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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (May 17, 1963)
*^ON(T STRUGGLE IN C*U\<KS*NO." PkifSLU urne ‘Student Leaders Conference Gave Broadening Experience’ ASUO President Phil Sher burne discusses his experi ences at the student body presidents’ conference at Chi cago last weekend. The con ference was in preparation for the summer Congress of the United States National Student Association. The critics of USNSA on this campus should take cognizance of the receptiveness of the na tional officers of NSA to make certain changes in NSA consid erations. Individuals on this campus have suggested that one Nation al Executive Committee has had much of the actual power of USNSA. It was contended that this small group could make decisions on issues as represent ing NSA. The National Execu tive Committee has recommend ed that their legislative powers be removed and that the NEC be only an administrative body. The national officers showed genuine concern for the lack of emphasis placed on issues re lating to students in their role as students. Consensus was reached on this point with the discussion turning to means of achieving considerations on pro grams and problems of student concern. This was a very en couraging note in reward to the future benefit of USNSA on this campus and in its contribution to student problems in the United States. Discussion also centered on the finances of USNSA with Dennis Shaul, president, report ing that the total budget for NSA is about $500,000 while the organization leaving good suc cess in obtaining foundation grants. The national officers feel that it may be possible to discontinue the membership dues paid by the schools. Travel rebates will also be given to delegates from schools who come a considerable dis tance to the congress. The Uni versity will receive approximate ly $30 per delegate in rebates. The cost to the University for OREGON DAILY EMERALD The Oregon Daily Emerald is published seven times in September and five days a week during the school year, except dur ing examination and vacation periods by the Student Publications Board of the University of Oregon. Entered as second class matter at the post office., Eugene, Oregon. Subscription rates: $5 per year; $2 per term. Opinions expressed on the editorial page are those of The Emerald and do not pre tend to represent the opinions of the ASUO or the University. EVERETTE DENNIS, Editor LARRY WILLIAMS Business Manager NS A will not be as great as had been anticipated. There were students from Massachusetts, Florida, Kansas, Illinois, New York, California, Tennessee. North Carolina, Wis consin, Minnesota, Ohio, Texas, Iowa and Oregon in attendance at the conference held in Chi cago this past weekend where these previous considerations were brought forth. The conference was extremely beneficial for me in providing an opportunity to meet with stu dents from very different schools and who have different experiences with student gov ernment. Several suggestions on stu dent government programs were exchanged in addition to the discussion on USNSA. A number of the schools were very inter ested in our program with the state legislature working to adopt a similar program on their own campuses. I found that the University of North Carolina students handle all disciplinary prob lems, a student court having the authority to expell or sus pend students. I found other schools whose senates or legis lative assemblies have complete budgetary control over student funds and others who have en gaged in extensive overseas study programs. With this kind of information exchanged with such limits on the number of persons involved and time available as existed this past weekend, I look for ward to a very successful and rewarding conference this sum mer. The conference will pro vide a seldom-found opportun ity for students from the Uni versity to participate with stu dents from all over the United States in the discussion of cer tain programs and problems. They will hear government per sonnel, business leaders, college administrators, and special in terest groups in subcommittee hearings on a particular issue. So it should be a very broad ening experience for these stu dents. Following the conference the delegates will have an opportun ity to begin working on projects on this campus as a pioneering group. For students who can possibly afford the two weeks— August 14-28—and have an in terest in student programs should take this opportunity to have a rather unique experi ence, we will accept petitions for USNSA delegates until 5 p.m. Monday, May 20, with the election being held May 27 and 28. Discipline Recommendation Faculty Proposals Would Allign Student Life With the Goals of tlx University In approving the amended motion on student discipline last week the University faculty has voiced confidence in the in dependence and maturity of students. The faculty action is an important milestone in aligning the student discipline system with the goals of the University. It is also a clear rejection of the in loco parentis approach which has traditionally governed the dis cipline system. The faculty action can be interpreted as a victory for those who support the phil osophy of the majority report, which was issued several weeks ago by the Student Discipline Committee. President Flemming will use the report as guidelines in re writing the University’s outdated discipline code and in setting up a new student-fac ulty committee to review the administration of discipline. Especially encouraging is the faculty’s recognition that “in the formula tion and administration of rules and con duct . . . the primary guiding principle should be the fulfillment of