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- Dr. Surrendra Singh
College of Education Faculty Oral Histories
Dr. Surrendra Singh
SS: Well, I had not foreseen that the University would have grown so fast. I was certain that the University had a good future, for simple reason of the location. Tampa was an ideal location for a university. Tampa being almost halfway in between Tallahassee and Naples with a seaport and upcoming plans for an international airport, a growing population, and a dedicated Congressman, Sam Gibbons. What else can you ask for? So it was clear to me that the University will grow faster then anyone would imagine. I had imagined that it will grow during my tenure from 5,000 students to 30,000 students. However, that imagined growth has surpassed to what we have now, approximately 44,000 students. It grew faster than I had anticipated.
LB: You think within the University, being a part of the College, what were some of the challenges that you perceive that the College of Education faced over the years as a part of the University in terms of competing with others for funding, etc? Did you experience much of that in your department?
SS: The College has been fortunate. Of course, it has its history of ups and downs just like life’s roller-coaster. I am sure the College of Education had its share of roller-coasters. But in general, the College of Education faculty provided leadership in research, training, and service. There were challenges over the years with the College’s administration. Somehow, the College has not been lucky with leadership changes. Nevertheless, the faculty faced challenges quiet well. The College of Education grew at a faster rate and we developed programs practically in every field in a very short time. We did not have time for consolidation. The College of Education also had challenges coming from Tallahassee politics each year. There has not been time for proactive, long term goals. I understand to some extent the dynamics of political reality that effects education. It is difficult to divorce education and politics. It would be nice if it can be done. As for my interdisciplinary professional training and experience to fit with the College of Education and the Department of Special Education, I would say I had some challenges. However, I believed all along, and I’m more convinced now than ever, that should College of Education serve the educational needs of exceptional children, and it should, the College will have to develop a truly interdisciplinary professional faculty. As you know, the conditions causing exceptionalities are diverse and developing the science and the art of pedagogy to serve the educational needs of exceptional children will require a diverse faculty. The College needs to develop some long term plans for training and research in educating exceptional children.
LB: I agree. Its seems to be a do-more-with-less attitude or we-will-fund-next-year for the students you have this year. So as you say you’re always catching up or trying to. It’s hard to plan long term with that tremendous growth that was going on here in the College. I wonder if there are any particular memories or stories that you can share with us, humorous or otherwise that you particularly remember in your years here in the College.
SS: Well, I am guilty of having a serous personality, so I don’t remember too many humorous stories other than that one of our faculty member being asked not to walk on grass by one of our University’s presidents. The president had nothing better to do, I guess. Anyway, I do have lots of good memories regarding our successes as we developed our programs, established shared governance and instituted legal rights for the faculty. We have a great story to tell about the transformation of our University from the Johns Committee era to get on the road for being a productive academic institution. I am sure as you put the College’s history in perspective with contextual time within which the College has functioned, the faculty, students, and supporting staff’s contributions are the ones which have made the College what it is now.