Interview with Otis A. Singletary, December 6, 1989

Interview Summary

Session Twenty-Eight addresses the new building projects on UK's campus. Dr. Singletary discusses the construction of a new fine arts building (later named the Singletary Center), an addition to the Student Center, the Sanders-Brown building, the law school addition, and the possibility of a building for the College of Architecture. Dr. Singletary counters criticism he received for being a "bricks and mortar" president, putting public monies into new construction instead of new programs at the university. He points out that housing and dining services are run without taxpayer money, and many new facilities have private funding as well as public.

Singletary also speaks about his personal life during his time at Kentucky. He mentions personal recreational activities and time spent with his family. He revisits his time in the Navy and compares his service to that of his son, Scott. Singletary discusses personal friendships he established while in Lexington, as well as relationships with politicians in Kentucky. He mentions women's issues that came up during 1978; particularly the fact that there was a shortage of women being hired in the sciences and engineering. Dr. Singletary addresses this, as well as his move to try and stop equal spending in women's sports. He states that the hiring of African Americans was also important to him. He focuses on ways that House Bill 44, passed by the Kentucky General Assembly, affected funding at the University of Kentucky.

Interview LC Subject

Singletary, Otis A.

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