the most es sential funtions of a university, which are intellectual development . . . and the ad vancement of knowledge.” The faculty motion sets down five recom mendations which in most cases are the same or very similar to those of the orig inal majority report. • Recommendation No. 1 says “when student conduct directly and significantly interferes with the basic purposes of the University, the University appropriately may impose disciplinary sanctions.” The only significant weakness in this proposal is that the goals of the University as laid down in the majority report recommenda tion are omitted. They are mentioned in the preface to the motion, however. • The second recommendation is ab solutely the same as the second recommen dation of the majority report. “The Uni versity should distinguish its proper dis ciplinary responsibilities from the control functions of the larger community. This means that the student should be directly answerable to the community for violations of its required code of conduct. The Univer sity in turn should exercise its disciplinary powers only when the student’s conduct directly and significantly interferes with the accomplishment of the University’s goals.” This recommendation, we believe, will assure equal treatment for all students and will give them neither an advantage nor a disadvantage over their counterparts outside the University. The present dual jurisdiction under which a student may be punished by both the civil and University authorities will no longer exist. • Only a change in the wording from a negative to a positive approach is added to the third recommendation. This recommen dation says that the “approach to the reg ulation of student conduct should be based on the premise that the development of responsible behavior is most effectively realized by policies that encourage inde pendence and maturity.” • The fourth recommendation is a strong statement which makes it clear that “the conduct of female students should not impose greater restraints than those that apply to the conduct of male students . . . ” The wording of this recommendation is changed, but it appears strengthened over the majority report’s proposal. An ad dition stating that “in the imposition of sanctions affecting the conduct of male and female students general principles of equity should be recognized.” • In Recommendation No. 5 the faculty stated “actions taken by the Office of Stu dent Affairs in its administration of the (discipline) code should be subject to re view by the Student Discipline Committee or a specially constituted student-faculty committee. When representatives of the Office of Student Affairs impose the sanc tions of expulsion, suspension, blocked reg istration, or “informal” request that a stu dent leave the University, an appeal to the student-faculty committee should be avail able on the initiative of the student or of the committee. The student should have the right of lay counsel.” Two changes from the majority report are evident in this rec ommendation. First, the majority report said that appeal should be “automatic” while the revised motion says “available”. Most encouraging is the addition of a pro vision for a member of the faculty to act as lay counsel. This adds teeth to the majority recommendations. It is important to recognize that the fac ulty discipline motion shows concern that students be concerned with moral respon sibilities, but indicates that codes and sets of rules are not the method by which these should be developed. We believe that the performance of the University as an insti tution which develops rational thinkers will contribute more to the moral growth of in dividuals than strict rules and regulations ever could. We commend the faculty for the progressive motion which has emerged from their study. The next year will see the development of a new liberal discipline code which will relax some of the present rules but will also call for greater respon sibility in other areas. We envision a new system under which the objectives of the University will carry through to both the classroom and student life. Rebuttal to Mrs Pbetteplace Voting Record, Educational Records Of Negroes Not So, Says Southerner Emerald Editor: I am not aware of Mrs. Phete place’s competence to speak on race affairs in the Southern U.S. Political convictions often lead a person into an area where his or her knowledge is decidedly slim. I have lived the greater part of my life in the South and would like to offer a few rebut tals, based on facts, which I lived with for a good many years. First, Negro schools, be they elementary, secondary or college-level, are not equal to white schools in North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Geor gia, Tennessee or Alabama. I can’t see any reason why the state of Mississippi would offer any change in this pattern, since it is the poorest and most back ward state in the South. Second ly, the opportunities after gradu ation are even slimmer. AS FAR as the voting record goes, if the records be examined, I think Negroes would show a higher percentage than white southerners of similar economic level. I think it is a shabby thing indeed to palm off the aspirations of millions of Ne groes to be treated as human beings as a political maneuver only. The concept of American individualism and democracy falls pretty short when used to justify social repression of eth nic groups. I have no addresses where pamphlets can be had, and I support no political dogma. But if anyone would verify the many opinions on the South, all he, or she, has to do is go there and see for himself. The truth is as plain as mud (or something worse). Michael A. Foster Junior, Slavic Languages from Greensboro, N.C.
