Len Zane and his wife left Colorado State to come to UNLV in 1973. He intended to take a one year position in physics which had materialized that summer, and found a department in turmoil, with a high turnover rate and scrambling to fill suddenly vacated positions. The faculty in physics at that time consisted of Harry Fector, Lon Spight, Fred Stirk, and another new hire, Dave Bynum from UNR. During that first semester, Len taught the graduate mechanics class, and found that the five or six students actually knew very little. In addition he taught modern physics and a beginning engineering physics course. Two more instructors were hired during Len's first year at UNLV, Ed Grayzak and Jeff Dundan. Len got a permanent position that first year and was no longer considered a visitor. At the end of his second year, he accepted a one year visiting position at Dartmouth, and returned to UNLV to become chair of the physics department. At almost the same time, he got tenure and was promoted to associate professor. Dr. Zane was chair of the department from 1977 to 1981, and then was asked to step down. He helped write a set of bylaws for the department that would help change of leadership go more smoothly. John Unrue approached Len around 1984 about setting up an honors program, an idea which had the full support of Robert Maxson, then president of UNLV. Len took on the challenge and helped develop curriculum and recruit faculty. He oversaw the honors program through the transition to Honors College, and served as dean of the college for 15 years, from 1985 to 2000. Dr. Zane returned to teaching in 2000, and continues in that capacity today. He has spent over 34 years in education and administration at UNLV, and has enjoyed working with great people and accomplishing personal goals.

Dr. Donald Baepler was born in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada in July of 1932. The family moved to Springfield, Illinois in 1936, where his father was president of Concordia Seminary. Donald decided at the age of seven that he wanted to pursue a Ph.D. in ornithology, not an unusual goal in his family. By the time he graduated high school, he knew that he wanted to attend Carlton College in Minnesota to study under Olin Sewall Pettingill. He followed world-famous ornithologist and artist George Sutton to Michigan and then to Oklahoma to complete his doctorate. In 1960, having completed his doctorate, Donald met with a recruiter from Las Vegas. It seemed like an intriguing place, so he took the interview and was offered a job on the spot. Instead, he took a job as professor of biology at Central Washington University, and within four years was vice president for administration and business. He had also been appointed to an accrediting team by the Northwest Association to accredit colleges in the western states, including Nevada Southern University in Las Vegas, and saw the growing town and university for the first time in 1965. Two years later, he was invited to take the job of Academic Vice President at SNU, which he accepted, and he and his family made the move to Las Vegas in 1968. Upon arriving in Las Vegas, Donald discovered that he had been named acting president because of Donald Moyer's abrupt resignation. He simply decided to do both jobs. He was successful in changing the name of the school to University of Nevada Las Vegas so that it would not be confused with a teacher's college. This was wholeheartedly accepted by the regents. Once Roman Zom was appointed president in 1969, Donald went back to the vice president position. In 1973, Dr. Baepler was appointed president of UNLV. He held that position for live years and then turned in his resignation. His intent was to teach, focus on a Museum of Natural History, and start a research center. Instead, he was offered the chancellorship of the university system, and he decided to accept the job By 1981, Donald was ready to return to teaching and research, so he resigned as chancellor and came back full-time as museum director and professor of biology. He built up a high-hazard chemistry lab and got the grant monies to sustain it. Dr. Baepler was also influential in adding the Harry Reid Center to the museum. Today Dr. Baepler is still involved with the bird program and gives advice to graduate students, but he no longer teaches. He stays occupied with a private consulting business.

This folder is from the "Correspondence" file of the Sadie and Hampton George Papers (MS-00434)