The Gold and the Blue: A Personal Memoir of the University of California, 1949 - 1967: Volume 1, Academic Triumphs

576 Pages·2001·3.45 MB·English

by  Clark Kerr

3b.KERR, The Gold and the Blue 6/21/01 3:59 PM Page i
The Gold and the Blue
VOLUME ONE
3b.KERR, The Gold and the Blue 6/21/01 3:59 PM Page ii
3b.KERR, The Gold and the Blue 6/21/01 3:59 PM Page iii
CLARK KERR
T H E G O L D
A N D T H E B L U E
A Personal Memoir of the University of California, 1949–1967
VOLUME ONE
Academic Triumphs
WITH A FOREWORD BY NEIL J. SMELSER
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA PRESS
BERKELEY · LOS ANGELES · LONDON
KERR, The Gold and the Blue 6/29/01 10:34 AM Page iv
Frontispiece: Clark Kerr, chancellor, Berkeley campus,
1952–58; president, University of California, 1958–67.
Photo: Jack Fields.
University of California Press
Berkeley and Los Angeles, California
University of California Press, Ltd.
London, England
© 2001 by
The Regents of the University of California
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Kerr, Clark, 1911–
The gold and the blue : a personal memoir of the
University of California, 1949–1967 / Clark Kerr ;
with a foreword by Neil J. Smelser.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
Contents: v. 1. Academic triumphs
ISBN 0-520-22367-5 (cloth : alk. paper : v. 1)
1. Kerr, Clark, 1911–. 2. University of California,
Berkeley—Presidents—Biography. 3. University
of California—History. I. Title.
LD755.K47 A3 2001
378.794'67—dc21 2001027243
Printed in Canada
09 08 07 06 05 04 03 02 01
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
The paper used in this publication meets the
minimum requirements of ANSI / NISO
Z39 0.48-1992(R 1997) (Permanence of Paper).8
3b.KERR, The Gold and the Blue 6/21/01 3:59 PM Page v
TO MY WIFE, KAY, who worked so hard and e¤ectively to
further the welfare of the University of California and that
of our whole family and, at the same time, to “Save San
Francisco Bay—now and forever.”
TO THE ACADEMIC SENATE OF THE UNIVERSITY OF
CALIFORNIA, which, for the past seventy-five years, has
wielded such great influence over the most essential
endeavors of the university and, with a few exceptions, has
done so with high expectations matched by outstanding
results.
TO THE BOARD OF REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF
CALIFORNIA, which has the supreme authority over the
University of California and, again with a few exceptions,
has exercised that authority with devotion and wisdom.
3b.KERR, The Gold and the Blue 6/21/01 3:59 PM Page vi
3b.KERR, The Gold and the Blue 6/21/01 3:59 PM Page vii
The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the
arena . . . that his place shall never be with those cold
and timid souls who know neither defeat nor victory.
THEODORE ROOSEVELT
3b.KERR, The Gold and the Blue 6/21/01 3:59 PM Page viii
3b.KERR, The Gold and the Blue 6/21/01 3:59 PM Page ix
Contents
LIST OF FIGURES AND TABLES XV
FOREWORD XIX
PREFACE XXIX
Part I. Introduction
1. GETTING TO KNOW BERKELEY 3
How I Got Started at Berkeley • How I Got Committed to Industrial
Relations • The GIs • The Loyalty Oath • My Life before Berkeley •
Hard work and a caring community • Education • Peaceful Solutions
2. A GIANT ASTRIDE THE UNIVERSITY:
AN APPRECIATION OF ROBERT GORDON SPROUL 16
Part II. The First Chancellor at Berkeley, 1952–58
3. ANSWERING THE BIG QUESTION:
WHO WILL TAKE BERKELEY’S PLACE IN THE ACADEMIC BIG SIX? 23
Support for the Chancellorship and the Agenda • “Who will take
Berkeley’s place?” • An agenda for advancing the answer, “no one” • The
Chancellor’s O‹ce • My Approach to the Chancellorship • Did Sproul
Make a Mistake? • The “x” Factor
4. DEFINING A CHANCELLOR’S SPHERE OF ACTION 39
The Old Provostship • The New Context • Thrusts and Parries • Battles
over Decentralization • The campus business manager • Department chairs •
Information and participation • The chancellor’s sta¤ • How It Turned Out
5. “THE BEST BALANCED DISTINGUISHED UNIVERSITY” 56
What Berkeley Had Going for It • The Berkeley Campus Takes Charge
of Its Future • Departmental life