3/22/1969, Burlington Free Press

DR. SEELEY, CANADIAN, OFFERED PRESIDENCY OF GODDARD COLLEGE

PLAINFIELD -- Dr. John Seeley, dean of the Center for Study of Democratic Institutions, Santa Barbara, Calif., was offered a presidency of Goddard College by its Board of Trustees Saturday.

Seeley, chosen out of a field of eight, was preferred by a student-faculty nominating committee to succeed Dr. Royce S. Pitkin, who retired this term as founder of the small progressive college.

A Canadian citizen, Seeley is considered a distinguished sociologist by college officials. He now organizes seminars and visits by other scholars to the southern California "Think Tank" funded originally by the Ford Foundation and later supported independently.

Other visiting candidates receiving a high preference in student-faculty surveys this year were former tax commissioner Gerald S. Witherspoon, now teaching public policy at Dartmouth College, and Roger Hagan, creative director for King Film Productions based in San Francisco, Calif.

Hagan was chosen several months ago as the primary candidate by the trustees but the field was later opened.

Student protest led to greater opportunity for meeting candidates.

A member of the nominating committee said the board will begin negotiations with Seeley within 10 days. He added Seeley was sought last year and the selection process started nearly 20 months ago.

Seeley has written more than 350 articles and two books, "A Sociological Study of Crestview Heights," located outside Toronto, and "The Americanization of the Unconscious", a psychologic study.

He headed the sociological departments at Brandeis University and York University in Toronto.

Seeley was born in England and attended schools there and in Germany. He is a graduate of the University of Chicago.