Spray & Rhinelander, History of St. Thomas University: The Formative Years 1860-1990 -- page 352
Should more people like him be hired? What if these professional academics happened not to be practising Catholics? If so, might St. Thomas thereby lose its character and essential purpose as an institution run by Catholic priests, whose purpose was not just to provide academic training but to produce candidates for the priesthood? Lack of Consultation Relations between Leverman and McFadden, never smooth, became progressively more strained during the winter of 1960–61. The problem ran deeper than a lack of priests. While McFadden may not have understood the broader implications of improving St. Thomas’s academic credentials, Leverman had no understanding of the philosophy behind academic learning. As a result, the bishop and the rector did not see eye to eye on how to run a university. McFadden, although a disciplinarian as far as student behaviour was concerned—stories were legion about his perching at the top of the stairs at night in order to nab students who stayed out too late—was content to allow professors to teach as they saw fit. Leverman, however, viewed such intellectual leniency as inexcusable laxity. When he took over as chancellor of St. Thomas, his goal was to “protect it and see that the main and necessary welfare of staff and students be guarded.” To that end, he recommended regular meetings of the teaching priests, “so they could come to some understanding.” He learned that McFadden was not fond of meetings and so rarely called them; he did not even attend if the faculty met on their own. This made Leverman concerned with “the running of the house,” which he considered haphazard. The rector, he felt, should be firmer and more consultative: As you know, too many have come to depend on the College and take a number of things for granted. This is what I want to get at but I cannot do it without sessions and mutual understanding.... I did not want to make hard and fast regulations at once but hoped that we could get together from time to time and come up with rules which I could sanction. Admittedly, McFadden was not the easiest person to get along with. In nearly thirteen years in the position, he showed a natural reluctance to share decision making with others, although he