Eastern CT State College Leadership Banquet (Sound)

Eastern CT State College Leadership Banquet

Dyer, James E.

30 mins side a, 5 mins side b

Banquet speech and post-speech interview. Education expenditures, Governor Meskill. Also includes speech by Eastern's president Dr. Charles Webb

1973

Universities and colleges

ms052_23_1973EcscBanquet

Side a:

00;00;00;26 - 00;00;15;18
Jim Dyer
Noise...Denizens of the community of Eastern Connecticut State College. Very pleased to be up here. I come from the other side of the state and I don't think go long, but I like coming to this that I was telling President.

00;00;15;18 - 00;00;20;22
Jim Dyer
Webb that I care that you have a very cold.

00;00;23;17 - 00;00;29;04
Jim Dyer
You to a dormitory about a month ago.

00;00;29;06 - 00;01;01;04
Jim Dyer
I found them very cozy. I think the atmosphere at eastern, though, is a tribute to your president. President Webb, I can assure you, speaks up very effectively for Eastern Connecticut State College. So there isn't a better place than a leadership banquet to praise President Webb. And I think you're very fortunate in having him as the president of this college.

00;01;01;06 - 00;01;25;06
Jim Dyer
I see I have some of you at a disadvantage because I have a captive audience of sorts, because those who want the remainder of the awards have to stay and listen to me. Otherwise they don't get the award. But, that's the way it is. I want to thank the speaker's committee for inviting me here this evening. I always appreciate an opportunity to address members of the State College community, especially leaders of that community.

00;01;25;09 - 00;01;57;18
Jim Dyer
I don't get to talk to too many leaders in Hartford or anywhere else. I also want to congratulate those who are receiving recognition this evening, as well as your parents, for I'm sure they are sharing your honors with you. And I certainly don't want to forget the faculty members who have guided you on to any success. This type of affair is a very vital part of a college community for to officially recognize people for specific accomplishment, specific contribution, and a specific achievement of a goal.

00;01;57;20 - 00;02;22;18
Jim Dyer
All too often, we tend to forget that once in a while it is good to say thank you to someone for their efforts and so recognize them. You who have come here this evening are being honored as leaders of your college community. And this is good. For it is each of you who will go on and contribute later to society as a whole, and possibly assume leadership in one way or another.

00;02;22;21 - 00;02;49;06
Jim Dyer
I can't help but think back to my own campus leadership experience. When I was a student, when I transferred into Western Connecticut State College in 1969 as a sophomore, a friend of mine said, Jim, why don't you run for student government president? It's in the bag. So I did, and I lost. The following year, the same friend said to me again, listen, Jim, this time, this time, there's no doubt about it.

00;02;49;08 - 00;03;17;01
Jim Dyer
You'll sweep the campus. So I ran again. I lost again. Later that the same year, this friend came to me again and said, Jim, the governor is going to impose tuition in the state colleges and you've got to fight them. You'll defeat tuition. Well, I fought tuition, and we have tuition.

00;03;17;03 - 00;03;22;22
Jim Dyer
This person still is a close friend of mine.

00;03;22;24 - 00;03;46;01
Jim Dyer
And, just yesterday he said to me, Jim, don't worry. I know that when you're term on the board of trustees expires on June 30th, that there isn't a doubt that governor Mark over reappoint you.

00;03;46;04 - 00;03;53;12
Jim Dyer
So at that, I approach June 30th with great confidence.

00;03;53;14 - 00;04;28;01
Jim Dyer
But this is all part of the leadership experience. You will usually have more defeats than victories. Good leaders will learn from their defeats. Bad leaders will become overwhelmed by their own victories. Before I go on, though, I do want to interject that I've done some winning too. I was student government vice president. I was appointed as the first undergraduate to the state Board of Trustees, and I was chosen to speak here this evening.

00;04;28;04 - 00;04;49;15
Jim Dyer
I want to relate to you some of my opinions and beliefs, gained through my experience as the youngest member of the board of trustees for the Connecticut State Colleges and as a former United States congressional aide. I do not pretend to stand here and try to offer you a solution on how to best achieve a successful life, or do I even pretend to come to you with special credentials?

00;04;49;17 - 00;05;14;15
Jim Dyer
I do hope, though, that I will stir thought in your minds, and whether you agree with me or not, you will go forth from here with some insight into the problems facing you as individuals, as well as the problems facing the college. Many of you will be leaving. We could not speak this evening of leadership and not discuss the leadership crisis taking place in Washington.

00;05;14;17 - 00;05;43;23
Jim Dyer
I suppose we can find a humorous side. We can think back to 1960, when a younger Richard Nixon was running for president and someone asked, would you buy a used car from this man? In 1972, we bought the car, and now in the spring of 73, the transmission has fallen out of it.

