University of Virginia Library

Virginia Students, Legislators
Exchange Views In Open Forum

By Terry Jasperson
Cavalier Daily Staff Writer

Students, administrators and state legislators
are meeting this weekend in a Student
Legislator Open Forum.

The forum, which is being held in
Richmond, will provide an opportunity for
communication between university factions and
the state government.

The meetings are the result of seven months
planning by a steering committee of which Alan
C. Botsford, a third year commerce student, is
Vice-Chairman.

The idea for a communication session
between students and legislators evolved at a
meeting held at VPI last October.

Activities will begin with greetings from J.
Sargeant Reynolds, lieutenant governor of
Virginia and John Warren Cooke, speaker of the
Virginia House of Delegates.

Following their comments, Andrew P.
Miller, attorney general of Virginia, will address
the assembly.

Major Issues

Three major issues will be covered in the
conference: the problem of future
communications between legislators and
students, the considerations of minority
opportunities and how they should be
implemented, and the role of students in the
decision-making process of universities.

Thomas A. Schultz, a law student at the
University, will present student views on
communications in a panel discussion. Hunter
B. Andrews will speak about legislators'
opinions on the subject.

The panels which are presenting their
opinions on the three issues will be made up of
students, administrators and legislators, so as
not to give a biased view of the problems, Mr.
Botsford said.

The presidents of Hollins and VCU will sit
on the panels, giving both private and public
institutions' views.

Ten workshops are scheduled for Friday and
will deal with communications and lawful
dissent. Workshop moderators will then present
their findings to the Grand Assembly.

That evening the keynote address will be
given by Terry Sanford, president of Duke
University and former governor of North
Carolina.

Discussion of minority opportunities and
the role of students in the decision making
processes of higher education will take place
during Saturday's session.

There will be 21 students delegated from the
University. Among them are Thomas Mason,
Kevin Mannix, Mary B. Smith, Ken Ross, Phil
Chabot, Brian Siegel, Richard Hichman, Joe
Norton, Craig Hopson and King Golden.

Other members are Larry Sabato, Jim
Rinaca, John Petty, Dan West, Pat Cloonan,
Mary Alice German, Thomas Philips, William
Huyett, Hugh Antrim, Charles W. Hill and Ray
Smith. These students represent most of the
schools in the University.

Observers

Edgar F. Shannon, Edwin M. Crawford, vice
president for Public affairs, and Carroll A.
Gardner, special assistant to the president, will
attend as observers.

Mr. Botsford said that great efforts were
made to insure the presence of as many
legislators as possible. Letters were seat from
the governor and lieutenant governor inviting
them personally. Major papers in the state
wrote letters endorsing the forum.

Representatives from the steering committee
spoke with the House of Delegates while they
were in session, and Richmond news programs
televised interviews with the students.

Mr. Botsford added that those legislators
who did not reply to the invitations were
contacted personally by student
representatives.

Photo by Andy Stickney

Alan Botsford

Vice Chairman of Steering Committee