Loy H. Witherspoon [9], 2010 June 29

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Identifier: OH-UA-WI0071

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Loy H. Witherspoon oral history interview 9, 2010 June 29

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Scope and Contents

In this sixth of seven interviews given by Loy Witherspoon and conducted by Christina Wright, Dr. Witherspoon discusses faculty governance at UNC Charlotte and how it changed from when he began employment with the university in 1964 through the early 1990s. He describes the contentious nature of Faculty Council discussions, his experiences serving twice as president of the Council, the attendance of politically active students at Council meetings, his role on the search committee for the third chancellor of the university, and the debate among faculty about the ROTC on campus following national discussions of discrimination against gay students in the ROTC program. Dr. Witherspoon also highlights his belief that other faculty members and departments didn't believe there should be a Religious Studies department.

Dates

Creation: 2010 June 29

Conditions Governing Access

Original audiovisual materials are closed to patron use. Please contact Special Collections to request the creation of use copies for particular items; requests will be accommodated when possible. The remaining materials are open for research.

Biographical / Historical

Loy Witherspoon was a 80-year-old man at the time of interview, which took place on the campus of UNC Charlotte in Charlotte, North Carolina. He was born in Catawba, North Carolina in 1930. He graduated from Duke University with a BA and a BD degree, and from Boston University with a PhD in the New Testament. He was employed with UNC Charlotte from 1964 to 1994, where he led the Department of Philosophy and Religion, then established and chaired the Department of Religious Studies when it split off from philosophy beginning in 1972.