00;05;43;25 - 00;06;10;01
Jim Dyer
It's on the more serious side, though, is the tragic deterioration of faith and confidence in our governmental system that has resulted, no matter who has occupied the white House. We have always been able to look to the white House and regard it as a symbol of honesty, of freedom, of democracy, and certainly as a shining symbol of what American integrity was.

00;06;10;04 - 00;06;42;06
Jim Dyer
Today, however, under the white paint of the white House lies a very dark surface, a surface which grows darker every day. Trust has been lost as Americans begin to realize that while they were being led to an alleged peace with honor, they were also being led to political dishonor and espionage. Whether or not the white House can regain confidence with our people remains a critical question for such a monumental leadership crisis to occur early in a presidential administration.

00;06;42;08 - 00;07;12;20
Jim Dyer
This most unfortunate and many deep scars are going to be left for four more years. Future leaders here this evening might learn much from the recent Washington events so that it will never occur again. And that is a challenge to each and every one of you. As we move closer to home, we can hardly identify. We can identify more clearly with leadership positions that dramatically affect our lives.

00;07;12;22 - 00;07;36;02
Jim Dyer
Since I am a member of the group that governs eastern as well as three other colleges, and I am responsible to both the state and our taxpayers, I first think of our state leadership, and I find myself posing some questions. I can never understand why it is that those who are elected to the state House so often choose to shirk their responsibilities.

00;07;36;04 - 00;08;01;09
Jim Dyer
All too often, those who have been assigned to committees refuse to meet the call of their responsibility. It is certainly frustrating to attend a legislative hearing prepared to state your case to your government, and find that only six of a committee of 30 have bothered to show up, and the chairman of the committee is not to be found among the six.

00;08;01;12 - 00;08;33;24
Jim Dyer
This is anything but representative government. More specifically, I am referring to the Education and Appropriation committees. Both of these committees, while fortunate enough, fortunate enough to have some very dedicated, have been very noticeable in their lack of concern for the plight of the state colleges. I have just completed a tour of the four state colleges. I found out that the education committee hasn't been out of any one of our in more than two years, yet.

00;08;33;24 - 00;08;54;11
Jim Dyer
These colleges are in very sad need of many things. The Appropriation Committee most definitely should take a look at our empty bookshelves, and then I would like them to explain to me why they cut library allocations first. With each cut, we begin to chip away at our accreditation and certainly at the very.

00;08;54;11 - 00;08;59;14
Unknown
Technical quality education.

00;08;59;17 - 00;09;24;05
Jim Dyer
Trying to do the job that they asked to be elected to do, then they should get out of office and step aside and let someone who will do the job move in. Hartford has to get out of Hartford and begin to solicit opinions. Begin to see what is actually happening with the dollars. See how laws are actually being applied.

00;09;24;08 - 00;09;59;18
Jim Dyer
This entails work, but this nation wasn't built without hard work. And if we are going to keep it as it should be, then it's going to take more hard work in other areas of state government. I hope that we will soon see a drift away from restraining policies. Under the banner of austerity. Hopefully we are going to see state government cast off the attitude that higher education professionals are second class citizens and should not be given the same consideration, given other state employees.

00;09;59;21 - 00;10;28;00
Jim Dyer
Hopefully we will see greater cooperation between public and private education. Hopefully, we will see state government in Hartford cease to remain some abstract thing which legislates laws and regulations that are entirely removed from our best interests, or even our desires. And maybe we'll begin to see legislators making laws instead of courts making laws. I want to see government come back to each of us.

00;10;28;03 - 00;10;54;12
Jim Dyer
Government has become too removed from the government and it's time to change that direction. And campus governance. I believe that trustees cannot remain invisible to the institutions they govern. And that is why I chose to go out to the campuses and actively seek out the opinions of students and faculty. And I'm going back. This is not to contradict existing channels of campus governance.

00;10;54;14 - 00;11;20;17
Jim Dyer
It is, in addition to them. I think that faculty, students, trustees and administrators should see more of each other and openly and freely discuss their mutual problems. That way, everyone will have a better understanding of each other's position. I can't possibly describe to you how it felt to be a student government vice president one day criticizing the board of trustees, and to find that the next day I was a member of that board.

00;11;20;19 - 00;11;47;00
Jim Dyer
I can assure you that you get a better appreciation of the situation, if not a downright shocking one. In other areas of restructuring, I'd like to see more participation by the public in public higher education. This is a two way street. The public is losing trust in our colleges, but if they are participants in the problems, they will better understand the colleges and achieve greater awareness of our colleges.

