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
Dates
- Creation: ca.Jun 18, 1905
Creator
- From the Collection: Janick, Herbert F. (Person)
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
Haas Library
181 White St
Danbury 06810 USA US
203.837.8992
203.837.8322 (Fax)
stevensb@wcsu.edu