University of Virginia Library

Game Ticket Distribution
Draws Student Complaints

By NEILL ALFORD III
and BEVERLY DOWELL

Complaints of unfairness in the
distribution of student basketball tickets
Tuesday afternoon have resulted in an
athletic department recommendation for
changes in ticket policy and the
possibility of a Judiciary Committee
ruling on scalping practices.

The Department of Athletics
announced yesterday that it will work in
conjunction with student members of the
Athletic Advisory Committee to devise an
alternative method for ticket distribution.

The present ticket policy went into
effect at the suggestion of the student
members of the committee. The policy
replaced last year's system of allowing
students to enter University Hall until all
student seats had been filled.

At present, athletic department policy
calls for students to come to the
University Hall ticket office and pick up
reserved tickets for each game in advance.
The plan allows for approximately 3,800
student tickets.

In order to make it possible for
students to sit together, the plan allows
students to pick up as many tickets as
they present ID cards for.

Robert T. Canevari, dean of students,
commented that he felt the scalping of
tickets was illegal. "I think it is covered
by Item Seven of Standards in the
'Colonnades'," he said.

He has contacted Howard Gordon,
chairman of the Judiciary Committee,
and asked for an opinion. "I clearly see
this as a misuse of the identification
card," Mr. Canevari sated.

Mr. Gordon claimed that the Judiciary
Committee has "no policy" on scalping.
"I have not discussed it with all the
members of the committee, yet, but it is
under consideration," he added. The
committee will meet tonight to discuss
the situation, according to Mr. Gordon.

Mr. Gordon noted that he had not
heard of any incidents of scalping and
that the opinion "would be to answer
questions that have been raised."

There was a decision by the Judiciary
Committee three years ago concerning
some University players who scalped
tickets, but "that was decided under
the old code," Mr. Gordon added. In that
case, the committee decided that the
ticket sellers had brought discredit on the
University, Mr. Gordon explained.

"Some students worked in
cooperation with others having a more
advantageous place in line to the
detriment of many who had been in line
for several hours," the athletic
department's statement said.

Several students expressed
dissatisfaction with the procedure when
they did not get tickets after having
waited in line for more than two hours.
Several students in the front part of the
line presented several dozen ID cards to
receive tickets.