University of Virginia Library

Opponents Meet;
College Election
Details Planned

By Rick Pearson
Cavalier Daily Staff Writer

On the eve of the campaign for
President of the College of Arts
and Sciences, the three candidates
met as opponents for the first time
Tuesday afternoon and together
they worked out many of the
details of the upcoming election.

The occasion was the pre-election
meeting of the Student
Council Committee on Political
Societies and Elections, in order to
clarify many of the doubts as to
election procedures. The committee
met in the dignified surroundings of
the Honor Committee Room, at the
mahogany table over which one of
these men would preside in a few
short weeks.

"Meeting Necessary"

The candidates present at the
meeting were Charles Murdock,
Council representative, former
chairman of the Elections Committee,
and newly-declared independent
candidate for President; Whit
Clement, nominee of the Skull and
Keys Political Society; and Gregory
Hodges, nominee of the Sceptre
Society.

The candidates felt the meeting
was necessary, for unexpected
complications had made the orderly
procedure of a campaign nearly
impossible. Spring vacation had
come at a particularly bad time:
although the date for the election
had been set long ago, it followed
barely a week after the resumption
of classes. Society caucuses were
hurriedly finished just before the
break. Then, over break, Sceptre
discovered it had no way to print
its posters after Gitchell's studio
burned to the ground.

When classes resumed Monday,
students were greeted with the
normal flood of campaign posters -
but they were all Skull and Keys.
Although Sceptre had made arrangements
to get their posters printed
elsewhere, they felt they would be
too late, since they would be
distributed only three campaign
days before the original election
date.

Other Factors Considered

There were also other factors to
be considered. Mr. Murdock was a
new candidate, and he would surely
need the added exposure of a
prolonged campaign. There was
the question of a long or short
campaign. While first-year men
often tired of being subjected to an
endless flow of words, the candidates
agreed that the issues facing
the Honor System were of such
grave importance that first-year
men should be given an opportunity
to become familiar with them.

This question ultimately decided
the debate, and the election was
postponed a week, from Wednesday
and Thursday, April 9 and 10, to
April 16 and 17.

Several other details of the
procedure of the campaign were
decided. These followed a general
trend of allowing candidates the
greatest freedom in running their
campaigns. It was decided that the
campaign would begin Wednesday.
April 2, and would run to election
day, excluding Fridays and Saturdays.
This is an increase in total
campaign days, and the daily
campaign hours, which now include
afternoons and evenings. Campaigning
will officially begin at 2 p.m.
and will end at midnight.

Campaign Expenses

The committee agreed that the
limit to campaign expenses would
be kept the same as in past
elections, at $75. Although former
election rules had limited campaign
literature to two pamphlets per
candidate, the committee dropped
this, allowing the candidates freedom
within the $75 limit.

Before adjourning, the committee
decided that the deadline for
turning in petitions for independent
candidates for College offices,
which must contain at least 25
signatures, are to be turned in by
Tuesday, April 8.