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.
George Umberson came to ASU in 1977 as Chair of the Department of Music and oversaw the creation of the School of Music.
Nick Salerno was a stalwart of the ASU English Department for 33 years and served as chairman for 10 years before retiring in 1991. He created and hosted Cinema Classics for PBS locally. Partnering with Dan Harkins, Nick also launched Critics' Choice at Harkins Camelview Theatre.
David Schwalm came to ASU in 1986 as Director of Composition and retired in 2009 as Vice Provost for Academic Affairs at the Polytechnic Campus. The interview has five main sections:
1, Pre-ASU Years where Dave discusses growing up in Fort Wayne, his education, and professional jobs.
2. Director of Composition addresses Dave’s increasing understanding of the university through his work on general studies and English articulation agreements.
3. ASU West covers Dave’s efforts to grow the student population and with Cathy Church to untangle the West and Tempe campus programs
4. ASU East has extensive coverage of how the campus was started and populated using an alliance with Chandler Gilbert Community College. Doing all this on a shoestring of a budget. Dave discusses why various faculty and programs were moved to the Polytechnic Campus.
5. Reflections allows Dave to reminisce about the “good old days” as well as the good new days.
Robert (Bob) Barnhill came to ASU in 1986 as Chair of the Computer Science Department and left in 1997 as the Vice President for Research. The interview addresses a number of topics including the beginnings of Computer Graphics, moving the Computer Science Department to a more research-oriented effort, achieving Research 1 status, working with the University of Arizona to develop a new statewide Intellectual Property template, dodging the Unabomber and playing soccer. Common themes throughout the interview include Bob’s success at getting groups of people to actually do something other than just meet and the importance of a strategic plan.
Brian Foster came to ASU in 1980 as Associate Professor of Anthropology. He became chair in 1982, then was Dean of the Graduate College from 1986 to 1994. He went on to the University of Nebraska as Dean of Arts and Sciences. He served as Provost at the University of New Mexico ( 2000 - 2005) and at the University of Missouri (2005 - 2014). He is Provost Emeritus and Professor of Anthropology Emeritus at the University of Missouri - Columbia. In the interview, Brian describes his early life and education in Dixon IL before entering college at age 28. Brian's varied University academic experiences bring a unique view of the current state of University education and particularly of the pioneering changes taking place at Arizona State University.
Bill Lewis, Vice Provost for Computing, came to ASU in 1966 to join the Industrial Engineering faculty. He retired in 2008. Important interview stories include ones involving: FOUNDING PROGRAMS (computer science); COMPUTERS (student information system, computing support); TEMPE CAMPUS (1966, changes); DEPARTMENTS (Industrial Engineering); PEOPLE (Lee P Thompson, Milt Glick); and BUILDINGS (Computer Commons).
Morton Munk was a Professor and Chair (twice) of the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry. In retirement he holds the title of Research Professor and maintains an active research program.