Chair of Chemistry Department

At the begining of the Fall semester in 1979, I was officially appointed as the Chair of the Chemistry Department. It was anounced at the Opening Faculty Meeting on the first day. The process involved, first, selection by the Search Committee, which included both Chemistry and some other Department faculty members and, next, approval by the College Dean and the VP for Academic Affairs and, then, finally, approval by the University President, who was Dr. D. P Culp at the time. Of course, I took the appointment very seriously. In order to do my job properly, I wrote a Chemistry Department Faculty Handbook within a week's time, so that I could spell out my philosophy and my operational criteria. It made clear to everyone in the Department how I would make my decisions on the priorities in spending of the Departmental funds, in teaching, research and travel. I took some slides that fall after I moved from my office in the basement of the Science Building to the top floor in the corner room, which is in the middle of the first picture below. One thing I did not expect was that I would stay in this new office for the next twenty two years! By the time I left it, I had become the longest continuously serving Chair in the University! Other pictures below were taken near the Science Building: the front doors, the Ginkgo tree in the court yard, a shot taken from the court yard toward the University School, and, finally, a shot of the front of the Administration Building! You can certainly get a taste of the Fall colors at ETSU!