Interview with Otis A. Singletary, September 27, 1988

Interview Summary

A good deal of Session Fourteen deals with Otis A. Singletary's reaction to Allan Bloom's book Closing of the American Mind: how higher education has failed democracy and impoverished the souls of today's students (1987). He goes through different points made in the book and gives his opinion based on what he experienced in the time he was university president. He covers the role of student government and the Student Activities Board, as well as the occurrence of McCarthyism at the University of Kentucky. He also touches on the meaning of academic freedom and its role at U.K.

The interview looks again at the part that the media plays in the university and across the nation. Singletary talks about the bias presented in the media (he specifically mentions Dan Rather and George H.W. Bush). He talks about how important he felt it was to have a campus newspaper like the Kernel, and how the university dealt with phasing out financial support from the institution. Singletary touches briefly on the Penn Central Investment and the ramifications for the university. Finally, he argues for the university switch to selective admissions and explains its importance.

Interview LC Subject

Singletary, Otis A., 1921-2003 Singletary, Otis A., 1921-2003--Interviews

Interview Rights

All rights to the interviews, including but not restricted to legal title, copyrights and literary property rights, have been transferred to the University of Kentucky Libraries.

Interview Usage

Interviews may be reproduced with permission from Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, Special Collections, University of Kentucky Libraries.