00;11;47;02 - 00;12;22;03
Jim Dyer
At the same time, the college professionals will gain a better understanding of the public's concerns and attitudes. It is entirely possible to establish a citizen advisory board in much the same way that faculty and student advisory boards, the Board of Trustees, were established. We could even go one step further and elect trustees. Although I do approach such a proposal with great hesitation because of the possible political implication, however, it might be possible to create a board with a mix of appointed and elected members.

00;12;22;05 - 00;12;49;27
Jim Dyer
Each of us has many questions which must be answered, and all of which will affect our futures. I must ask, why do we have a state surplus in time of agency? Need? Why do we have libraries with empty shelves jeopardizing our accreditation while we build that surplus? Is Hartford an education, or is it that they just aren't pro education?

00;12;50;00 - 00;13;23;02
Jim Dyer
Why is it that we spent the decade of the 60s fighting for equality for all men, and now it appears that the 70s will be spent assuring that no men become superior? Why is it that we buy portable classroom buildings while other buildings stand empty and unused? Because appropriated money is bottlenecked in the bond commission? Do average citizens have to become professional politicians and lobbyists to assure that they get fair treatment from their elected representatives?

00;13;23;04 - 00;13;44;16
Jim Dyer
Do we continue to batter the eroding middle class with taxes instead of establishing equitable tax laws? And should not America be first at home among her own people? Before America is first around the world to answer these questions.

00;13;44;19 - 00;14;19;24
Jim Dyer
The solution which looks at actually solving a problem rather than just hiding it under additional laws. I don't know our exact direction in higher education. Our government. But I believe that we can do better than we have done. And I believe that the state has to do better for our future generations. Your children and my children. I believe we need a government where our best interests are served and not the dominating, vested or special interests.

00;14;19;26 - 00;14;42;07
Jim Dyer
I believe that we have the greatest nation in the history of man, but I believe, too, that we shouldn't be satisfied with just that. That we should strive to improve, to better serve the individual. We can have reform in government, a shifting away from conglomerate government to government which serves our rights. Government isn't supposed to just veto and cut programs.

00;14;42;07 - 00;15;15;20
Jim Dyer
It's supposed to protect and defend. How many more people do we reduce to poverty and restrain from equality in the name of balancing the budget? Are we headed for a two class society? Rich and poor. Only each of you can answer that question, because only your actions and your concerns for a better world will dictate our future. I hope that through all of my idealism, I have offered some thoughts of merit to you.

00;15;15;23 - 00;15;43;01
Jim Dyer
I hope that each of you will succeed beyond your best dreams in your careers, and that, most importantly, you will find what man seems to be eternally searching for peace, happiness and love. Yesterday can be found in our memories and tomorrow will be found in our dreams. And there are no barriers to those dreams other than our responsibility to one another.

00;15;43;01 - 00;16;18;27
Jim Dyer
As human beings, as we strive to mold our lives. Let us learn from the children who follow us. Let us seek knowledge from their wisdom as we seek out our futures. We should remain constantly aware of the simplicity of our youth, and most of all, the sincerity and honesty of it. We should seek to capture the mystique of youth and the acceptance of youth, and in seeking to capture that mystique, we can possibly find some insight into the following words, which were written by the Moody Blues.

00;16;18;29 - 00;16;45;29
Jim Dyer
When the white Eagle of the North is flying overhead, the Browns, Reds and gold. The bottom line gutter dead. Remember, then, that summer birds with wings of fire flame came to witness spring's new hope. Born of leaves decaying. Just as new life will come from death. Love will come at leisure. Love of love. Love of life and giving without measure.

00;16;46;02 - 00;17;27;20
Jim Dyer
Gives in return a wondrous yearn of a promise. Almost seen. Live hand in hand. And together we'll stand on the threshold of a dream. I thank you very much for your attention.

00;17;27;22 - 00;17;54;03
Jim Dyer
I. At this time, I'd like to present to you a man that's familiar to most of us here at the college of our president, President Charles Webb.

00;17;54;06 - 00;18;30;16
Charles Webb
Thank you. Larry. That's quite a speech to have to follow. Jim, I really liked it. I've grown to have great respect for Jim Dyer seeing him operate. And the board of trustees. I have great respect for his opinions. I'm pleased to hear that he finds us to be a cozy college. it's a nice name. I can conjure up all sorts of acronym ick potential in this cozy college suggestion that you make.

00;18;30;18 - 00;19;08;14
Charles Webb
You know, I'd always felt that we were a cozy college, but I would be a little more selective here in saying that maybe we're cozy in parts. Just in parts. I haven't had the advantage of going around to find out just where those parts are. And and I envy you, Jim, both your perceptiveness and your you.

