Interview with Lewis W. Cochran, January 28, 1986

Interview Summary

In this interview, Lewis W. "Bud" Cochran continues the discussion regarding his tenure at Kentucky State University. In October 1982, he decided to scale back to a part-time basis of one day a week. He served in an advisory role for evaluation and recruiting. Cochran helped with the development of a policy manual. He discusses the necessity of this, since universities need to become more accountable, both financially and academically. He remembers that KSU had made many changes in short period of time, which had been formalized, initiated, but not yet fully implemented since Raymond Burse became president. He talks about physical plant improvements, how private (corporate and individual) giving has increased, and the move towards modest selective admission. Cochran mentions that the financial audits are now clean. He notes that there is still some weakness in the federal program for agriculture research, but the aquaculture (fish farming) research program is improving. Cochran mentions that there have been "many" degree program suspensions in the disciplines with very little or no participation. He is critical of Whitney Young College of Leadership Studies as an honors model, due to its academic isolation from the rest of the institution, and an "air of elitism." Cochran discusses Burse in regard to his strong points as well as the shortcomings of his administrative style. He talks about the competition for competent staff. He remembers the establishment of a community college design at KSU and some of the difficulties with this, that most of the Associate Degree programs have been implemented, and describes a few of these programs. Cochran discusses the change to the institute's mission, and KSU's total reversal of academic emphasis from a vocational and occupational institution back to a liberal arts university. Cochran goes on to discuss the future of higher education in Kentucky, its present situation, and where it is headed ten to twenty years from now. He thinks Kentucky "has not really made a commitment to excellence", and that "good instruction and good scholarship is what's needed."

Interview Keyword

Bud Cochran Whitney Young College of Leadership Funding Kentucky Higher education Race Integration Turnover in staff Reorganization

Interview LC Subject

Cochran, Lewis W., 1915- Cochran, Lewis W., 1915- --Interviews University of Kentucky University of Kentucky--History Universities and colleges--Faculty College administrators School management and organization Campus planning College environment Universities and colleges--Administration School discipline Universities and colleges--Finance African American college students Universities and colleges--Public relations School administrators

Interview Rights

All rights to the interviews, including but not restricted to legal title, copyrights and literary property rights, have been transferred to the University of Kentucky Libraries.

Interview Usage

Interviews may be reproduced with permission from Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, Special Collections, University of Kentucky Libraries.