Interview with Richard A. Bean, August 20, 2014

Interview Summary

A founding member of the KCTCS Board of Regents, and later its chair, Mr. Bean described his childhood in Lexington, during which he played neighborhood basketball with Adolph Rupp?s son and occasionally the coach; his education and service in Vietnam; his work with the UK Alumni Association; advisory service at Jefferson Community College; opposition to higher education reform efforts as a member of the UK community; his initial reluctance to serve as a member of the KCTCS regents as someone who had opposed reform; the early, chaotic days of the KCTCS board; its search for a system president, including the first failed search and the board?s decision not to hire interim President James Ramsey; the interim tenure of Dr. Jeff Hockaday; the hiring of Dr. Michael McCall; the relationship between McCall and the board; the move to consolidate community and technical colleges into districts; controversies surrounding McCall?s salary and the move to eliminate tenure; and his feelings about McCall as a person.

Interview Keyword

childhood consolidation Higher Education Reform James Ramsey Jeff Hockaday Jefferson Community College KCTCS Board of Regents Michael McCall tenure UK Alumni Association

Interview LC Subject

Education Rupp, Adolph, 1901-1977 Vietnam War, 1961-1975

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.