00;19;08;17 - 00;19;45;28
Charles Webb
Of course, Jim isn't as young as he used to be. Either. My. But but he's grown old faster each last three years. He and I came to the board of trustees. Will say of the Connecticut state colleges about the same time. As a matter of fact, to be exact, Jim came in January of 1970 to the Board of Trustees and has been serving since that time with great and growing distinction.

00;19;46;01 - 00;20;13;14
Charles Webb
And some of you will remember that I came to Eastern Connecticut State College in May of 1970. Now, I said a moment ago that Jim is very perceptive. I have admired his discernment. I have to tell you that I admire his judgment because he was a member of that very board of trustees which selected me as president. So you have had a secret admirer and an open admirer for some time.

00;20;13;16 - 00;20;55;27
Charles Webb
But quite seriously, I don't think anyone could have been presented a more difficult job as a young man to come to the Board of Trustees as a full fledged member, while in the position of considerable leadership on his own campus at Western. Tonight we are having a leadership banquet, which is a banquet for leaders. I think Jim has shown real leadership, at West Conn and on the board of trustees in a dual manner.

00;20;55;29 - 00;21;23;04
Charles Webb
He was very modest in speaking to you a while back in telling you how he ran for office at West. I don't know how many times Jim must have counted the conflicts that he had between running for office at Western and being a member of the board of trustees, indeed, being a member of the board of trustees and being a student at Western.

00;21;23;07 - 00;22;04;23
Charles Webb
Now, I know how Jim handled these conflicts. He simply took each issue as it came and voted his conscience. And many times I've heard a single day or single day at a meeting of the Board of Trustees and all of his colleagues on that board respected him for his open and honest way of voting. His conscience. Well, Jim, I don't mean to suggest when I say that you've grown quite a bit in three years on the board of Trustees, that you didn't bring a great amount of judgment to the board.

00;22;04;24 - 00;22;34;20
Charles Webb
You had it right. There is, as I think I tried to indicate a moment ago, from from the very beginning, but it has been a formidable task and carried out in a way, which could be a leadership lesson to a great number of us. I, I can think of some of the debates it sparkled between Jim and some of our senior members of the Board of trustees, and they were interesting.

00;22;34;22 - 00;22;38;28
Charles Webb
Jim did not win them all, did you? No.

00;22;39;00 - 00;22;40;09
Jim Dyer


00;22;40;11 - 00;23;04;03
Charles Webb
But he won a lot of. And where he lost, he lost with dignity. well, as I say, yours is a hard speech to follow. And, I guess I wish I could have preceded you and maybe I could could have introduced you. As a matter of fact, I can tell here that if I introduced you again, there'd be a lot, a majority.

00;23;04;03 - 00;23;45;14
Charles Webb
All the people would like to have you stand up again. I feel that there are still a number of awards to be given, and therefore I shouldn't be going on here too long. I only feel that, some sort of award should go to Jim Green here for, courage, in positioning himself in this particular spot. courage and persistence and sheer grit.

00;23;45;17 - 00;23;50;07
Charles Webb
Would you like to.

00;23;51;13 - 00;24;28;01
Charles Webb
Larry's enjoying himself right now, and and, we have two sets of awards coming up. And, to speed things along so he and I don't have to pop up and down. I will ask Michael Pernell to step up and, make the, I hate to say this. The Charles R Webb Inaugural Scholarship awards for.

00;24;28;04 - 00;24;28;21

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Side b:

00;00;00;05 - 00;00;05;05
WXCI
Like a candidate talking tonight. GM do you have any, political ambitions statewide?

00;00;05;07 - 00;00;25;10
Jim Dyer
No, not at this time. you know, I know, closed doors. people have asked me plenty of times. Are you going to run for office? in my own hometown. Life. There's a vacancy for mayor right now, and a lot of people have suggested my name. But as I said, I'm not a candidate. I haven't I haven't made any decision as to what I want to do in the future.

00;00;25;12 - 00;00;41;09
Jim Dyer
politics is certainly something that I've been in. I don't know whether you decide to go on it, but I've been in it. I've enjoyed it. I think I've made some contributions, but, I haven't decided on running for any office at this time, although it always remains a very distinct possibility.

00;00;41;11 - 00;01;01;21
WXCI
in the event that, Democrats, I assume you're probably a Democrat from, your from, I hear comments on this from Mexico when they did Independent Democrat. But in the in the event that they might tap you in, for some kind of, state office, I assume you'd probably you would probably go along with it.

