Gerald J. Matchett collection, 1956

Collection

Identifier: 007.06.01

Staff Only

The collection includes two items related to an Illinois Institute of Technology internal inquiry initiated by Pres. John T. Rettaliata "to determine the fitness of [professor Matchett] to continue in a position of moral trust," (i.e. as a faculty member of IIT) in response to Matchett invoking his Fifth Amendment rights when called before the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) in Chicago on Dec. 14, 1955. The collection includes a Report of Proceedings regarding Gerald J. Matchett, which is a transcript of an Illinois Institute of Technology inquiry held on Feb. 13, 1956. The transcript was typed by La Salle Reporting Service, and is 483 pages (2 copies). The second item, Report and Recommendations of the Committee of Inquiry Appointed to investigate the case of Gerald J. Matchett is a 21 page typescript, dated March 9, 1956.

Dates

Creation: 1956

Creator

Illinois Institute of Technology (Organization)

Language of Materials

Records are in English.

Conditions Governing Access

Available for Research

Collection Size

1 Box

Additional Description

Biographical Note

Dr. Gerald J. Matchett retired in August 1977 as Professor of Management and Economics at Illinois Institute of Technology's Stuart School after 30 years of service as a faculty member. He was a nationally recognized leader in engineering economics and author of Engineering Economy: Economic Principles of Business Investment Decisions. Matchett was appointed founding director of the National Center of Education and Research in Dynamic Equipment Policy at IIT in 1953. Matchett died in Oct. 1977 at age 65. Dr. Matchett was called to appear before the House Un-American Activities Committee in Chicago in 1955. For invoking the Fifth Amendment he was suspended by IIT with pay Dec. 15, 1955 pending an internal hearing conducted by a seven-member faculty committee. The committee recommended he be reinstated without prejudice, which action was taken on April 9, 1956 by action of the IIT Board of Trustees.