It’s not business as usual in the business division
It certainly hasn’t been business
as usual in the Division of
Business Administration this
semester,
A division head was fired and
temporarily replaced with an ac
ting head, pending the appoint
ment of a new head. This comes
in the midst of the division’s
drive to seek national accredita
tion, a quest now to be postponed
for a year.
Dr. Harold L. Gilmore, Pro
fessor of Management, was
removed from his post as head of
the Division of Business Ad
ministration August 31 by Dr.
Stanley N. Miller, Acting Pro
vost/Dean. Gilmore will retain a
teaching position, but Dr.
Christopher K. McKenna, head of
the Division of Public Affairs, is
filling in as Acting Division
Head, by Miller’s appointment.
In a September 8 Capitol Times
interview, Miller declined to
reveal any reasons for Gilmore’s
firing. Referring to his letter of
termination, Miller said:
“All division heads serve at the
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Published by students of Penn State University, Capitol Campus
Campus expansion predicted for coming year
By Tim Hagan
According to reports
in the July edition of Currents, a
monthly publication put out by
the campus Public Relations of
fice, long-range plans instituted
by former Provost/Dean,
Theodore Gross, will dramatically
change the face of Capitol Cam
pus by Fall Semester, 1984.
Plans include the construction
of at least three new buildings, in
cluding the two-million dollar
Science and Technology Building;
a new bookstore; and a cultural
center.
Currently under construction,
the Science and Tech. Bldg, is be
ing completed ahead of schedule
due to exceptional weather condi
tions, according to reports to the
Office of Maintenance and
Utilities Operations.
Robert Hamill, Manager of
Personnel and Business Services,
Please see “EXPANSION,”
pleasure of the provost, and my
letter just reflects that. I wanted a
change.”
“But firing someone is
something one never does light
ly,” he said.
Rather than drawing attention
to Gilmore’s firing, Miller
said“ What I prefer is, let’s get on
with the work there is to be
done.”
Artist s rendition of campus expansion: (clockwise from left corner), Multi-Purpose Building (in place), would be remodeled to serve
as campus center; Bookstore (proposed); Technology Center (under construction), will contain laboratories and classrooms for
engineering technology programs; Olmsted Building (in place); Cultural Center (proposed), would house the Humanities Division,
Heindel Library, a 400-seat theatre, and seminar rooms; and C.R.A.G.S. Building (not shown) will contain the Finance, Records,
Student Services, and Counseling Offices.
Although Gilmore will not yet
speak publicly about the details
of his firing, awaiting reports
from a P.S.U. Central Ad
ministration investigation into the
matter, he said he did not expect
the move:
“I was flabbergasted. I just
was unprepared and shocked by
this administrative move. I had
no reason to terminate my service
Thursday,
September 22,
Vol. 18., No. 1
□ no
000
as division head myself.”
“It is a great embarassment to
me,” he said.
Gilmore said he feels some peo
ple have made an incorrect
assumption about his firing.
Reports appeared in
recently telling of his receipt of a
1983-84 Fulbright grant for travel
to India where he will lecture and
consult.
Gilmore said some newspaper
articles gave the impression he
would be in India for an entire
year, when he will actually be
gone only six weeks, from Oc
tober 9 to November 21.
Some people have assumed he
was released from his duties as
division head so he could spend
the year in India, he said, adding,
“I don’t want that idea to be
perpetuated, because it’s not
true.”
For the past year, the Business
Division has been preparing itself
to seek accreditation by the
American Assembly of Collegiate
Schools of Business. Gilmore sees
this project as an important goal
for the division.
“It serves as a very good focal
point for any quality improve
ment program,” he said. “I
would suggest that without it, we
would not be where we are now.’
“Without a driving force
behind the project, a person or
persons committed to the objec
tive, it might never be achieved,”
he said.
“Probably the best thing you
could say about a change in
leadership at this time is that it
Please see “GILMORE” pg. 3
Graphic courtesy Cai
itol Currents