Director of B&G Resigns; Hall Names Acting Head

William Murphy, director of Buildings and Grounds, resigned yesterday effective October 1.

In a letter of resignation submitted to Stephen S.J. Hall, vice president for Administration, Murphy wrote that he has reached a point in his career where "I feel that a change of direction is required."

Authoritative administrative sources said yesterday that Murphy was in fact notified during the summer that he would be fired effective October 1.

No Comment

When contacted last night, Murphy declined to comment on his departure from Builings and Grounds.

Paul Rouillard, manager of Central services will become acting director.

Rouillard said last night that several weeks ago Hall had mentioned the possiblity that "I might be taking over something bigger.

"I appreciate the opportunity to show what I can do," Rouillard said. "And I'm pretty excited about the possiblities."

Hall said yesterday that he will initiate a search for a permanent director of Buildings and Grounds. The permanent director should be chosen by February 1, he said.

Sources within Buildings and Grounds said that Murphy never adjusted after the massive reorganization in B&G, which Hall implemented a year ago.

Hall, who was appointed vice president in August 1971 when President Bok restructured the president's office, directed the reorganization of the $24 million Buildings and Grounds department.

The new structure was designed to introduce management organization and to make Buildings and Grounds more responsive to Faculty needs, Hall said.

Traditional Methods

Sources within Buildings and Grounds said that Murphy, who became director six years before the reorganization, was never interested in the management techniques. He wanted to use the methods he had used before, one B&G source said.

A large number of Buildings and Grounds tradesmen who were contacted during the past two weeks have said they like Murphy because he treated them well. Most of the workers contacted said that the new reorganization has introduced a greater sense of impersonality into Buildings and Grounds's already impersonal structure.

A source within the Faculty said last week that Buildings and grounds had been unresponsive to Faculty needs before the reorganization. The source said, however, that it will take several years before the Faculty can determine whether the new structure is more effective.