University of Virginia Library

Council Asks Shannon
To Evaluate Williams

By Ann Brown
Cavalier Daily Staff Writer

The Student Council considered
calling for the resignation of Vice
President for Student Affairs, D. Alan
Williams, but instead voted to approve a
statement asking President Edgar F.
Shannon to re-evaluate the Office of
Student Affairs and Mr. Williams' role in
that office.

The original motion made by Scott
Parker was tabled at one point for
discussion next week but was later
removed from the table so that action
could be taken on it.

Mike Cohen, Law School
representative, commented, "I don't
think this is going to help, it will just
antagonize the man." Larry Williams told
Council. "The very essence of our existence
here is our relationship with the Administration
and President Shannon." He added, however, "I
don't think that a vote against this motion is a
vote of confidence in Vice President Williams."

Mr. Parker responded to the critics of his
motion by saying. "I find it hard to believe that
you can sit there and say that and then refuse
to do anything about it." He added, "I don't
think our credibility with President Shannon is
in danger."

After Mr. Parker's motion was removed
form the table at Tuesday night's meeting, Russ
Palmore stated that a "motion of this nature
has a flavor of recklessness." Monty Harris
added, "Shannon cannot be seen in Richmond,
or to the alumni or anywhere as backing down
to students."

Alan Botsford, Council Treasurer, declared,
referring to the proposed motion, "If we want
to get rid of Williams, I think this is the worst
way to do it... We'd be guaranteeing that he'd
be in that office for five more years."

The motion, which was later preempted by
a substitute motion, reads: "In light of the
considerable obstacles imposed by the Vice
President for Student Affairs and his office in
many of the major areas of student concern,
the Student Council respectfully and regretfully
asks for the resignation of Mr. D. Alan Williams,
feeling that the continued occupation of this
office by Mr. Williams forecloses any
constructive movements of the University
community as a whole and only creates an air
of continued student frustration with the
general University Administration."

A straw ballot on this motion showed a
majority but not a strong one in favor of it. A
milder second proposal was made in an effort
to obtain near 100 per cent support. The
substitute motion passed by a vote of 18-2 with
three abstentions.

The approved statement reads: "Because the
Vice President for Student Affairs has not acted
in good faith in his relations with Student
Council in the past — as evidenced in his
dealings concerning the Blue Ribbon Code of
Conduct Committee, and the Lambeth Field
Committee;

"Because many members of Council are
becoming increasingly certain that one major
stumbling block to the progress of
Council-Administration relations and
communications is the Office of Student
Affairs;

"Student Council urges the President of the
University to re-evaluate the place of D. Alan
Williams in this administration and to redefine
the entire concept of the Office of Student
Affairs.

"Council feels that the hostility that Mr.
Williams has exhibited toward student ideas and
participation during this session has been a large
factor in the increasing deterioration of
student-administration relations. Council
further feels that any step taken to restructure
the Student Affairs Office could only be in the
best interests of the University community."

The Council also passed a motion providing
for all further correspondence with the
Administration to be sent directly to Mr.
Shannon's office. They also approved a
statement recommending that the Student
members of the Blue Ribbon Code of Conduct
Committee call a meeting in an effort to
accomplish something before the end of the
semester.