00;01;01;23 - 00;01;22;16
Jim Dyer
Well, again, you know, it really depends on the office. If I felt that I was capable of fulfilling the office. I think too many people, they they get a title thrown at them and they grab it without thinking sometimes. And, I don't know if that's the best, situation to have in government. I would be certainly flattered if anyone offered me anything.

00;01;22;19 - 00;01;29;17
Jim Dyer
I don't expect it. I'm not looking for it. If it were offered, I'd certainly give serious consideration.

00;01;29;20 - 00;01;41;10
WXCI
Okay. Good enough. That's, Now, as far as, as far as, your reappointment goes, I take it you don't think that, your chances of being reappointed by Mr. Mescal are too likely?

00;01;41;12 - 00;01;59;14
Jim Dyer
Well, I don't know. Of course, you'd have to ask the governor. I'm available. I think I've worked hard. I think my performance record is, equal. If not, ahead of anyone else. I've. I've had a near perfect attendance in my three and a half years. I've gotten out to all the campuses. I've talked with people.

00;01;59;16 - 00;02;21;18
Jim Dyer
I've never, promised to do anything that other than to try and communicate their thoughts and opinions. The governor and I have not really disagreed on that much. we disagreed on tuition. I sometimes think that there's a little extreme budget cutting, going on. But this isn't to say there hasn't been waste and there isn't need to correct some of the situations.

00;02;21;20 - 00;02;43;02
Jim Dyer
I think that I could look forward to working with him. I don't see why we can't work out them. See, we're in a democracy where a difference of opinion can exist. That's what makes this democracy having a difference of opinion. And that's what makes this democracy healthy. So, you know, I don't know what the governor's plans are, that he's maybe made up his mind already.

00;02;43;05 - 00;02;54;16
Jim Dyer
I, I'm available. As I said, I'm going to make that availability known to him, and, Yeah, that it's it's his decision. I would just ask that I be judged on my performance.

00;02;54;18 - 00;03;02;00
WXCI
As far as the Democratic governmental candidates, go. who do you favor? What do you think of Mr. Babbage's candidacy?

00;03;02;02 - 00;03;22;23
Jim Dyer
Of course. Homer Babbage is an impressive man. I think it's really early to, to say who I. I'd say, but I don't I don't have a favorite right now. To be very honest. I haven't really sat back and analyzed for, who's Going to run or grass, as mentioned. And Killian's mentioned, I think that's going to be a tough fight ahead for the Democrats.

00;03;22;24 - 00;03;44;06
Jim Dyer
Another who's nominated, I hear about Governor Mexico's unpopularity here and there. But, I think, you know, there's a degree of popularity we haven't heard about, you know, any guy who makes a lot of enemies, let's say, is doing something right. so maybe he's doing something right. I think it's going to be, I don't think the Democrats can look ahead to any easy sweep.

00;03;44;08 - 00;04;07;19
Jim Dyer
and I think if they do that very savvy mistake, and I think the government is going to give, a very tough run of it. I think he's, a tough campaigner. He's a very personable man to talk with. I wouldn't speculate at this time who the Democrats are going to run. I think there's a lot of points they can run on, a lot of issues they can run on now, whether they pull together and get behind one candidate or, or that it remains to be seen.

00;04;07;19 - 00;04;14;18
Jim Dyer
And so far, the Democrats right now have a lot of polling to do. and I don't know who the consensus candidate can be.

00;04;14;21 - 00;04;22;16
WXCI
Speaking of educational issues, as someone that's been involved in education, do you think this is something that, probably should be addressed in the campaign?

00;04;22;18 - 00;04;40;13
Jim Dyer
Well, I don't know if it's a campaign issue. I think it's an issue, period. I think that generally the people of the state have come to look at all the institutions with skepticism ism. some of them are questioning what's going on in them, and they're doing so rightly. I mean, they're paying for the colleges. I would like to see greater dialog.

00;04;40;17 - 00;04;58;01
Jim Dyer
I would like to see the colleges do a better public relations job than they're doing. there's got to be more communication with the public, because this evening, as I said, there should be more public involvement. it's a two way street. I think people sit down and discuss the problems, are going to understand one another better. You're never going to agree with everybody on everything.

00;04;58;07 - 00;05;15;04
Jim Dyer
But at least if you have an understanding of what the colleges are contributing to society and contributing to the state, I think that would be in a better position. we've got to in the colleges, realize we're not going to get everything we want and no man should get into everything they want. But I, I'd like to see a little healthier balance.

00;05;15;04 - 00;05;23;10
Jim Dyer
And there's been and if education is an issue in the campaign that it only be an outgrowth of it being an issue in the state right now. Okay, okay.