Interview with Robert F. Sexton, October 10, 2000

Interview Summary

Robert F. Sexton begins the interview talking about his formative years in Cincinnati and Louisville and education through graduate school. He talks about his early career working in higher education, and his transition into work at the Council on Higher Education. Sexton talks about the politicized environment and lean educational funding which lead to the formation of the Prichard Committee. He talks about issues of allocating scarce resources as a primary consideration motivating educational reform. He discusses the choice of Ed Prichard as committee chair, as well as the recruitment and selection process for committee members. He talks about the importance of women on the committee which represented an innovation in higher education leadership at the time. Sexton talks about the process of selecting members of the community. He talks about the dynamics and substantive deliberations within the committee as it worked on higher education reform. He discusses the social milieu among the committee members that developed as they worked together. Sexton talks about Prichard's witty personality and his failing health. He talks about how these qualities appealed to others, particularly Governor John Y. Brown who had limited interest in the committee's work. He talks about the committee's substantive findings, including the need for increased educational investment (implying higher taxes), focused missions and faculty development. He notes these objectives were not politically popular.

Sexton talks about leaving the Council on Higher Education due to tensions with Harry Snyder. He says he left with the intention to establish the committee as a non-profit focusing on primary and secondary education. His discusses in general terms the political tensions within the Council on Higher Education. Sexton talks about Prichard's leadership style which preferred strategic formulation rather than administration. He continues his discussion of the behind the scenes dynamics of setting up the committee as a non-profit. Sexton talks about the reasons the reconstituted Prichard Committee shifted its focus from higher education to primary and secondary education. Sexton talks about approaching education reform from two directions, from below and above, simultaneously. He describes the role of the committee as a nexus or broker between parents and teachers at the local level and politicians and administrators at the state level. He says that the committee provided leadership by setting the reform agenda. Sexton observes that the committee began its work at its creation without an established agenda, so evaluating its success through comparison is difficult. He suggests that the ongoing public conversation on education reform is a testament to both its success and its limitations.

Interview Keyword

Prichard Committee on Higher Education in Kentucky's Future Prichard, E. F., (Edward Fretwell). Edward Prichard, Jr. Elementary education Secondary education Education reform Council on Higher Education

Interview LC Subject

Education--Kentucky Educational leadership Prichard Committee for Academic Excellence Education, Higher

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