Chapter XVI -THE BARNETT PERIOD, 1962-1969
If the reference to Josiah Quincy’s reluctance to cover in detail the history of Harvard for the half century prior to the date of publication, on the ground that he lacked proper perspective, had relevance for the Case administration in the previous chapter, it is especially pertinent for the last seven years which round out Colgate’s century and a half. The University’s historian of the future may well evaluate this period as one which saw the most rapid and far-reaching changes of any of the institution’s entire development. For the present, there remains the task of attempting to record some of the high points.
To serve as Acting President until a successor to Dr. Case could be found, the Trustees, in June 1962, selected James A. Storing, Dean of the Faculty and Professor of Political Science. His wide experience and familiarity with the Colgate scene eased the transition from the old to the new regime. Vincent M. Barnett, Jr., the President-Elect, took up the duties of office in February, 1963, and was inaugurated the following April. A graduate of the University of California, he had a Ph.D. in government at Harvard and had been a member of the Williams College faculty since 1939 where he was Professor of Political Science and Chairman of the Department.
The first major change was the reorganization of the curriculum and calendar. The proposals which the faculty had studied extensively prior to Dr. Barnett’s arrival were adopted in the spring of 1963 for introduction in 1964-65. They provided that students would normally enroll for four courses rather than five as had been customary; the regular term was shortened from 16 to 14 weeks-that for the fall beginning in early September and ending in December and that for the spring starting in February and ending in May-and incorporated
