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vy >. August 17, 1979

JOSHUA LEDERBERG

PRESIDENT

Dr. James T. Laney
President

Emory University
Atlanta, Georgia 30322

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, through-
out his service there. I am sure you are well aware of some
controversy that has beclouded that school, but it is my
profound and informed belief that he was a victim of cir-
cumstances 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 aca-
demic excellence and to follow a style of responsiveness
and evenhandedness 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 consensus of the department heads on oc-
casions when he was right and a great majority was wrong.
Dr. James T. Laney
August 17, 1979

~2-

He did make one lapse of judgement in relying on the
confidence and integrity of one or two subordinates
and then took full 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 in particular to consult Dr. Kenneth Melman,
Chairman of the Department of Medicine at Stanford.

Yo Sincerely,

J ua Lederberg

C, Rak

Encl. -C.U.™