Keddie, Farr:
By DEBBIE SHEER
Collegian Staff Writer
The 60s and the days of activism faded
along with the Vietnam war, leaving a
few small groups to fight for more
student participation in University
decisions.
This year such groups became con
cerned with the non-renewal of Jo-Ann
Farr's teaching contract. But in 1971,
before the onset of post-war apathy, a
stronger group rose with objections to
the dismissal of Wells Keddie, an
assistant professor of labor studies.
On June 21, 1971, an, inter
departmental committee composed of
five tenured liberal arts professors of
ficially denied Keddie tenure. This
meant that he would teach only one more
year.
Keddie challenged the decision
without success, left Penn State and has
taught at Livingston College, part of
Rutgers University since 1972.
He teaches the same type of courses he
plants lad pco
tocietherz...
itatal,Nal4
a mew Yeg'
PUGH STREET at CALDER WAY 238-2
Summer
Shortcut time
is here.
Take a
Shortcut
to a
beautiful
new you
at lan
of Danks.
Dcutic..s7
Corner of Beaver Ave. and Allen St.
•
•
MEET BASKIN-ROBBINS'
MOUTHBOGGLING
chunks of fruit in every scoop.
And, crunchy Granola Vanilla! Tantalizing and
spicy. The taste will boggle your mouth!
BASKIN-ROBBINS iii i
ICE CREAM STORE m •
COLLEGE AVE
358 E.
1977 BASKIN ROBBINS ICE CREAM COMPANY
s ee.•••,••••
Wells Keddie, associate professor of labor studies (at left), addressed some 1,200 students (at right) who rallied for his cause after he was denied tenure in June 1971
CL.
238-5521
e : ot
W .40 mg"
Student voice in decision-making an old, sad issue
taught at Penn State: Theories of the
Labor Movement, American Labor
History, Conflict Revolutions, and
economics, but with one large dif
ference. Within two years at Rutgers,
Keddie became a tenured faculty
,member:
At Penn State, Keddie had been rated
highly by students' teacher evaluations
and by the department head of labor
studies. Nevertheless, the committee
evaluated his teaching performance as
partially favorable and partially un
favorable.
His work in continuing education was
favorably assessed. The committee
report also evaluated his publication,
research, scholarship and professional
growth unfavorably and said his service
to the University was considered
minimal.
One professor who served on that
committee preferred not to discuss the
subject, Saying, "The matter is a closed
an
0
1450 S. Atherton St.. State Cone • a, Pa. 18801
TN
SJ.NoN)
matter as far as the University is con
cerned."
He also said he would not divulge the
criteria he used in contributing to the
decision and did not know what criteria
others had used.
At the time of the decision, Keddie
supporters issued a fact sheet that in
cluded lists of what they thought should
satisfy the committee's criteria.
According to this report, Keddie
published two ' articles, two
mimeographed labor education text
books and a research report for the
Labor Studies Department during his six
years at Penn State. He also prepared a
mimeographed survey on steel workers
which was used by the 1970 White House
Conference on Children and Youth.
Eight non-University activities were
listed under Professional Growth and
Scholarship.
Under service to the University,
Keddie served on five Liberal Arts
college committees or sub-committees,
HAPPY HOURS
three of these for two consecutive years.
He also served as a faculty advisor for
two groups, one for a year, the other for
four years, and three other on-campus
activities also were cited.
Keddie and his supporters protested
the decision, accusing the committee of
bias against Keddie for his outspoken
views on the Vietnam war, Penn State's
involvement with the military and other
issues.
"Away from Penn State, at least away
from State College, there were a lot
more people who share my opinions than
I had imagined," Keddie said in a recent
telephone interview. "Even those who
were my opponents took the time to
listen to what was being said and what
was being done."
At Rutgers, Keddie is also an elected
University Senator from Livingston
College, and the faculty recently elected
him to a search committee to choose a
new dean of labor studies. He said he
would never have been elected to either
There is nothing like a
nice cold bowl of soup.
Mom may • have forgotten
to tell you that while she was
busy reminding you of the
virtues of hot soup but then
very few mothers had a French
Chef who could make refreshing
vichyssoise or really cool cucum
ber soup or icy gazpacho.
Every day we have a soup to
help, you keep cool as well as
some great hot soups. After all,
mom did know what she was
talking about.
7.%,.... %, , , ,
.../
rezd %ii i°4) f 2jej
Open every day 6:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Fridays and Saturdays until midnight.
y through Friday
4-7
The place to relax after
those long, hard days.
Location: 101 Hiester
Call: 234-0845
A Division of Dantes Inc.
of these positions at Penn State.
Once the faculty committee at Penn
State had decided against Keddie's
tenure, only University President John
Oswald had the power to reverse the
denial. On March 15, 1972, after a rally
and a petition with 9,589 student
signatures, one with 120 signatures of
Keddie's students and endorsements
from five student organizations, Oswald
denied a tenure review.
The protestors presented the • case
before State Secretary of Education
John C. Pittenger, who said he found no
procedural violation. Then, on Nov. 20,
Keddie filed charges in U.S. District
Court to win tenure and collect $70,000 in
damages from the University.
Hearings started in February 1973,
and in February of 1976 the case was
dismissed in U.S. Middle Court in
Harrisburg. The ruling said the courts
"will not serve as a super Tenure
Review Committee."
"Had I had any money, I would have
a I — 6;t...
II I litarr•:
I treArkylii
CALDER SQUARE
The Daily Collegian Wednesday, June 22, 1977
"Away from Penn State, a;
least away from State Col
lege, there were a lot more
people who share my opine
ions than I had imagined.. .
Even those who were -my
opponents took the time to
listen to what was being
said and what , was being
done."
plan photos
appealed that decision," Keddie said.
The law firm representing him had
already invested $26,000 of time into the
case without expecting payment, Keddie
said.
He also said he's pleased with his work
now and that although in 1972 he
preferred to stay at Penn State, he
doesn't
_waste time thinking about what
might have been.
Keddie said he likes Rutgers because
unlike Penn State, it takes pride in
having.a Varied faculty.
But in many students' eyes, times
have not changed significantly enough to
give students a voice in Penn State's
administration. Although the bases for
the Keddie-Farr dismissals were dif
ferent in' terms of their contracts, the
results were the same.
Petition drives, rallies, publicity
campaigns and increased demands for
student participation in decision-making
all met solid administrative opposition
and failed.
NEW WORLD HEADQUARTERS
,914thyrete and Recycled Wifiiiibty
176 g. gitsp4, R. Q444Arzie4,
—Wells Keddie