University of Virginia Library

UUS Sets
Bail Fund

The fledgling Union of University Students,
now one hundred strong, held its
first public meeting Monday night in a
session characterized by unlimited, and
occasionally tedious, debate on projects
and tactics.

The meeting was opened at 8 p.m.,
even as students were filling Newcomb
Hall ballroom its chairman was Anthony
Stigliano and Education Grad Student
who helped found the Union near the
close of the Student Strike last Spring.

The meeting was attended by many people
not formerly associated with campus politics.
Bill Olson, a teaching assistant, summarized the
tone of the session by citing the arrest of
ex-student Tom Doran as evidence of the need
for "self-defense" among the student body.

Jim Cameron, a Graduate History student,
briefly reviewed the operation of the first
non-profit, student book exchange - the
Union's initial project. He noted a volume of
business "over a thousand dollars" as evidence
of the need for such a service.

"Listen to the politicians," said Mr. Olson,
"they're playing divide and conquer with all
this liberal rhetoric about 'tiny terrorist minorities'.
A 'tiny terrorist minority' is anybody
these guys want to frame."

The broad consensus of self-defense proved
unable to sustain the pace of the meeting,
however, as tactical details became the focus
for endless discussion.

In a narrow "showdown" vote, 42-38, the
group approved the implementation of a student
bail fund, not to include legal fees, for
persons "living in or busted in" the Charlottesville
area.

A temporary ad hoc committee, including
Mr. Stigliano, then emerged to oversee the
collection of bail funds and pledges and the
broadening of the fund to include general
community participation.

Next Monday at 8 p.m. in the South
Meeting Room of Newcomb Hall, members of
this committee will submit names of interested
parties from the community at large to another
general meeting of the Union. Upon popular
approval, these people will assume active direction
of the fund. Matters not dealt with at the
last meeting, including a possible Tenants'
Association, will be discussed at this time.

Photo By Rick Smith

Union Of University Students Hold First Meeting Since Strike

Close To One Hundred Students And Faculty Participated In Active Debate