5/28/1973, Burlington Free Press

THE ONETIME PLACID college campuses of this country were struck by a whirlwind during the last decade when students, often supported by faculty members, rebelled against some of the traditional concepts of higher education and often used that as a springboard to question a whole spectrum of governmental policies.

The factionalism that was created, splitting administration away from faculty and students, opened wounds that threatened to tear some institutions apart. In many cases, those sores have not yet healed.

Goddard College, itself no stranger to turmoil, is now faced with a serious crisis that revolves around the administration of Gerald S. Witherspoon, who has been president for the past three years.

Witherspoon has come under fire for his fiscal policies, his handling of some faculty issues and the quality of leadership he has provided for the progressive central Vermont college.

What began as a demand for his resignation at the May 18-19 meeting of the college's board of trustees was translated into action last Friday when the faculty after a long and sometime stormy session voted 20-14 to ask the trustees to remove him.

Several faculty members and students have expressed doubt that Witherspoon is equipped to handle what they call the college's "runaway bureaucracy." A report which was presented at the trustees' meeting indicated that the college is spending twice as much on administration overhead than colleges of the same size throughout the country.

The same report, prepared by two students, charged there is "financial starvation in the instructional program." Goddard, the students said, spends "much less on education than colleges of equivalent size."

After hearing the report, Finance Committee Chairman Howard Vaness blocked action by the trustees on Witherspoon's $5 million budget for fiscal 1974, noting it contained "discrepancies" and was in need of revision and updating. He said the committee would present a "proper budget" at the next meeting of the board some time in July.

WITHERSPOON'S CRITICS on the faculty say they believe there is "infinite energy" at Goddard which could transform it into the "finest college in America."

They have urged the trustees to meet "very, very quickly" to deal with the presidential problem.

Others feel that the removal of the president would mean that the time and attention of the faculty and student body would "get caught up in figuring what to do for a president" and would not be directed towards betterment of the college.

"For some, the time would not be available to anser questions about how we, among ourselves, want to change and improve the resident programs," said Lin Webster, dean of the resident undergraduate program who admits he has had his own differences with Witherspoon.

The danger in all of this, of course, is that the dissension on the Plainfield campus could easily destroy the college as well as its president.

Certainly, reasonable and educated men should be able to avoid a disaster of that nature. Both the faculty and the president should be able to engage in a dialogue in which they can thrash out their differences.

To do less than that could be a tragedy for all concerned. - L.O.