Umerski, Myron

Biographical Information: Myron Umerski was born in 1940, in St. Cloud, Minnesota. His father worked for the Burlington Northern Railroad in Minnesota, and encouraged Umerski’s education. He chose to pursue education, as he felt that teachers were highly respected in society. He chose to attend St. Cloud because of its highly regarded teaching program, and began classes there in 1958. After he graduated, he taught for three years in the Twin Cities. He then decided to pursue his master's degree in education at St. Cloud State, which he was able to do with the help of a teaching assistantship. In 1968, Umerski accepted the position of registrar at St. Cloud State, and later became director of advising and orientation at the school, a position he was still active in at the time of this interview.

Transcript Summary: Umerski focused on family background and education before diving into the issues of change, and how much the university changed over the years. Umerski discussed how the growth of technology affected the school, especially as registrar. Umerski said that the rise of unionization at the university, from an administrative perspective, created more of a split between administration and faculty. But, in his opinion, was largely successful. Umerski touched upon the Vietnam War, stating that it did not create the violence at St. Cloud State that it did at other universities.

Umerski discussed other important issues that have helped shape St. Cloud State. He felt the growth of feminism, and how it has led to changes on campus, such as the Women's Center, child care centers, helped insure equal opportunities for women. He discussed the issues of race, retelling his part in rewriting the St. Cloud Civil Rights Ordinance. It initially brought some controversy, but eventually showed him that St. Cloud is not as conservative as many people think it is. Umerski explained the challenges of teaching students who have not been prepared well enough by their high schools for college.

Umerski expressed his opinions about the relationship between the city of St. Cloud and the university. He claimed that the city saw the university as a good source of money, but also where the two brought culture to each other. Umerski recalled the 1988 homecoming riots and felt the city of St. Cloud really supported the university throughout that ugly situation.

Interviewed by Robert Nelson

The transcript can only be used in University Archives.