University of Virginia Library

Council Report Indicates Concern
Over University's Slated Expansion

By Linda Eichelbaum
Cavalier Daily Staff Writer

Calling expansion a "major concern of the
future," the full report of the Student Council
on growth at the University was presented
yesterday to Edgar F. Shannon, president of
the University.

Copies of the report, prepared by the
Student Council Special Committee on Growth,
were also sent to the Board of Visitors, the
Board of Governors, the Alumni Association,
the Governor's Office, and the state press.

Reflects Concern

According to Phil Chabot and Ken Ross,
coordinators of the committee, the report
reflects the concerns of three fourths of the
student body. It takes an in-depth view of the
plans of the University to fulfill its projected
growth to 18,000 students by 1980.

The report is divided into several "crises"
present at the University. These are the
Educational Crisis, the Housing Crisis, the
Transportation Crisis, and the Human Crisis.

Recommendations

On the basis of the findings of the report,
the Council made the following
recommendations. The first was that the
Birdwell Tract of land be studied by Council so
that it could be in a position to affect any
policy making decision from the beginning.
Council also asked the University to "take a
comprehensive view of the Birdwell and
Lambeth Field tracts."

A past resolution of the Council opposing
the transfer of the Eastern Shore Branch of the
University to a community college was again
stressed.

The report states that an alternate plan of
expansion could be to channel students to
branch institutions.

Council also called for restrictions on vehicle
parking, implementation of abusing system,
review of the inadequate off-grounds housing
allowance, and co-operation with the city of
Charlottesville to solve transportation and
housing problems.

Finally, Council will "vigorously pursue its
responsibility to insure that no organization
using the facilities of the University
discriminate on the basis of race or sex."

In the conclusion of the report, the
committee states its impression that "many
University officials are confident that the
problems faced today will 'take care of
themselves' as similar problems have before."

Council stated that this attitude distresses
them because "the problems faced by
Charlottesville and the University community
may be the same as they were years ago but
that they are much more severe."

The University has a definite responsibility
to the student and is failing in it, and, the
report added, the University is doing no service
to overextend its bounds, creating crowded
conditions which "undermine the principles
upon which the University was founded."