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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (May 21, 1969)
San Jose State students praise Clark • • • (Continued front page 1) feel President Clark has done an excellent job as our president. Many of the programs which he help ed institute—such as the Black and Mex ican-American Studies departments — plus greater student representation of the academic council and the SJS com mittee, are programs which will prove beneficial to SJS and would help any col lege or university to ease the natural tensions between students, the facul ty and the administration.” It is mainly because of Clark’s pati ence in listening to the students that he will be remembered here. “President Clark was the kind of ad ministrator who, when he had a busy schedule, would take time off from his lunch hour to discuss problems with stu dents who desired to see him,” said for mer Associated Students treasurer Jeff Mullins. “He exhibited genuine concern for students and their problems and one often got the feeling that he wished more than anything else to side with you rather than compromise via the middle of the road, or the ‘let’s-make - everyone-happy’ route. WARM INDIVIDUAL Most student leaders were happy to work with Clark and speak of him warmly. A. S. president Dick Miner said, “President Clark’s lasting characteristic, in my mind, is his fantastic sensitivity. He is a warm, compassionate individual. These are characteristics lacking in most administrators today. “After you’ve worked with him, you realize that one reason for his popu larity is his desire to work with all those concerned in a matter. When he reaches a decision he tries to base it on all elements involved in the prob lem.” Vic Lee, former A. S. president and current president of the California State College Student Presidents’ Association, said, “I know he is the best president in the state college system. I was sur prised to see him leaving, but had ac cepted the fact that he would eventual ly leave the post. “I’ve been involved with him in the area of student government and have the utmost respect for him. I think he really did a lot to make the school as progressive as it has been in the last couple of years by initiating such things as the minority studies programs and giving students a better share in decision making.” “With President Clark’s leadership, this college has reorganized the armchair ad ministrative bureaucracy, he has allow ed the Academic Council, composed of both faculty and students, to have a major say in the policies of the college, and he has encouraged student partici pation in nearly all college activities,” wrote Phil Stone, former Spartan Daily editor, in his current column, “A Stone’s Throw.” “But more than an administrator he was a good friend to the students,” Stone continued. “He would listen to us, accept us, accept our recommenda tions and make a conscientious effort to see if our ideas would work. KEPT PEACE “President Clark has his enemies, both on and off the campus. It was several conservative professors on this campus who recently pressured an assembly in vestigation of Clark’s recent activities on this campus. He defended his ac tions fully and completely, and dem onstrated that his administration, work ing alongside the students, had kept the peace on this campus.” Clark hired the first student ombuds man in the state college system—to identify, and where possible, rectify in cidents of racial discrimination in hous ing, athletics and social organizations. After a Black boycott and threat of vio lence under the leadership of sociology professor Harry Edwards in the fall of 1967, and demonstrations against Ma rine and Dow recruiters, the new om - budsman greatly helped reduce stu dent pressures and discontent. . When SJS members of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) went on strike at the end of last semester to de mand shorter teaching loads and more pay Clark was forced to abide by the California Election Code. That docu ment states that if a professor fails to appear in class for five consecutive days he is considered to have automatically resigned. Those professors who partici pated in the strike were dropped from the payroll, but once the dispute was settled, Clark rehired each person con cerned. Another educational innovation which was born during Clark’s five-year tenure was the Educational Opportunity Pro gram, locally known as the EOP. EOP at SJS has been successful with a high majority of students. , These members of the Black commu nity—100 freshmen and 64 transfers— were unqualified to be admitted under normal standards. After their first semes ter, 72 per cent achieved a 2.0 or higher, and two students received grade aver ages of 4.0. Thirty-two tutors were avail able to aid the students when needed and counseling help was always available. Next year a similar program for Mex ican-Americans will be initiated. This year New College was initiated as an educational experiment. It sprang from a suggestion made by Clark two years ago. During this period, a stu dent-faculty committee worked to pro duce a liberal arts college. New College is a co-ed, live-in commu nity located in Allen Hall, a campus dor mitory. With men residing in one wing and women in the other, Allen Hall is a self-governing dorm with student-cho sen resident assistants on each floor to help solve any problems. Students are encouraged to undertake special proj ects like film-making rather than take regular “structured classes,” although they follow a four-year general program. Harold DeBay, provost of New Col lege, said, “We’re going to miss him terribly, as an administrator and friend on campus. He provided the impetus for creating New College.” The Experimental College has become a student run, independent college-with in-a-college. Its directors have brought to campus scholars-in-resident like Alan Watts and Tom Hayden. Off-the-street student reaction to Clark’s resignation was one of surprise and concern for the future of SJS. Carin Christensen, junior music major said, “He has a good future ahead, but I don’t know about SJS.” BEST MAN Paul Miller, senior political science ma jor, thinks “his resignation is terrible. He’s the best man to keep the SJS com munity intact from violent occurrences and disorders.” “He’s just a nice man,” said Kathy Lackey, senior journalism major. "I think he was a good president, but he was probably too liberal for the Califor nia trustees and the governor.” Bill Langan, A. S. vice-president, has “great respect for President Clark, who has handled SJS affairs better than any one in the past.” Langan refuted charges of those in the past who “accused Clark of yielding to political pressures. H e stood the pressures and took a stand, with his prime interest always educa tion.” The points of view represented here are only a minute percentage of the 25, 000 students at SJS. Perhaps the best tribute to Clark that can be repeated is this: When addresss ing A. S. president Miner, Clark said, “What should I say to students, Dick? Should I say I love you?” The students responded by a thunderous round of ap plause and a standing ovation as Clark left the auditorium. Coleman's Business Service Duplicating Zerox 2400-Most Any Type Paper 8Vi" x 11" - BW x 14" OFF SET TYPE QUALITY $.07 Pec Copy Ovor 3 Copies Lower Rates on Larger Quantities Typing Service Available Located in Gilbert Shopping Center 1189 Fairfield 688-1361 “GODARD’S BEST FILM BY FAR SINCE ‘BREATHLESS’!” —Renata Adler, N. Y. Times “GODARD AT HIS OWN HIGHEST LEVEL!" —Pauline Kael, The New Yorker “REMARKABLE ... A FANTASTICALLY INTRICATE ORIGINAL FILM!” —Joseph Morgenstern, Newsweek LA chinoise: Released by Leacock-Pertnebaker Show Time 8 P.M. 345-1022 Librarian publishes career patterns study A new monograph on the career patterns of college and university librarians has been published by Perry D. 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