University of Virginia Library

University To Become Fully Co-Educational
For Next Session Despite Alumni Opposition

President Shannon Stands With Family While Announcing New Coeducation Policy

Mrs. Shannon Expressed Hope Her Five Daughters Could Attend University; President Just Beamed

Beginning with the first semester
of the 1968-69 session, the
University will become fully coeducational,
it was announced
yesterday.

In a special meeting held over
the recent spring holidays, the
Board of Visitors of the University
accepted the recommendation
of a study commission to
admit women students on the
same basis with men.

The announcement was made
by President of the University
Edgar F. Shannon Jr. at a special
press conference in his palatial
estate atop Carr's Hill, Carr's
Hill.

'Momentous'

"The decision of the University
to co-educate was a momentous
one," he said, "and was
made after a great deal of consideration
and study."

Mr. Shannon continued that
the new policy was recommended
by the special commission he appointed
last year to examine the
pros and cons of co-education.
"The commission," he said,
"came to the conclusion that the
University should admit women
only after an intense debate on
both sides of the issue."

(Sources in the administration
have suggested that the final decision
of the commission was decided
in an arm-wrestling match
between Dean T. B. Woody and
Dean of Women Mary Whitney,
but there has been no official confirmation
of this.)

Standing with the president at
the conference were his wife
Eleanor and their five children,
Virginia, Carolina, Georgia,
Louisiana, and Eleanor. He was
obviously pleased that his daughters
would now be able to attend
the University of which he is
chief administrative officer.

'Pleased'

"I am obviously pleased that
my daughters will now be able
to attend the University of which
I am chief administrative officer,"
he said.

Reaction to the new ruling was
widespread and diverse. Dean
Whitney told The Cavalier Daily
yesterday, "This is the most exciting
moment of my career. We
have finally broken the backs of
the anti-progressive revisionists
who have for too long been holding
back the progress of this great
University. Now we can begin a
new day-men and women can
march together building a new
and greater world for all of us."

'Shocked'

On the other side, some dissatisfaction
with the new policy has
been expressed, notably by alumni.
Old Wahoo Randolph Beverley
Carter Byrd V of Richmond
told The Cavalier Daily, "Ah'm
shocked that ouah fine University
could have done such a thing."

Asked to elaborate, Col. Byrd
was more than willing. "What
kind of women do you think this
will attract? Fine Southern ladies?
No suh, they'll all go to some of
ouah fine girl's institutions. Within
a yeah's time ouah hallowed
Grounds will be overrun — overrun
ah say — with loose women
spreading their seditious notions
of equal rights and free love,
leading ouah fine young students
away from their work. Harrumph."

Other University officials were
more reserved in their comments.
Dean of the University B. F. D.
Runk, reached at his farm in
Fluvanna County, said yesterday,
"Officially, I have no comment. I
really have no particular opinion
on the matter because by next
year I'm going to be out of this
office anyway, and I won't have
to bother with it. But don't quote
me."

Diverse

Student reaction to the new
policy was widespread and diverse.
A group of students from
the Southern Student Organizing
Committee assembled on the Rotunda
steps to demonstrate in favor
of the co-education policy,
free love, peace in Vietnam, civil
rights, and better food in Newcomb
Hall.

This group was almost immediately
joined by a contingent
from the Patrick Henry Society
protesting co-education and student
demonstrations. There was
no violence, although a photographer
from the Daily Progress
brought along a dozen eggs and
tried to get some of the students
to throw them.

A quick canvass of key students
conducted by The Cavalier
Daily revealed clearly that while
there was a great deal of dissatisfaction
with the policy, there
was also a great deal of satisfaction,
countered by a great deal
of apathy.

Dean Of Women Mary Whitney

Arm-Wrestling Acumen Clinched Admittance Of Women