Administrative changes

Several changes to Rice's administration were made in the wake of the Masterson crisis.

On March 20, the Board of Trustees announced the appointment of Dr. Frank Vandiver, Professor of History, as acting president. The Campus Executive Committee, which had formerly taken on the duties of the president, was dissolved. Along with the acting president, three vice presidencies were also announced: Dean Gordon as Vice President and Dean of Science and Engineering, Dr. Virgil Topazio as Vice President and Dean of Humanities, Dr. Alan Chapman as Vice President for Administration, and Dr. James Sims as Vice President for Campus Business Affairs. Dr. Carey Croneis continued as Chancellor of the university. 

Many regarded the administrative changeup as the Board of Trustees' reaction against the Masterson protests. Vandiver had been sympathetic to his former colleague, and some faculty feared he would be a similar administrator to Masterson. The dissolution of the Campus Executive Committee was also seen as a demotion for Dean Gordon, who had chaired the committee but supported the protests against Masterson. 

At the same time, the Board asked the faculty-student advisory committee to continue its function and promised that communication between them would be constant while the search for the next president proceeded.