INTERVIEW WITH DEAN HAROLD A. BOLZ
CONDUCTED BY ROBERT SUTTON
APRIL 13, 1983 
 

Brief Summary 

            Dean Bolz describes the Committee of 100 as a group to assist the College in obtaining improved facilities and support of research.  The launching of SPUTNIK made their work easier.  More PhDs in engineering were needed because the defense agencies were farming research to engineering departments.  The factors leading to a shortage of graduate students are summarized.

            The establishment of chairs aided in recruiting outstanding faculty.  The interactions of dean, department chairmen, and faculty on policy, tenure, and courses are described.  The administrative skills of Professor Earl Dreese (electrical engineering) were summarized and Dean Bolz continues to marvel at Professor Dreese’s success.  The problems caused by non-engineering departments by very small departments and by a new department are summarized.  Several faculty members were selected to be university administrators.  The College was concerned about inbreeding of faculty.  Dean Bolz stresses that accreditation is very expensive to the University.  The undergraduate students are job-oriented.  The faculty is more loyal to their professional groups than to the University 

NOTE: The transcript ends abruptly.  This follows the tape.  

Leading Themes 

1. Description of the “Committee of 100”
2. The launching of SPUTNIK by Russia made it easier to improve the College of Engineering facilities and increase graduate research.
3. The effectiveness of several alumni in promoting the College is summarized.
4. Dean Bolz contributed to the change of philosophy that the Development Fund accept designated gifts as well as undesignated gifts.
5. With industry hiring most of the B.S. graduates, a shortage of students for graduate research was occurring.
6. U.S. industry is suffering because of the shortage of PhD engineers.
7. Dr. Bolz describes the differences in working for industry and for the University.
8. He discusses the role of the faculty in selecting a new faculty member.
9. The power of the Dean is decreased by a powerful faculty
10. The effectiveness of Dr. Dick Dreese as a department chair is described.
11. He discussed the problems of having non-engineering departments in the College.
12. The administrative problems that result from a low student population is described
13. Establishment of computer and information science as a department in the College of Engineering
14. The College of Engineering as a source of University administrators.
15. Problems associated with inbreeding are discussed.
16. Accreditation procedures for each department
17. Engineering students are job oriented
18. Dr. Bolz summarizes changes in the skills taught to engineering students
19. The topics discussed at College faculty meetings were summarized.
     

Individuals Mentioned 

1. Dean Gordon Carson: p. 1, 4, 11
2. Dr. N. Fawcett: p. 2
3. Dean Meiling: p. 3
4. Wilbur Chope: p. 3
5. Roy Chope: p. 3
6. George Foster: p. 3
7. Harry Warner: p. 3
8. Melvin Glute: p. 3
9. Ralph Boyer: p. 3
10. Don Bowers: p. 3
11. Jack Fullen: p. 4
12. Joe Koffolt: p. 4, 6
13. Mike Marco: p. 6
14. Mars Fontana: p. 6
15. Dick Dreese: p. 6, 8, 9
16. Fred Heimberger: p. 8
17. James Lincoln: p. 8, 10
18. Ed Moulton: p. 11
19. Richard Zimmerman: p. 11
20. Don Glower: p. 16, 18