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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (April 21, 1970)
Response to anti-ROTC incident New faculty-student coalition oraanizes into action arouDS About 150 students and faculty members showed up Monday evening for an organizational meeting of the Faculty-Student Coalition, a group formed last week in the midst of the threat of violence and confrontation. The group’s two previous meetings, both late last week, centered upon discussions of the anti-ROTC actions that had already taken place and upon methods to be used to achieve change. Monday’s meeting, on the other hand, develop ed into a work session in which several action groups were formed and in which suggestions for definite issues and definite courses of action were debated. Committees formed will combine faculty and student talent toward: • Influencing faculty members on future votes concerning the issue of ROTC and its relation ship to the University. • Coming up with a working understanding of decision-making bodies on campus and of how these bodies can best be influenced. • Exerting influence in the community on is sues of definite concern to local residents. • Recruiting additional members for the coali tion and for the projects that it decides to under take. At the Monday meeting lists were passed around and interested persons volunteered to take part in the various committee functions. The coalition was organized by political sci ence professor Joe Allman in response to last Wednesday’s militant anti-ROTC action. Speaking at Monday’s session, Allman said that the group needs a "power base” on which it can build for effective change at the University. Referring to speciric issues and needs, he said that in discussions with other faculty members he sees interest and support for such ideas as an expanded SEARCH course program, an ombudsman to hear and deal with student complaints, a “dean of undergraduate education,” a reduction in class requirements, more aid to minority programs, and an effort to “educate the faculty” on vital campus issues. After Allman’s talk, the meeting was turned over to a general “throwing out” of ideas for group consideration. Among these were: • Elemination of the University’s ties and “complicity” with the military, including efforts to remove ROTC from campus through faculty and student channels. • An effort to oppose the lid on enrollment now instituted in the State System of Higher Education. • A move to achieve a more equitable voting regulation governing faculty meetings. • Attempts to increase the role of students in academic and student-faculty committees. • A lobbying effort to influence faculty mem bers on how they will vote on upcoming motions dealing with ROTC and with additions to the Stu dent Conduct Code dealing with disruptive activi ties. National Moratorium Committee disbands after year of activities After nearly a year of activities aimed at pressuring the U.S. gov ernment to withdraw American troops from Southeast Asia, the national Vietnam Moratorium Committee announced Sunday that it will soon disband its oper ations. In a news letter distributed to local Moratorium committees and financial contributors, the group’s leadership indicated that “there appears to be little prospect of immediate change in the adminis tration’s policy in Vietnam.” They also said that the “politi cal fad” of large demonstrations, two of which the committee spon sored last October and Novem ber, has lost its appeal, and that their sources of income have run dry. Made up in a large part by former supporters of presidential candidates Robert Kennedy and Eugene McCarthy, the national committee recently divided much of its work among a series of re gional headquarters around the country. Local Moratorium activities may be continued through these re gional offices, which will not di rectly be affected by the shut - down of the national headquarters in Washington, D.C., although they themselves may choose to close 1 up shop. Husted-Chao aim for unity By RANDY BARBANO Of the Emerald "Anything I do would be aimed at getting more representation and unity for student government,” Russel Husted, one among 12 can didates for ASUO president, said. Husted, a graduate student, is running with Moses Chao, also a graduate student. Husted has been an ASUO senator and is on the Faculty-Student Committee on undergraduate education. He also was the organizer of the October and November Morator iums in Eugene and is one of the Weyerhaeuser 18. Chao is a member of the Chinese Student Union, the Sociology Student Union and the Urban Planning Student Union. He is run ning for vice president, he said, because “the ASUO has been run for the White majority students in this University. “The minority groups seldom receive any recognition. But as a member of a minority group I understand many of the problems.” Chao said he was born in China and went to school in Hong Kong and Canada before he came to the University. UNITE TO FIGHT Chao emphasized that while he would represent the “minority group of students and anyone else who is in a disadvantaged position,” he would also represent the majority. The important thing, he said, was “for the minority and majority to unite to fight for survival in col lege.” Husted said he and Chao are running on a platform of eight points which he made because “I’m unsatisfied with most of the other plat forms put out by the other candidates.” Husted and Chao's first point is to get the $75 intent-to-enroll fee eliminated. “It really discriminates against everyone who pays their own way, or whose parents are poor, or who relies on less lucrative loans, grants, etc.,” he said. Their second point was a used book store run by students at no profit. Husted explained that the student would sell his book at 60 per cent of its cost, 10 per cent more than at the Co-op. The books would then be marked up 10 per cent to cover over head but would still sell -at only 70 per cent of their original value, cheaper than the Co-op sells them. Husted next proposed that the ASUO Senate be reproportioned according to academic departments rather than living organizations. At the University, he said, a student’s real problems are in academics and are related to where he lives. THE KEY’ Husted called his fourth point the “key” to an ASUO that does anything. He called for a Faculty-Student Senate that has “real power and real purpose.” He next suggested changes in the social functions, saying the “ad mission prices are too high” and people should be able to dance if they want to. He suggested if it wasn’t possible to lower prices and still break even then the ASUO should subsidize the social division. To help students out in a financial way Husted proposed a series of social services. These include supporting the Child Day Care Center and the Hous ing