University of Virginia Library

Military Police Question Four University Students

By Bryan DeLaney
Cavalier Daily Staff Writer

Agents Yerby And Wood Come To Investigate Virginia Veterans For Peace

Most Of The Information Remains Confidential Despite CID Requests

As military police arrived in
Charlottesville this week to investigate
four University students, alarm has been
raised concerning the accessibility of
student records.

The investigation itself would
probably not be too alarming. What is
significant, however, is that the
investigation which took place required
that the agents of the Criminal
Investigative Division of the Military
Police gain access to certain student
records.

Press Conference

It has been the understanding of most
that these records were confidential and
could not be seen by anyone outside the
University without the permission of the
student involved. Obviously, this is not
the case.

It should be made clear that some
offices do keep their files closed.
Unfortunately, however, there is no established
policy for the University as a whole. The facts
of this week's case are revealing.

On August 18 of last summer, five members
of the Virginia Veterans For Peace held a press
conference in Richmond in coordination with
the Citizens Commission of Inquiry. The
testimony given by the five was in reference to
war crimes and was aimed at implicating
military policies and policy makers such as
President Nixon, Lyndon Johnson, Mendel
Rivers and others.

Five Speakers

The five speakers included Robert Wanky,
Edwin Barbour, Fred Morton and Griff Ellison,
all of whom are students at the University. At
the time of their press conference the
authorities were given the students' full names
and home addresses by the speakers themselves.

According to Mr. Ellison, two CID agents,
identified as Mr. Yerby and Mr. Wood,
approached Mr. Barbour at his home on
Tuesday afternoon of this week. Mr. Barbour
was asked to sign an affidavit attesting to the
truth of the testimony which he had given
during the summer. When requested the agents
were unable to supply either an affidavit or a
copy of the testimony.

Question Wife

The agents then went to the home of Mr.
Morton where, finding him not at home, they
proceeded to question his wife concerning
where he could be found and when he might
return. Returning later that evening the agents
confronted Mr. Morton in much the same way
as they had Mr. Barbour.

On Wednesday morning Mr. Ellison was
called out of the library by a secretary of the
Commerce School. Upon arriving at the office
of the Commerce School, he too was faced with
the presence of Mr. Yerby and Mr. Wood.

The fourth student involved. Mr. Wanky,
was also approached Wednesday. Mr. Wanky
was informed during a Philosophy class that
two gentlemen wished to see him outside.
These men were none other than Mr. Yerby and
Mr. Wood.

It is with reference to these last two events
that the question of student records arises.
Apparently the CID agents were able to
determine the student's schedule. What other
information they were able to gather is not
known. Mr. Ellison quotes the agents as stating
that they "went to the Registrar's Office and
got to see our records." In light of other
evidence this point may well create some
unnecessary confusion.

Student Permission

When contacted, Dean Canevari, Associate
Dean for Student Affairs, made it clear that his
office did not and would not release any
information beyond what may be found in the
student directory and similar public documents
without the permission of the student. This
policy also applies to all those offices under the
control of the Office of Student Affairs. This
would include the Registrar's Office, the Office
of Financial Aid, and others.

Registrar

Mr. Yerby and Mr. Wood were not,
therefore, able to get the information they
sought from the Office of Student Affairs. Nor
were they successful when they spoke to Mr.
Pickett. University Registrar. They were able to
learn which schools Mr. Ellison and Mr. Wanky
are enrolled in since this is public information.

With this information it is assumed that the
CID agents next went to the offices of Dean
Quarles of the School of Engineering and Dean
Kaulback, Jr. of the Commerce School
although this can not be proven.

Public Information

When questioned about his policy for
releasing student records, Dean Quarlos
emphatically stated that. "We do not release
any information which we do not consider
public without a student's consent. A student's
grades will not be released, but his class
schedule is not considered private." It was
further stated that his secretaries could release
that information.

While Dean Kaulback could not be reached
it is possible that the same policy could be in
effect with regard to his files.

Uniform Policy

The difficulty would apparently arise from
the lack of a uniform policy regarding student
records and information release. As Mr. H.R.
Pickett, University Registrar, stated, "We
realize that a problem does exist and we are
struggling to overcome it."

It should be noted that, in response to the
CID investigation, the Virginia Veterans For
Peace are undertaking an investigation of CID
activities on the Grounds. According to Mr.
Ellison, Mr. Yerby and Mr. Wood are stationed
at Fort Lee with the 12th CID