Department Chairman Policy.
In the wake of the confusion surrounding the removal of three
department chairmen in 1966-Dr. Barrett of the mathematics department, Dr. Churchill of the
electrical engineering department, and Dr. Hewett of the physics department-the Faculty Senate
enacted a system which clarified the appointment and tenure of department chairmen, and
established a procedure for the periodic review of their performance and potential dismissal
from their posts. This policy set a three-year term for chairmen, with the option of
reappointment by the president. This ended student misunderstanding and possible panic about
the loss of accreditation of their departments.
Junk Exhibit.
On Earth Day, a new janitor working in Lewis House found a great pile of
rubbish in the middle of the second floor lounge. He worked for hours to clean up the mess.
Then a student complained that his Earth Day exhibit (a horrible example of litter) had
vanished. So the janitor laboriously restored the "exhibit." This story crossed the nation as an
Associated Press news brief.
Phillips Struck Out.
Jack Phillips '48, professional baseball star, related the following story to
an amused alumni gathering. (See p. 369)
During his playing days at Clarkson, he once struck out but refused to leave the field.
When Coach Hodge came on the field to find out why Jack still stood there, Phillips replied,
"You know I'm out, the umpire knows I am out, and I know I'm out. But all my fans don't know
I'm out!" He said that he figured the fans would enjoy seeing him engage in that futile
argument, and they did.
