The Faculty-Student Advisory Committee for the Selection of the President
September 1968
After Pitzer's resignation, the Rice Board of Trustees began searching for the university's next president. The letter on the left announces the formation of a presidential search committee within the Board. They also requested that members of the faculty form their own committee, which would have a role in advising the Trustees throughout the process.
Once six faculty members were elected to the advisory committee, they decided to add three student members. The student body created a Student Advisory Committee, consisting of representatives from each residential college and the Student Association, from which three members were chosen to serve on the joint faculty-student committee.
September 1968 - February 1969
Communication between the advisory committee and the Trustees was poor throughout the fall 1968 semester. The committees had made plans to meet several times, but each time these plans fell through.
Thinking that the Trustees were inactive, the advisory committee began compiling the names of potential candidates for the presidency. They requested that faculty members send in names, and began looking into their qualifications. Shortly before the Masterson news broke, the faculty-student advisory committee sent the Trustees a list of five potential candidates for their consideration, but did not receive any feedback.