ASU Retirees Association (ASURA) Video History Project Interviews
This collection includes interviews of Arizona State University retirees, including administrators, faculty, and staff. The video interviews were conducted by the ASU Retirees Association (ASURA) beginning in 2001. Videos are approximately 1 hour each.
Connie McNeill came to ASU in the summer of 1976 as head of the payroll project and retired in the summer of 2006 as the West Campus Assistant Vice Provost for Information Technology. Interesting stories include:
1) her role in developing both academic and administrative computing services on the Tempe and West Campuses
2) bringing PC’s onto the Tempe Campus
3) the “Space Wars”
4) short stories about Roland Haden and Darel Eschbach
Brent Brown, a faculty member of the School of Public Programs, served for many years as ASU's chief lobbyist. The interview covered a number of topics including: working to get ASU to be viewed as a player at the Legislature and Board of Regents, planning for West Campus, Downtown Campus, and Polytechnic Campus, the arrival of the NFL and becoming a Research 1 University.
An interview with Clyde Parker, Technical Director of ASU's Gammage Auditorium. Clyde describes his coming to ASU in 1961 as a Education major and beginning as a stage hand at Gammage Auditorium when it opened in 1964. He went on to become Technical Director. He describes memorable events at the Auditorium and on the campus. The interview was conducted by Colleen Jennings Roggensack, Executive Director for ASU Gammage and Associate Vice President Cultural Affairs for ASU.
Mathew Betz joined ASU in 1961 as a member of the Civil Engineering Department but he spent much of his career in the Provost's Office. Matt was instrumental in the acquiring and early planning of ASU Polytechnic campus. The interview covers Betz's early life in Chicago area, college at Cal Tech and Northwestern majoring in the new field of Transportation Engineering. Early travels to Africa and the Sudan. Teaching career starts at ASU in 1961. Description of ASU Engineering in early days. Project work in Sudan. Assistant Dean in the Graduate College. Teaching/living in Kenya. Evaluating Graduate Programs. Working in Academic V.P.s office to evaluate (Regents directive) all programs. Computerizing the Registrar's Office. Developing the ADOT Transportation Research Center. Creating the Office of Strategic Planning. Vice President of Planning and Budgeting. Offers insight into the past and future of education in Arizona. He served many years on the ASU Retirees Board including President. He suggested and implemented the ASURA Video History Project.
Video History Interview of Legendary ASU Baseball Coach, Bobby Winkles who led the team to 3 National Championships in 5 years.
Interview with Val Peterson, retired Director for Facility Management at ASU from 1988 till 2000.
An Interview with Dean Smith who served as ASU's Director of Publications. Smith discusses the SIZE and FOOTPRINT of the ASU Tempe Campus in 1940.
An Interview with Lonnie Ostrom, President of the ASU Foundation
Frank Joseph Kush is best known for his outstanding achievements in football, both as an All-American player at Michigan State University and as the head coach of ASU. Upon completion of his two-year commitment to the U.S. Army, Dan Devine, Head Coach at Arizona State, offered Frank an assistant coaching position in 1955 where he served as an Assistant Coach until 1958 when Dan Devine left and Frank assumed the role of Head Coach until 1979.
An Interview with Bill Kajikawa, Athletic Coach for ASU