ora

August 16, 1979

Dr, James T. Laney
President
Emory University

, 22
Cher Le , bq 30

 

Dear Dr. Laney:

I will recall the telephone discussion we had some
while ago about your search for a Vice President for
Medical Affairs at Emory University. I assume that your
search is still continuing: and in fact will not conceal
my satisfaction that Dr. Kappas has elected to stay here.
I have the highest regard for him and in fact believe
that the role which he occupies here is a better match to
his considerable talents than what I believe you have in
mind for him at Emory.

On the other hand, I want to bring your attention to
a candidate who I believe would serve you superbly and that
is Dr. Clayton Rich. I was on the search committee that
recruited Dr. Rich from Seattle to take the position of
Dean and Vice President at Stanford University and knew him
intimately, both professionally and personally, throughout
his service there. I am sure you are well aware of some
controversy that has beclouded that school but it is my pro-
found and informed belief that he was a victim of circumstances
beyond his or any reasonable control. In fact I believe that
the university has only compounded its self injury by, in some

sense, using Dr. Rich as a Scapegoat for much deeper problems

within the school.
From my close experience with him, I believe that
he is one of the finest people in medical administration
in the United States. I found him deeply dedicated to
academic excellence and to follow a style of responsiveness
and even-handedness that was extraordinary. He managed the
affairs of a complex institution with great modesty and
dignity. If I have to fault him at all it is for being too
responsive to the concensus of the department heads on
occasions when he was right and a great majority was wrong.
He did make one lapse of judgement in relying on the confidence
and integrity of one or two subordinates and then took full
personal responsibility for their failings. At a time when
lesser personalities might be evoking substantial bitterness,
his public posture about the situation at Stanford has been
absolutely impeccable and reflects his unabated loyalty to the
underlying academic aims of the institution.

I know that you will want other local testimony particularly
in a situation of this kind and I would urge you paxkxeutaxky in

particular to consult Dr. Kenneth Melman, Chairman of the Department

of Medicine at Stanford.

extra xerox of draft