University of Virginia Library

Summit Conference

Students, Security Discuss Problems

News Analysis

By DONN KESSLER

If anyone ever told me that I would
be going down the road with Ray
Houchens, Chief of University Security, I
would have thought they were crazy. But
sure enough, there I was, in a secluded
mountain lodge with a dozen security
officers asking "the Chief" if he wanted
to go "down the road" to the infamous
Madison College.

This strange event took place during
this past-weekend's conference between
security officers, faculty and students to discuss
mutual problems in hopes of improving
relations with the University police.

I had heard alot about the first conference
that took place over the past summer-about
wild orgies and all night drunks-and when I
received my invitation I wondered if I should
attend. But, throwing caution to the winds, off
I went to Syria, Virginia and Graves Mountain
Lodge.

The conference was more than I hoped for.
Instead of being a huge drunk, it consisted of
three conferences between the security police
and University staff and students followed by
recreational activities including football, card
games and bull-sessions.

The conference centered around a variety of
problems, the major issue being the problem of
lighting at the University. During the
discussions, we were told repeatedly by
members of the security force that they would
like to catch the attackers by immediate action
but since this was difficult, they would favor
lighting up the areas where many of the women
in the University were afraid to walk at night.

The problem of why a massive lighting
problem wasn't being instituted. Then emerged
the answer given in a roundabout fashion, was
that priorities established by the University
administration, particularly by Vincent Shea,
Vice President for Business and Finance, didn't
include major lighting proposals.

It suggested, however, that personal letters
to Mr. Shea concerning the fears of women
might induce a re-ordering of priorities. Either
that or, as someone suggested, perhaps a
member of the administration would have to be
attached before lighting was broadened.

Another major problem that was discussed
was that of relations between security and
black students at the University. Last year
several black students had complained of
alleged harassment by security officers when
they were asked for their I.D.'s without any
apparent cause.

Mr. Houchens indicated that the last few
years had been a difficult transition for security
as there had never been a "sizable number" of
black students at the University until recently
and the security officers had not been sure of
themselves in determining the student status of
blacks on the Grounds.

What was more important, however, was
that the security officers implied that they were
not cognizant of the sensitivities of many black
students to police. One thing that seemed to
have helped sensitize the police was a series of
conferences between black students and police
officers held through the Consultative Resource
Center on School Desegregation last year.

There were problems with the conferences
too. First was the small number of women
participating. The group was told that many
more had been invited but had not been able to
attend.

A more important problem was the division
among the various sectors of the University that
became glaringly apparent as the conference
continued. Many faculty and students did not
really understand each other's problems or
perspectives and as the conferences continued
there seemed to be some hardening of views
instead of opening of minds.

Another specific problem with the
conference was that the wrong students
participated. There is little need to convince the
counselors and members of the Judiciary
Committee and other student leaders that the
police and students have a communication gap.
It is the mass of students, especially the
first-year students, who must be made to
understand the situation. This problem led to at