University of Virginia Library

At Special Meeting

Shannon Analyzes Issues
For Council Members

By Peter Shea
Cavalier Daily Staff Writer

Photo By Mike Russell

Edgar F. Shannon, Jr. Fields Questions From Student Council Representatives

University President Explained To Group That Frank Hereford Would Be In Charge During His Absence

Following a buffet supper at Carr's
Hill, President Edgar F. Shannon met
with the Student Council last night in an
open meeting.

Mr. Shannon spent most of the
meeting dealing with two specific issues:
the procedure for appointing student
members to faculty committees and the
further study of equal opportunity with
regard to the Rotch Committee report.

Although he stressed that there was a
"need to provide for a little more
flexibility," President Shannon told the
Council that its recommendation, "if the
Student Council will really take hold of
this as you proposed in the letter, seems
to me to be very sensibly done."

In a letter sent to the President in late
September, the Council asked Mr. Shannon to
consider revising the committee appointment
procedure.

The Council letter would change the
procedure so that "the Council will consider all
committee recommendations and appoint the
student members to the University
committees... All student appointments will be
forwarded to the President of the University for
his confirmation. If the President feels that the
Council has erred in any of its appointments, he
may consult the Council and request certain
changes."

Mr. Shannon explained that he felt it was
necessary that he be given more liberty in
certain situations. For example, he said that "of
the 120 students on the administrative
committees, 42 changes have been necessary."
This was due, he said, to the fact that some of
the people appointed could no longer serve or
had not returned to the University or because
certain needs had not been accommodated.

The President said that there was no way
that the Council could take the time to make
all the re-appointments, especially since many
had to be made some time during the summer
when the Council was not meeting.

The Council proposal had made arrangements
to appoint one or more alternative
members to each committee and Mr. Shannon
agreed that this was a good idea. However, he
said that since the turnover rate was so large, it
would be necessary to provide for a large
number of alternates.

In reply to a question by Paul Bishop, Mr.
Shannon assured the Council that, if possible,
he would always try to consult at least with the
Council President or his designated replacement
before he would make an appointment. He
would only make the appointment of a
replacement on his own in "special cases," such
as when time was of the utmost importance.

In regard to the Rotch report, Mr. Shannon
reiterated that the University as a whole had
two basic goals.

First, he said that the University has to "get
the message across to the black community and
to other persons who are disadvantaged or less
affluent that the University is open to those of
all backgrounds or of any races, creeds or
colors."

However, Mr. Shannon also stressed that
"our job is still attracting black students to the
University of Virginia. The Council has a lot to
do with making the climate and life here more
acceptable to blacks."

When asked by Paul Hurdle how the Council
should go about trying to improve the racial
atmosphere at the University, Mr. Shannon said
that it had to continue to work with student
groups, such as with the Pep Band, to give
attention to the effects of their actions on
minority groups.

Mr. Shannon said that he hoped that, if the
white students realized that some of their
actions were taken as offensive by the blacks,
they would understand and willingly stop
acting in that manner.

"We seek to be a community where
everybody can live together irrespective of
race," Mr. Shannon said.

The Council and the President spent a great

deal of time discussing whether or not the
University should set a minimum goal for the
percentage of black students admitted next
year.

Mr. Shannon said that he was against setting
a specific goal. "I feel that whatever we do, it
becomes some kind of an indication of a quota
system." He added that by tying the University
to a set percentage, it would actually hurt the
cause to which the University is devoted of
admitting students without regard to race.

The Council had suggested to him that a
goal be set asking that 20 per cent of the
entering class be black. Several members
reaffirmed that desire, saying that unless there
was a marked increase in the percentage of
blacks, the University would have failed in its
efforts.

The President disagreed, arguing that the
number of blacks admitted could triple while
the percentage might stay constant. Any such
increase would constitute an improvement
while not satisfying the Council's goal.