University of Virginia Library

Inattention Cited

Visitors Displease Council

After considering a harsher letter
written by President Bud Ogle to certain
administrative officials, the Student
Council voted last night to issue a
watered-down statement expressing dissatisfaction
with the attitude of the
Board of Visitors concerning student
affairs.

The accepted motion stated that "the
Student Council expresses displeasure
that President Shannon did not recommend,
or the Board did not see fit to
adopt the recommendation of President
Shannon's Special Committee on an open
meeting with the Board of Visitors.

"We feel meaningful dialogue, not token
listening, is essential for better University-wide
communication and progress."

The statement added that "the Student
Council asks the Student Council President and
Vice-President to attend the meeting and
express the dissatisfaction with current channels
of communication."

The Council voted to pass the substitute
motion after many of its members objected to
the tone and content of Mr. Ogle's original
letter. The statement substituted for the
original letter will be directed to the persons
who would have received the letter, namely
Raymond Bice, Walkley Johnson, Frank Rogers
and Frank Hereford.

After the substitute motion was accepted,
several Council members expressed their desire
that all records of Mr. Ogle's letter be stricken
from the minutes of the meeting and that the
Council request that The Cavalier Daily omit
any mention of the letter. Charles Murdock
objected vehemently to Council's attempt to
censure the news coverage and so no official
action was taken.

The Council also decided that reports of its
action had to appear in the minutes.

Mr. Ogle's defeated letter was written to
turn down an invitation from the Board to Mr.
Ogle and Vice-President Paul Hurdle to attend a
meeting of the Board's Committee on Student
Affairs.

The letter read in part: "After careful
consideration we reject your invitation for the
following reasons: ...

"Past experience indicates Council advocacy
and especially presence of Council members at
Board meetings probably has a negative effect
on the issues presented. Our recommendations
on co-education were ignored until a Federal
Court required their enforcement. Our efforts
to adjust University priorities to meet our
professed goals of equal educational opportunity
have also fallen on deaf ears.

"Hopefully, another Federal Court order
will not be necessary, but clearly when only 6
of one per cent of our Arts and Sciences
student body is black some drastic changes are
in order. Our requests for increases in SAC
funds have been rejected while other increases
in the comprehensive fee and individual school
activities fees have been readily adopted.

"Your busy schedule and busier attitude
indicate that your time can probably be spent
in better ways than talking with student leaders
you do not consider representative."

The letter concluded on a more positive
note. "We will still forward issues and
recommendations for your consideration
through channels consonant with a better
University."

Mr. Ogle's letter also mentioned the
grievance cited in the substituted statement.