a steady state 78 Money for Maintenance 78 Issues of Government Regulation 80 City of Berkeley and Local Issues 83 Regional Association of East Bay Colleges and Universities 85 A Variety of Posts 87 Chancellor's Priorities 88 Student Costs and Academic Levels 90 Some Personal Friendships 92 II LIFE AFTER BERKELEY (1980 ON) 94 Assistant Secretary for Post-Secondary Education, U.S. Department of Education (1980-1981) 94 University of Maryland, College Park (1981-1986) 96 Additional Posts 97 Work on the Washington, D.C., Center 99 Some Honors and Activities 100 III FAMILY AND EARLY YEARS 102 Boyhood in New England 102 Living in Washington, D.C. 103 Mother's Interest and Forebears 103 World War II and the Bureau of Standards 105 High School Interests 106 Politics and Voting 108 IV MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY (1937-1943) 110 Importance of Family Status 110 Courses and Majors 112 English Assignment and the Theater 112 Friends on the Faculty 113 Religious and Racial Discrimination 114 Scholar's Life and Student Views 115 V COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY (1943-1947) 119 Statistics Taught as a Serious Subject 119 Statistical Research Group, Applied Mathematics Panel (1943-1945) 120 National Research Council Fellowship and Work at Chapel Hill (1945-1946) 122 VI STANFORD UNIVERSITY (1947-1963) 124 Running a Project and Starting a Statistics Department 124 Intelligent Use of Government Money 126 Some Consequences of Berkeley's Loyalty Oath 127 Faculty: Young Ones from Eastern U.S., Seniors from Europe 128 Joint Appointments 129 Loyalty to the Discipline 131 Applied Mathematics and Statistics Laboratory 132 Relations with Industry and Government 133 Computer Center and Department of Computer Science 134 Professional Honors and the Move to Administration 136 Berkeley-Stanford Seminar in Statistics 137 Terman's "Peaks of Excellence" 139 Decisions: Linear Accelerator and Three Physics Departments 144 Concern Over Commercializing 145 Looking for a Change 146 VII CHANCELLOR, THE CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK (1963-1971) 149 Graduate and Professional Work 149 City vs. Upstate 150 Expanding the University and Centralizing the Graduate School 151 Women Students and Faculty Members 152 Funding for Physical Facilities and Tuition 153 Vote of Censure, New Board, and Legislation 154 The Chancellor's Fund 158 Summary of Accomplishments 160 Open Admissions 162 Talent in the Central Office 163 VIII BERKELEY REMINISCENCES 166 Tenure for Harry Edwards 166 Library Cutbacks and Commitments 168 Extended University 169 Civil Disobedience 170 A Working Relationship with Local Police 171 Changing Generals During a Battle 172 Keeping College Open During Strikes Master Plan, Open Admissions, Race Relations 175 Faculty Collective Bargaining and Open Records 177 Budgetary Strategy and Tenure at Berkeley 180 Fund Raising and Reporting 181 Inviting Speakers, and the Problem of Charter Day 184 I House Films and a Library Exhibit 187 Writings 190 Faculty Appointments and the Budget Committee 192 Selecting Administrators 193 Building an Academic Community 196 Keeping the University in the First Rank 196 Institutional Politics and Constituencies 198 TAPE GUIDE 200 APPENDICES 201 I Rosedith Sitgreaves Bowker a. Letter, Rosedith Sitgreaves Bowker to Harriet Nathan, September, 1991 202 b. Vita, circa 1983 204 c. Obituaries: New York Times. February 3, 1992; The Washington Post. February 3, 1992; The Washington Post. February 4, 1992; Berkeleyan, February 12, 1992 208 d. "Memorial Resolution, Rosedith Sitgreaves Bowker