University of Virginia Library

Officials, Faculty Express Surprise,
Praise Shannon's Contributions

By PARKES BRITTAIN

CD/Arthur Lurt

Top:

Shannon, Board of Visitors members in Newcomb Hall Ballroom last night, listening to speech of Board
member Sen. Hugh Scott (lower right). Lower Left: University Rector Joseph H. McConnell, whose response to
Pres. Shannon's resignation appears on this page.

Reaction throughout the
state and University to the
announcement of Pres.
Shannon's August 1974
resignation was characterized
by the common denominator
of surprise and disappointment.

"When Mr. Shannon
was selected to be President of
the University of Virginia in
1959, I predicted that he would
make as great a contribution to
the University as Thomas
Jefferson," said Virginia Gov.
Linwood Holton, contacted by
The Cavalier Daily at the
Richmond Civic Center last
night, "Particularly in the area
of scholastic achievement," he
added, "he has fulfilled the
prophecy in every way."

"I am surprised," former
Senator William B. Spong told
The Cavalier Daily from his
Portsmouth home last night.
"The job of being a university's
president hasn't been easy for
anyone in the last 10 or 15
years, but I think that Edgar
Shannon has done a very fine
job in raising the academic
standards of the University of
Virginia to the point of
national and regional
excellence." Mr. Spong
declined to comment upon
rumors that his name had been
mentioned as a possible
successor.

Virginia Polytechnical
Institute President T. Marshall
Hahn indicated his distress at
the news and added that he
"would consider it (Mr.
Shannon's resignation as
president) a real loss to the
University of Virginia and to
higher education in general."

At yesterday's Faculty Senate
meeting, where the
announcement was first made,
"the reaction was one of
silence at first," said Student
Affairs Vice-President D. Alan
Williams, "and there was a
tremendous round of applause
when he finished."

Dean of Students Robert T.
Canevari said after the
meeting,"I'm still recovering
from shock...I'm
dumbfounded." Mr. Williams
added, "What do you say after
15 years of the type of work
he's given the University?He's
certainly entitled to the
pleasures and joys of the
classroom."

"I was surprised," said
Administrative Asst. to the
Pres. Raymond C. Bice, Jr.
"There was no official
knowledge of it before
today.... I don't think anyone
will replace him in a real
sense."

Mr. Shannon's achievements
over the past dozen years have
been lauded by a number of
administrators and faculty
members in the wake of his
announcement. Vice-President
for Public Affairs Edwin M.
Crawford called Mr. Shannon's
greatest accomplishment the
"obvious rise in the quality of
the student body and of the
faculty. The University has a
first- rate program that he can
take great pride in," he
continued, "because he has
taken the lead in its
development."

Student Health Director
James L. Camp noted that Mr.
Shannon "survived the great
upheaval in student life in 1970
and re-structured the
University to improve with its
increase in size." Dr. Camp
added that Mr. Shannon has
always been available for help,
and that his "relationship with
President Shannon has been
most enjoyable."

Commenting on the job of
finding a successor to Mr.
Shannon, Education School
Dean Frederick R. Cyphert
said, "I don't know anyone on
the inside who is an obvious
choice to replace Mr. Shannon,
but there is much talent at the
University. Whoever chooses
the new president should
consider candidates both inside
and outside the University
community," he added. "It
doesn't matter where he comes
from. It's just whoever is the
best man for the job."

Mr. Cyphert noted "what
has impressed me most with
Mr. Shannon is the way he
cares about people."

Dean of Faculty Robert D.
Cross also told The Cavalier
Daily that Mr. Shannon
presided over the changes of
the 1970's "with style and
grace." He speculated that
there was "a 50-50 chance"
that someone from the
University would be nominated
as successor. Mr. Cross, a
former president of
Swarthmore College, dispelled
suggestions that he himself
would be selected, in saying "I
stopped being a college
president when I came to the
University," and added that
such rumors were "too
hypothetical."

History Prof., William H.
Harbaugh commented that he