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Portrait of Fredric S. Hultz |
Fredric Samuel Hultz was named the president of the North Dakota Agricultural College (NDAC) on August 24, 1948. He was a native of Iowa and received his bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees from Iowa State College. His fields were animal production, genetics, and agricultural economics. Prior to coming to NDAC he served as a professor at Pennsylvania State College; while at the University of Wyoming he served as a professor, head of the Department of Animal Production, and presidential assistant. He authored three books: Range Beef Production, Range Sheep and Wool, and Corriedale Sheep.
Soon after arriving at NDAC Hultz announced a ten-year building improvement program for the college. After requesting a substantial contribution toward the program's completion from the state legislature in 1949, NDAC received its largest appropriation ever. Several building and remodeling projects resulted. During Hultz's presidency over thirty buildings were constructed, earning Hultz the nickname, "brick and mortar president." Complementary to his construction accomplishments was his policy of re-naming campus buildings that before had either generic names like "Science Hall" or no names at all. Campus beautification, which was another of Hultz's objectives, led to specifications regarding landscape architecture and street arrangement.
Pres. & Mrs. Hultz at NDSU presidents house |
While the Hultz administration was extremely successful in terms of campus development, it was not without controversy. A rift in faculty-administration relations was particularly pronounced from 1953 to 1956. Some of the faculty accused Hultz of such things as (1) focusing on physical facilities at the expense of salaries, (2) not consulting with the faculty on decisions affecting the college, and (3) violating policies of academic freedom and tenure. The third accusation resulted when the State Board of Higher Education requested the resignation of four NDAC professors who allegedly attempted to undermine Hultz's authority. In the end, the Board upheld Hultz's administrative authority and the four professors were dismissed. Faculty-administration relations gradually improved.
Perhaps the greatest single occurrence at NDAC while Hultz was in office came during his final months as president. Much to his excitement, voters made possible the name change from "North Dakota Agricultural College" to "North Dakota State University." Four months later, in March of 1961, Hultz announced his resignation, effective that summer, citing poor health as the reason. He died, still in office, in April.
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The Fredric S. Hultz records, consist of substantial (approximately 23 l.f.) subject files maintained by President Hultz from 1948-1961. The records consist of the following series: State Board of Higher Education Series, General Campus Department and Office Series, Correspondence and Subject Files Series, Committee Series, and Name Change from NDAC to NDSU Series. The records are arranged chronologically by calendar year or by fiscal year. Within the series, arrangement is alphabetical. There are inconsistencies, however. For example, H.L. Walster can be found by "W" for his last name, by "A" for his position as Agricultural Experiment Station Director, and by "S" for his position as the School of Agriculture Dean.
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