Document Type
Article
Publication Date
2000
Publication Source
Studies in Symbolic Interaction: A Research Annual
Abstract
Most academics build their careers and establish reputations in the traditional manner, through research and publications. Certainly, this is not the only way to secure a place in the lore of academia. Some are great teachers who gather a large following of students. Still others get involved in professional organizations. While Stan Saxton had a respectable record of publications, was a masterful teacher, and a marvelous critic, his notable contributions to sociology came through his organizational work as a chair of the Department of Sociology and Anthropology at the University of Dayton. After his tenure as chair, Stan continued to be a visible and moral corporate actor in the university, in professional associations, and in academia. His ability to employ sociological knowledge to organizational processes that worked to the advantage of sociology was truly remarkable. His clear vision based on a strong sense of justice was inspirational. Stan’s success as an organizational player occurred during a period of transition for the University of Dayton. Up to 1977 the university was primarily a teaching institution and parochial in its orientation. When Stan was hired as chairperson in that year, a new administration aimed to make the university a leader in Catholic higher education. Stan’s charge was to bring the Department of Sociology and Anthropology in line with the larger project. He found himself in the right place with the right set of circumstances to realize his vision of a sociology department, a vision that fit the conditions of work and the expectations of a private, Catholic university.
Inclusive pages
31-42
ISBN/ISSN
9780762306398
Document Version
Postprint
Copyright
Copyright © 2000, Emerald Group Publishing
Publisher
Emerald Group Publishing
Volume
23
Place of Publication
Greenwich, CT
Peer Reviewed
yes
eCommons Citation
Miller, Dan E.; Pestello, Fred P.; and Donnelly, Patrick G., "Spots on a Gnat’s Ass, Good Soldiers, and Sociology Departments: Stan Saxton’s Pragmatist Approach to Sociology" (2000). Sociology, Anthropology, and Social Work Faculty Publications. 34.
https://ecommons.udayton.edu/soc_fac_pub/34
Included in
Civic and Community Engagement Commons, Community-Based Learning Commons, Community-Based Research Commons, Criminology Commons, Educational Sociology Commons, Family, Life Course, and Society Commons, Other Sociology Commons, Social and Cultural Anthropology Commons, Social Psychology and Interaction Commons, Social Work Commons
Comments
From Studies in Symbolic Interaction, Volume 23, pages 31-42. Permission has been granted for this version to appear on ecommons.udayton.edu. Emerald does not grant permission for this article to be further copied, distributed or hosted elsewhere without the express permission from Emerald Group Publishing Limited.