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Dr. John Byrne (interview); Creator: Byrne, Dr. John; Interviewer(s): Chuck Ruch and Richard Renza; Interview location: Byrne's home; Running time: 55 min., ca.Jun 18, 1905

 File — Box: 10, item: 11, 12

Dates

  • Creation: ca.Jun 18, 1905

Creator

Access Restrictions

Open for research without restrictions.

Extent

From the Collection: 16 Linear Feet (, 14 boxes, and 1 OS Folder)

Language of Materials

From the Sub-Series: English

General Physical Description note


Number of tapes:2 [tape stock length: 30 minute]

General note

Coverage: 1974-1990s
Topics discussed : (tape 1;side A): Background; worked in Washington, DC for defense and intelligence; received Ph D in business from George Washington University; Why WestConn; interviewed by John Riegler; liked area and decided to come; Defense Department; has never talked about his role there; University of Maryland; taught there while he was in DC; also taught within his own agency; Most rewarding university; Maryland was large and G W he spent time working on his degrees; both were impersonal and never realized how so until he came here; Beginning at WestConn; started full; time in fall 1974; only 3 were in business department at time; began part; time January 1974; 1st assignment was to prepare a Master's program; Master's program; his first attempt failed because of politics; UConn felt their MBA program should be only one and convinced state; Dr. Bersi suggested the idea of having an MSA program if they couldn't have the MBA program; the MSA program ran until they were able to get their own MBA program; taught both the undergrad and grad programs in business (tape 1; side B): Experience at WestConn; smaller university; Dr. Haas was like a den; mother to the female students; few protests here; Memorable moments at WestConn; building the programs here; teaching classes at Ethan Allen Inn; Trouble at Maryland; students there protested the tremendous authority faculty had over students, which even included their student government; students protested for more say in student matters; tended to side w/ the students; events at Maryland helped students across country, including WestConn; Quality of Education; business helped school improve because involvement in the departments (tape 2; side A): Dr. Janick; traveled w/ him and his wife to Spain; have historic preservation as a common interest; well known in state for his efforts; has done a lot for Danbury while he has focused on New Milford; Restoration Railway Service; has been helping in getting railway service back to New Milford; has received help from politicians including Nancy Johnson; been a long drawn out process (4; 5 years); feels they are within 3 years of seeing progress; Freetime; historic and railway preservation/restoration; music in Canterbury; exercise; vacations (plans on France); trips to Florida and DC every year; Retirement; found things to be less challenging and less dynamic (tape 2; side B): Bermuda; taught there for about 4 years after he left WestConn in 1986; the program was through the University of Maryland; found students there more motivated than students in U.S.

Repository Details

Part of the Western Connecticut State University Archives and Special Collections Repository

Contact:
Haas Library
181 White St
Danbury 06810 USA US
203.837.8992
203.837.8322 (Fax)