University of Virginia Library

Other Factors

"Other factors are involved in
the dispute, however. I feel that
Dean Harris is the responsible
person— he appoints the promotion
committee and signs the
papers. It is he, not the government
department, who would be
susceptible to professional jealousy
over the successes of Mr.
Tullock and myself in the political
economics field. No doubt
this and ideological differences
entered into the Dean's decisions
—there are too many elements
to think otherwise.

"One question I have, however,
is this: why wasn't Mr. Harris
overruled by the administration?
His recommendations and
his work are subject to the approval
of both Mr. Hereford and
President Shannon. Here is where
the lack of confidence in our
department has been shown."

Asked about the ideological
differences and the administration's
attempts to "Harvardize"
the University, Mr. Buchanan
said, "The University is playing
out a string that began six years
ago. Under the Kennedy administration,
there became a
great difference between the libertarian,
conservative economists,
and the liberals then in the
Kennedy favor.