Dr. Bruce King (interview); Creator: King, Dr. Bruce ; Interviewer(s): Sean Larkin and Faye Leone; Interview location: White Hall; Running time: 47 min., May 11, 1998

Coverage: 1978-1997
Topics discussed : (side A): Time at WestConn; 1978; 1997; Basic Studies program here when he came; worked part; time in that program; Taught about 20 years before coming to WestConn; Started Math Clinic; intended to be used by basic studies students; most who came weren't the ones who really needed it though; some from advanced courses came primarily; took it over after 1986 after sabbatical; Taught basic level and grad level courses; Geometry; Bob Hoburg and Jim Oliver; chairmen of Math department when he was there; Computer Science; hard to hire teachers for it during 1980s; taught some lower level courses; Student changes; no significant changes; Westside campus; came before it opened (opened early 1980s); decisions on who would move there; Business school was always going to move there; math department had opportunity to move there, but didn't; math department would have been able to have better offices; Higgins Hall offices; Split in department; math taught basically at Midtown, computer science at Westside; Feelings about Westside; enjoys the campus; Faculty in math department; hasn't grown much; about 11; 12 full; time members and always cohesive; they always got along really well; Bob Hoburg; was chairman for 19 years; knew had to organize the department; Jim Oliver; followed Hoburg as chair of the department; was a nice guy; could be intimidating to people who don't know him (especially students); Other departments; didn't really know much about other departments; Chemistry department; Dr. Paul Hines and Ron Gordano; department shattered when Gordano was killed in auto accident; WestConn presidents; came first under Bersi; left under Roach; takes special person to be able to lead a university; respected all, but didn't know any personally; Problems between faculty and administration; have been problems in the past; Steven Feldman; had problems getting along with the faculty; National events and effects on WestConn; Gulf War and his son being called; didn't pay much attention to campus because more concerned about his son; Vietnam War; was over by time he got to WestConn; taught at a community college in NY at the time; Assassinations of Robert Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr.; WestConn atmosphere; quiet campus; "Blue collar college"; students and faculty not really involved in the university; should be a more residential college to promote university activities; Westside; Grasso Hall and plans for new dorm; plan originally to move entire university to that campus; environmental concerns also factor; not fan of two campus setup; Library; plans for renovation; build a "swing building" to house library temporarily; Parking; always been a problem since he was there; new library might consume part of the parking area; Renovations; Landscape at WestConn; likes the changes made so far at WestConn; Student Center; close to opening again; University Hall; Over head walkway; Background; grew up in Queens, NY; lived in upstate NY later; bachelor's and doctorate Albany State; Master's University of Buffalo; taught high school in upstate NY; later at Glens Falls community college; came to WestConn about 5 years after getting doctorate (side B): Final thoughts; enjoyed his time at WestConn; now teaches a high school class; time he and his wife spent in Buffalo