Ninth. The president shall have control of all employees engaged in the preservation and maintenance of the buildings of all departments of the university, and he shall be the chief custodian of such buildings.
At another great university a popular professor of another institution was offered the presidency, but he
delayed his acceptance until he had come to a clear understanding with the regents as to their future relations. He said with much frankness that one great disadvantage of the University of had always been the disposition of the regents to meddle in the internal management, especially in personal matters, such as appointments, promotions and salaries; and he received assurance that the initiative in these matters should rest with himself.
At a third great institution where the power of control came to be vested in a single person, it was announced that the trustee had paid "a high compliment to President by giving him absolute power over the management of the educational affairs of the University."
At a fourth institution the candidate selected by the board of trustees dictated his own terms in accepting the office of president of a college and it was announced that "the board of trustees has accepted the principles proposed by and all direction of the faculty will proceed from him."
At another time a university president took summary action in regard to several members of the faculty, and when "the persons concerned" asked the reason for the action they received the reply from the president, "I have no reasons to give. It is my pleasure." It is possible that the distinguished president was only unconsciously reflecting his morning lesson from Kipling,
And many and mighty are they;
But the head and the hoof of the Law
And the haunch and the hump is—Obey.
The privilege of overriding legislation of the faculty is claimed by the president of at least one great university. Somewhat recently when the name of a student who was a candidate for a degree in arts was presented to the faculty, the head of one department reported that the candidate had not completed all the work prescribed by the faculty as necessary before obtaining the degree. The president refused to allow the faculty to vote on the case and later stated in the press, over his own signature, "that the president of the university has the authority and privilege of submitting to the trustees a recommendation for any degree without consulting any faculty or any member of a faculty."
These illustrations could be multiplied almost indefinitely. They seem to furnish some ground for the observation of a college professor that "the college presidency is a despotism untempered by assassination."
