University of Virginia Library

Whitlow Calls Attack
On Poll 'Unfounded'

By JOHN EPPS

Honor Committee Vice President Pat
Whitlow expressed disagreement with
several statements made by Law School
President Nick Davidson in yesterday's
The Cavalier Daily.

Mr. Davidson had expressed
dissatisfaction over the Honor
Committee's issue of The Cavalier Daily
Monday.

Mr. Whitlow said the paper Monday
was intended to present a neutral and
unbiased account of the Honor
Committee's findings on its 1971 Honor
System poll.

"The issue was not to present the
views of Nick Davidson nor was it to
present my views," he said "it was meant
to show the findings of the poll
interpreted by a majority of the Honor
Committee."

"Since Mr. Davidson has made these
remarks," he continued, "I felt they
should be answered."

Unfounded Attack Levied

Mr. Whitlow said that Mr. Davidson
levied an unfounded attack on the
statement that 60 per cent of the
students polled were unaware of various
aspects of the Honor System.

Mr. Davidson had said that, whether or
not a student known of the care taken by
committee in each case or of the
appellate procedures of an honor trial, he
can still make a decision on the question
of single sanction.

He said he agreed with Mr. Davidson
that the upcoming referendum March 22
and 23 was a good time for the student to
voice his opinion on the single sanction
question.

Mr. Whitlow said, "People must be
aware of the considerations the Honor
Committee makes before handing down
the single sanction to be able to judge
whether or not the single sanction is
making the system less effective."

Mr. Whitlow also disagreed with Mr.
Davidson's statement that 37 per cent
was an "erroneous and misleading" figure
for showing the number of people in
favor of graduated penalties.

"The 37 per cent figure came from
question 22, an unambiguous question,"
Mr. Whitlow said. The ambiguity came on
question 29, where the respondents
showed inconsistency with the rest of
their answers, he said.

He also attacked Mr. Davidson's
statement that the poll "was conducted
with the express purpose of changing the
system to conform with student values."

Student Knowledge Measured

Mr. Whitlow cited Monday's The
Cavalier Daily in which Honor Committee
Chairman Tom Bagby said the poll was
taken to measure student knowledge of
the Honor System and also to survey
student attitudes and opinions concerning
the Honor System.

Sharing Mr. Whitlow's opinions were
Honor Committee members Bob
Williamson, Dick Wagner, Jacques
McCormick, Nancy Armistead, David
Beatty, Tom Mason and Russ Barber.
Law School Vice President Craig Hopson
also voiced his approval of Mr. Whitlow's
criticisms.

Report Lacked Objectivity

Russel E. Barber, who sided with Mr.
Davidson on the question of graduated
penalties for honor offenses, said in a
letter published in today's CD that
despite Mr. Davidson's "innuendoes", Mr.
Bagby's poll report analysis lacked
objectivity. He said that he thought that
Mr. Davidson was "selecting out certain
information...and neglecting to present a
more balanced picture."