Office. He also said he wants a Medical Center and a Legal Aid Center where students can get free service. His seventh point was a student-community relations bureau which would be responsible for getting the students’ side of any incident out to the public. His final point was to have the ASUO “assume a stronger role in planning campus development, student housing and dormitory devel opment.” University contributes tapes . . (('ontinued from pane 1) ments of the four students charged with "inciting to riot” Thursday. Friday after noon Gibbons was at Eugene 1’olice head quarters and refused to explain his pres ence there. When questioned, he said, "talk to Dean Bowlin if you want any information." ' Bowlin was contacted twice by the Emerald Sunday concerning the owner ship and use of the videotape recorder by Gibbons. When first asked about the ownership of the machine, Bowlin said, "As far as 1 know, it’s not the University’s (video tape), but 1 can't say positively." Contacted a second time Sunday, Bow lin was asked if he had contacted Acting Dean Cykler and if he was aware that Cykler owned the equipment Bowlin re sponded, "yes.” NO SIGNED AGREEMENT Concerning an agreement between Cy kler and the University regarding the use of the videotape equipment, Bowlin said, "There’s no signed rental agreement on it 1 did contact him and indicated that if any damage occurred to it (the recorder) we’d be responsible In terms of a legal contract, it’s certainly not that kind." Cykler said Sunday that he had been contacted b> Bowlin last week and a "rental" had been arranged with the University for a period of one week. The acting dean added that he had "no con trol" over the equipment during the week and that he lid not supply the University with tapes Gibbons and Bowlin declined to say who owns the recording tapes used last week In a statement to the Emerald. Gibbens did not mention the tapes. Bow lin said. T don't know enough about the camera and made no arrangements on tapes He added, ’if they seem to have the film, wh\ would you ask them where they got it and how they are paying for it? I really don’t know.” When Bowlin was asked if he had met with the police department or if the police had helped the University identify any students involved in last week's ac tivities, he said. "Well, I really couldn't say. Not that 1 am aware of.” Contacted Monday, Deputy District At torney J. Pat Horton said the District At torney's office "has viewed the tapes" taken bv Gibbons. Eugene Police Chief William Smith said Monday his office had also viewed the recordings but they were no longer in his possession. Chief Smith indicated that his department did not have videotape playback facilities, but did not elaborate. An investigator for the District Attor neys office, James Kennedy, contacted the Emerald Monday requesting photo graphs and identifications. Kennedy said that he also had viewed Gibbons’ record ings. At the University, Presidential Assist ant John Dallas and Dean Bowlin ex plained why the taping was authorized last week. Bowlin said “there is absolutely no question that there must be pictures for identification purposes and that they have te. be retained for a reasonable amount of time." IDENTIFICATION METHODS Both Bowlin and Lallas indicated that the newly formed Campus Security Ad visory Committee was to have met last Frida> to consider identification methods, but the meeting was cancelled after the ROTC disruptions Dallas explained President Clark told an ASUO cabinet meeting "that the Uni versity policy was that the Office of Stu dent Conduct ought to have the right and the authority to attempt to obtain informa t on regarding people who are allegedly in violation of the code, and that they referred specifically to cameras.” Bowlin said Sunday, “We will call upon different people to take pictures of an incident that is either happening or seems immediately imminent and strictly on the campus." VIEWED BY WITNESSES "We would use them (tapes and pic tures) for identification purposes. They would be seen by people who are wit nesses of the event, as we did with the Weyerhaeuser case.” Bowlin and Lallas were also asked if the University is currently keeping photo graphic files on students involved in dis ruptive events. "Not really, because this is the first time we have ever had anything like this,” Bowlin said in the first interview Sunday. When questioned a second time if the University maintained files on past dis turbances Bowlin said, “No. that is not correct.” Bowlin went on to say that he was very much opposed to building any kind of “permanent file.” Regarding the existence of files. Lallas said, he knew none existed in Johnson Hall but he presumed that the Office of Student Affairs had authority to keep such files. Bowlin stressed that Gibbens was only authorized to record events on campus. When Bowlin was told that Gibbens was observed taping persons leaving the ar raignment Friday morning in the county court house, he said, “this was without authorization from the University.” When students challenged President Clark Friday afternoon concerning a Uni versity employee taking videotapes down town, he responded the University would not use any photographs or movies filmed off campus in actions against students. Clark continued if such films were taken "it was a mistake and not as an assignment for us.” NOT AVAILABLE FOR COMMENT Clark and Dean of Administration Ray Hawk were in Washington, D.C., Monday and could not be reached for comment. In response to a question if the Uni versity had future plans for people at the University taking videotapes, films or other identification methods, Bowlin responded, “At any time there is likely to be disruption or it is actually occurring we will see that pictures are taken.” Gibbens releases statement on videotaping c.auor s ,>ote: ine following is the text of a statement made by John Gib bens concerning his role as operator of the videotape recorder: As you already know, 1 am John Gib bens. The following is my statement to the Dailv Emerald this 20th day of April 1970 1. I am employed by the State Board of Higher Education as an administrative officer at the School of Music, 2. I was asked by Dean Bowlin to take pictures for the University of campus disturbances, 3 I have not been, nor w ill be. renumer ateci in any form for taking pictures. 4. The equipment which was used is privately owned, was rented and does not belong to the University or the State of Oregon. 5. Any pictures which were taken off campus were taken as a concerned citizen of this community and nation. 6. In references to the whereabouts of the films, they were taken by the police as possible evidence of a crime and at this time I do not know' where they are. Now, if you will excuse me this concludes the interview as I have work to do and I have no further comments to make.
