Interview with C. Oran Little, October 16, 2001

Interview Summary

C. Oran Little describes the challenges he faced as a new faculty member in the early 1960s. He recalls how President John Oswald brought excitement and an emphasis on research to the campus. He states that the focus of the university was not necessarily changed, but that a new focus was added. Little explains that as a young professor he had to teach graduate-level classes, because the older professors were committed to teaching the undergraduate courses. He talks about the contact he had with undergraduate students through special seminar programs. Little discusses efforts to recruit good graduate students and recalls the increase in female students in Animal Science during the 1960s. He addresses the split between the College of Agriculture and the Home Economics department, which eventually changed to Family and Consumer Science and became part of the College of Human Environmental Science. He describes the tie between agricultural production and human nutrition. Little talks about the changes that President Oswald attempted to make, he describes funding for agricultural programs, and mentions the importance for the university to give back to the state. He discusses offers that he received from other institutions and how he was persuaded to stay at UK. He describes his interaction with graduate students, and how it was important to his growth as a professor. Little talks about Dean Seay and describes him as "very intelligent" and as a "first class politician". He recalls Dean Seay's tragic death in an airplane accident and the transition after Seay's death. Charles Barnhart became Acting Dean, and was later appointed as Dean. He mentions differences between Seay and Barnhart. Little describes his appointment as Associate Dean of Research in the College of Agriculture and recalls how he first turned down the position. He states that he had a "free hand" during his years as Associate Dean.

Interview LC Subject

Little, C. Oran (Charles Oran), 1935- Little, C. Oran (Charles Oran), 1935- --Interviews University of Kentucky University of Kentucky--History University of Kentucky. College of Agriculture

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