University of Virginia Library

Teaching Burdens

But in an effort to keep in
contact with the classroom, several
University officials still carry at
least a minimal course load.

Mr. Shannon was elected the
fourth president of the University
in 1959. A graduate of Washington
and Lee University and a Rhodes
Scholar at Oxford University, he
has done extensive research as a
Fulbright Research Scholar and as a
Guggenheim Fellow on the literary
career and letters of Alfred Lord
Tennyson. He teaches a course each
year on the poet.

Mr. Shannon formerly served on
the Board of Visitors of the United
States. Naval Academy and on the
Governing Board of the Air Force
Academy. He is now a member of
the Southern Regional Education
Board and is president of the
Council of Southern Universities.

Mr. Williams is beginning his
second year as Dean of Student
Affairs, an office that gives him

responsibility over student health,
placement, financial laid, counseling,
and dormitory discipline. He
also will serve as advisor to foreign
students, the intramural athletic
program, and the University Union.

A magna cum laude graduate of
Westminster College, Dean Williams
received his master's degree and
Ph.D. from Northwestern University.
He came to the University as
an instructor in 1957 and later was
an associate professor specializing
in the history of Virginia and
Colonial America. Since then, he
has served as director of the Echols
Scholar program, assistant dean of
the College of Arts and Sciences,
and assistant provost of the University.

Mr. Shannon, Dean of the
Faculty, is the newest member of
the administration. Appointed in
May to succeed Fredson Bowers, he
will be chief advisor to the
President and Provost concerning
undergraduate and graduate courses
of study and will also preside at
faculty meetings.

His office became a seat of
controversy last spring when students
demonstrated in favor of
allowing press coverage and student
attendance at faculty meetings.
This issue has not yet been settled,
and it will probably be one of Mr.
Shannon's first problems.

The new Dean of the Faculty, a
specialist in 20th Century American
History, received his B.S. from
Indiana State Teachers College and
a Ph.M. at the University of
Wisconsin. He has written extensively
on the Socialist and Communist
parties in America.

Before coming to the University
this fall, Mr. Shannon was chairman
of the history department at
Rutgers University. He also served
in this capacity at the University of
Maryland, and he has taught at
Columbia Teachers College, the
University of Wisconsin and at
Carnegie institute of Technology.

Formerly an assistant dean of
the College of Arts and Sciences,
Mr. Ern was appointed Dean of
Admissions three years ago. The
36-year-old dean received his B.S.
in geology from Bates College and
his Ph.D. from Lehigh University in
1959.

Three years later he was named
assistant professor of geology at the
University. Mr. Ern has won two
National Science Foundation grants
in the last five years. He too has
become the center of student
protest as students last year demonstrated
for the admission of
more Negroes to the University.