University of Virginia Library

Provost Frank Hereford To Retire,
Returns To Former Teaching Role

By Donn Kessler
Cavalier Daily Staff Writer

Frank L. Hereford Jr., Vice-President
and Provost of the University announced
last Tuesday that he would not accept a
re-appointment to his administrative post
this June but would be returning to
full-time teaching and research in physics.

Mr. Hereford was appointed to his
post by Edgar F. Shannon Jr., President
of the University in 1966 after Mr.
Hereford had served as Dean of the
Graduate School of Arts and Sciences for
four years.

Physicist,Not Administrator

In explaining the reason for his
retirement, Mr. Hereford stated that
physics had always been his final goal and not
administration. He said that he had taken the
job as provost because he "had strong desires
for the University as an institution to move
ahead."

Mr. Hereford added that it had been known
by the administration for two years that he
would not accept re-appointment but that his
decision had not been announced until last
week so as not to give potential administrators
the feeling that the job was not a desirable
task.

While he was provost, Mr. Hereford did no
teaching but did advise the research of seven
graduate students in physics which in 1966
recommended the eventual co-educating of the
University in Charlottesville. This decision was passed
by the Board of Visitors in February, 1969 to
take effect in 1970 and was then moved up to
take effect in 1969 by a federal court.

In discussing co-education at the University,
Mr. Hereford stated that the 450 girls admitted
into the College this year were considered for
entrance on the same basis as men and were not
limited by the 450 girl quota that was decided
upon by the Board of Visitors.

Meet State's Needs

On the future growth of the University, Mr.
Hereford stated that the University "as a state
institution has to meet the state's needs in
higher education." In deciding on the enlarging
of the size of the University, he added that "to
meet the requirements of the state we could
have kept the school the same size but we
would have then had to raise the admission
requirements. We could have also accepted
fewer out-of-state students. Instead we decided
to increase the size of the student body."

Rule Clarification

As provost, Mr. Hereford also chaired the ad
hoc committee that drafted the recently
released code of student conduct.

In discussing the code, Mr. Hereford stated
that the rules were only a clarification of the
old rules of "ungentlemanly conduct"
and "conduct tending to bring discredit upon
the University." The need for such a
clarification came, he said, from a request from
the Judiciary Committee after the strike last
spring.

President Shannon has appointed an eight
man committee to nominate a replacement for
Mr. Hereford. Chairing the committee is J.C.
Levenson of the English Department.

Frank L. Hereford Jr.