University of Virginia Library

Coalition To Meet With Godwin

No More Demonstrations Set,
As Protest Strategy Replaced
By 'Massive Effort' Planning

By Robin Lind
Cavalier Daily Staff Writer

Members of the Student Coalition
will travel to Richmond next
Wednesday, March 12, to talk with
Governor Mills Godwin in an effort
to implement their proposals for
reform at the University.

Councilman Ron Cass telephoned
the Governor on Wednesday and
after a short discussion arranged for
an interview between him and seven
student leaders representing the
Coalition. The seven representatives
are Student Councilmen Bud Ogle,
Ron Cass, and Paul Hurdle, Cavalier
Daily Editor Richard Gwathmey,
Spokesman for the Black Students
for Freedom George Taylor, Co-chairman
of the Student Council's
Employment Committee Tom
Gardner, and state chairman of the
Young Republican Federation Bill
Wright.

"There are a number of proposals
which the Coalition has made
which must be acted upon by the
legislation, which are beyond the
scope of the University Administration,"
said Ron Cass yesterday
afternoon. Specifically these proposals
are that the minimum wages
should be raised for the nonacademic
personnel at the University
and that they should be given
the right to form collective bargaining
units. The Coalition would also
like to stress the need to make the
Board of Visitors "more responsive
and representative."

"Massive Effort"

Former Student Council President,
Rick Evans, said that there
would be no further demonstrations
this month and that a
"massive effort" would replace
them in order to "implement the
proposals, to give the administration
a chance to draw up specific
plans to implement the proposals.
We feel that they have replied in
good faith, we want to give them
the time to act in good faith."

The massive effort will be
largely the immeasurable paper
work, legal research and statistical
compilation that is necessary. The
Coalition will also be working on
the transitional program, trying to
raise funds from the student body.
Each Councilman has pledged to
raise $50.00 for the program in the
hopes that it will be implemented
as soon as possible.

Motorcade

The Coalition will lead a motorcade
to Richmond and hope to
have large student support. Mr. Cass
reported that he believed they
already had 20 cars which would
definitely be going and hoped to
have as many as one hundred, with
a bus for the press. They will meet
at 11:00 a.m. Wednesday morning
at the University Hall and proceed
from there to the Capitol.

The Coalition hopes to be able
to address the students in a
peaceful rally from the steps of the
State Capitol, if it is legal, in the
same fashion as the recent addresses
from the Rotunda steps.

It is hoped that when the
Coalition representatives have completed
their conference with the
Governor they will be able to tell
all those who have come down
what transpired during the meeting
and what action will be taken on
the proposals. There are hopes that
the Governor himself will be able to
address the Coalition supporters.

Councilman Paul Hurdle, who is
also a co-chairman of Student
Council's Employment Committee,
said yesterday: "These plans offer
me and other students the opportunity
to unite in expressing our
goals to the Governor in a reasonable
and responsible manner. My
only hope and concern is that
Student Council is officially represented."

Support For Proposals

Both-Ron Cass and Paul Hurdle
wanted to stress that this was not a
demonstration but rather an effective
high-level conference with a
substantial show of support for the
Coalition proposals. If this was to
be known as a demonstration it
would be known as a "coat and tie"
demonstration conducted in a
gentlemanly fashion which is particular
to the University of Virginia.

Mr. Rosen wrote to Richmond
today asking for permission for a
demonstration by University
students on the steps of the Capitol
in that city. He said that he should
know by Monday whether the
permission for the demonstration
will be granted.

Photo By Frank Blechman

Governor Mills E. Godwin

Will Discuss Pay Raises For University Employees With Coalition