[Newspaper]
Publication: The Syracuse Herald
Syracuse, NY, United States
vol. 31, no. 4337, p. 7, col. 1
DEAN NOT YET NAMED
Sentiment in Favor of Shepard as
Kent's Successor.
LOOKING FOR A GOOD MAN
Chancellor Day in Communication With
Prominent Engineers Throughout
Country to Secure Head for Smith
College of Applied Science.
University professors and students are still wondering who will be the next dean of the College of Applied Science. The visit of Chancellor Day to this city Monday shed no light on the matter. A strong sentiment for the retention of Acting Dean Shepard has developed among the students of the engineering college. The same desire has been expressed by several of the members of the faculty of that college.
A member of the faculty said yesterday: "I shall be greatly surprised if Henry Floy of New York is appointed dean. I believe that Mr. Floy's appointment would add to the reputation of the college as did the holding of the position by Dean Kent. Mr. Floy however, has a very lucrative business as a consulting engineer, and I understand that he could not accept a position at the university without a financial loss."
Professor Shepard gained the thanks of the faculty and sudents alike by his efforts last May in healing the breach caused by resolutions of the senior class, criticizing the authorities for the removal of Dean Kent by the executive committee of the board of trustees. Professor Shepard persuaded the senior mechanical engineers to go in a body to the Chancellor's office and discuss the suspension of their committee on resolutions in a calm manner. As a result of this conference the young men willingly withdrew that clause in the resolutions criticizing the trustees. Their position regarding the loss of their "beloved dean" was made clear in a more dignified way and criticism of the college authorities and hasty judgement on facts with which they were unfamiliar were withdrawn.
There have been a number of applications for the position and it is understood that the Chancellor has been in correspondence with several prominent engineering authorities throughout the country. It is pointed out that by appointing as able a man as Dr. Kent to the position, the authorities will fortify themselves against criticism from any source as the efficiency of the college would not be diminished.
Professor Shepard's friends say that his appointment would not lessen the ranking of the college with other technical schools and point to his work as acting dean as proof. Professor Shepard was appointed on June 4th at the close of the annual meeting of the Board of Trustees, which dismissed Dean Kent and accepted the resignation of Prof. F. E. Cardullo. The faculty in the college of Applied Science was in rather an unsettled condition at the time and Professor Shepard had to unite the pro-Kent and anti-Kent factions. A number of the faculty had even gone so far as to state that they would leave the university if Dean Kent was dismissed. Professor Shepard did much to heal this breach and members of the two factions , which no longer exist, are urging his appointment.
There is talk of starting a movement urging the permanent retention of Professor Shepard as head of the college.