Interview with A. D. Albright, July 18, 1989

Interview Summary

A.D. Albright, former president of Northern Kentucky University and executive director of the Council on Higher Education, discusses educational reform in Kentucky in the late 1980s. He describes the results of taking the management of education away from teachers, and his ideas for changes in the training of teachers. He expresses reservations on county school programs being administered by the state, though he believes statewide education standards should be implemented. Albright discusses higher education retention rates and problems for students caused by the lack of good technical and vocational education in Kentucky. He describes his perception that academia is not interested in reform in elementary and secondary education, though they educate the teachers who go into these programs. Albright also discusses Kentucky's regional colleges and the problems caused when they sought to implement programs already available from the University of Kentucky. Albright then describes the push to start a school of veterinary medicine at the University of Kentucky and his opposition to it. He discusses his opinion that regional colleges should not offer the same programs offered at the University of Kentucky, instead focusing on creating their own unique curriculum.

Interview Keyword

Education budgets Education reform Post-secondary education Teacher training Education administrations Kentucky colleges and universities Flagship schools--Kentucky Politics in education Kentucky educators Veterinary schools--Kentucky Kentucky Education Reform Act (KERA)

Interview LC Subject

Albright, A. D. (Arnold De Wald) Albright, A. D. (Arnold De Wald)--Interviews University of Kentucky University of Kentucky--History Education, Higher--Kentucky Public schools County school systems Educational change. Education--Finance--Kentucky Education--Kentucky Education--Political aspects Education--Study and teaching School administrators. College dropouts School management and organization. Kentucky. General Assembly Murray State University Kentucky Education Reform Act

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.