1974 -

April 19, 1974: Ryan Showdown

The public feud between University President Rev. Robert Henle, S.J. and Educational Affairs Vice President Edmund Ryan played out in the pages of THE HOYA during the spring of 1974.

On April 4, the 64-year-old Henle told Ryan in a private meeting that he wanted to see Ryan’s resignation within a week. One week later, on April 11, the two met again and Ryan refused to resign prompting Henle to dismiss Ryan, “effective immediately.” No reason was given beyond “irreconcilable differences.” Ryan claimed to have been unaware of what exactly those differences were.

It was the week before Easter Break and THE HOYA conjectured that the date was chosen to avoid extensive coverage in the student press. The Voice was not scheduled to appear that week and THE HOYA was forced to push back its issue from Wednesday to Friday to cover the story.

According to a commentary published in THE HOYA, it was “a dispute for control between academic circles led by Ryan, and non-academic circles, let by Henle’s svengali, Dan Altobello (C’ 63), Secretary to the University [President].” Later, the column said, “On several occasions, Henle has been heard to proclaim his exasperation, feeling that Ryan was plotting to overthrown him.”

Students rallied behind the much-loved Ryan, holding a series of sit-ins and vigils. Student Body President Jack Leslie (SFS ’76) accused Henle of a “series of Machiavellian political moves, disgracing to an institution of higher learning.”

A year later, Henle was replaced as university president by Rev. Timothy Healy, S.J.