Florence L. Hupprich

Title: Florence L. Hupprich
LC Subject: Universities and colleges--Faculty Portraits Physical education and training
Creator: Hise Studio
Description: Florence L. Hupprich was an Assistant Professor of Physical Education for Women at Oregon State College from 1937 to 1958. Hupprich was born in 1901, in Highwood, Illinois. She received her bachelor’s degree in 1923 and her master’s degree in 1926 from the University of Wisconsin. She was brought on to work as an instructor in physical education in 1937. In 1944, she requested a leave of absence to pursue her Ph.D. at the University of Oregon. She was promoted to the rank of Assistant Professor in 1945. She went on to receive her Ph.D. in education from the University of Oregon in 1949. After receiving her Ph.D., Hupprich began discussing the issue of receiving tenure with the director of the Department of Physical Education for Women, Dr. Eva Seen. Hupprich was not afraid to point out the inequality of the situation to Dr. Seen. She stated that members of the Department of Physical Education for Men had already received tenure by 1949, while only two members of the Department of Education for Women had received tenure, Dr. Seen being one of those two women. Dr. Seen remained opposed to granting tenure status to her staff until 1952, when she finally began granting tenure to certain staff members. Hupprich did not receive tenure, however, and went to President A.L. Strand to discuss promotion policies. At this time, academic policy stated that those who worked at an institution of higher education for seven years were entitled to tenure. Having worked at Oregon State for thirteen years, she felt she had earned the right to tenured status. Dr. Seen did not agree with Dr. Hupprich on this issue, and she took decisive action against her. At the end of the 1952 school year, Hupprich was notified by Dr. Seen that her position with the department would be terminated the following year. Dr. Seen did not give any reason for this termination. At fifty-two years old, Hupprich worried that if she did not obtain tenure from Oregon State, her teaching career would be over. Hupprich got an attorney and requested a hearing at the Faculty Committee on Review and Appeals. Her hearing was long delayed and Hupprich was not able to gain knowledge of any claims Dr. Seen had made against her as to why she was terminated. The committee did state, however, that since she had been working at Oregon State for thirteen years, she was long overdue to receive tenured status. Hupprich wrote a letter to the American Association of University Professors explaining her situation. In this time, she was allowed to keep working at Oregon State until 1954 by President Strand. Strand was contacted by the association in 1954 to discuss a review of Hupprich’s case, particularly the cause for her termination and her contentious relationship with Dr. Seen. At this time, Dr. Seen wrote to Strand explaining Hupprich’s termination. She claimed she was not an engaging professor and did not go beyond what was required of her. However, the review revealed that Dr. Seen had some failings as an administrator. Evidence suggested the two women had been feuding as far back as 1945 over low salaries and differences in teaching methods. Hupprich was described by some students and faculty as being “too exacting and detailed with beginning students” but it was concluded that this was not enough grounds for her termination. At the same time, she was still described as “a good teacher”. Hupprich claimed Dr. Seen practiced favoritism in granting promotions and salary increases. Hupprich was also known among staff in her department to occasionally stand up to Dr. Seen’s “autocratic procedures”. There was also evidence Seen had been encouraging Hupprich to find employment elsewhere since 1945. In 1955, the American Association of University Professors concluded that Hupprich was unfairly terminated and was entitled to indefinite tenure. This was granted by President Strand. But this was not the end of her case. In 1957, the Faculty Committee on Review and Appeals reconsidered Hupprich’s case after another associate professor from the Department of Physical Education for Women, Betty Thompson, requested a hearing from the committee regarding her mistreatment. Thompson and Hupprich’s case revealed a significant problem within Oregon State’s Department of Physical Education for Women. For decades, the department had been denying older women faculty members tenure out of a rationale that an aging staff of women would be unable to meet desired performance levels. The case also revealed clear displays of favoritism by Dr. Seen in promotion decisions and salary raises. The committee found that this was an issue seemingly unique to the Department of Physical Education for Women. The committee ultimately suggested departmental reforms. Hupprich remained at Oregon State until her retirement in 1966. She returned to work part time for a few years afterwards.
Work Type: photographic prints photographs black-and-white photographs
Date: 1947
Identifier: P092:0034
Rights: In Copyright
Local Collection Name: President's Office Photographs, 1923-1998 (P 092)
Type: Image
Format: image/tiff
Set: OSU Special Collections & Archives Research Center Historical Images of Oregon State University
Primary Set: OSU Special Collections & Archives Research Center
Institution: Oregon State University