University of Virginia Library

Student Claims Improper
Use Of Activities Fund

By Peter Shea
Cavalier Daily Staff Writer

A letter from Sam Manly to Council
Vice-President Paul Hurdle demanding
reform in the policy of allocating funds
and questioning certain allocations to
student organizations was discussed at
Tuesday's Student Council meeting.

The Council instructed Mr. Hurdle to
write a reply to Mr. Manly clarifying the
issues.

Mr. Hurdle reported that the letter from Mr.
Manly "insultingly inferred irresponsibility" on
Mr. Hurdle's part concerning the allocation and
use of funds of Rapier Magazine, SDS, and the
Black Students for Freedom.

Mr. Manly charged that the three organizations
either had not handled their allocated
funds properly or should not have been given
any funds in the first place. Mr. Manly gave Mr.
Hurdle a 72-hour ultimatum to act on his
complaints or he would file a "Bill of
Complaint" with the proper court.

Mr. Manly urged that a professional auditing
firm be hired to handle all auditing for student
organizations desiring funds from the Student
Activities Committee.

In a letter sent to Mr. Manly yesterday, Mr.
Hurdle replied that the charges Mr. Manly had
made were "erroneous in factual information."
In regards to the threat of legal action, Mr.
Hurdle responded, "I found your 72-hour
ultimatum trite."

Mr. Hurdle explained that the money
involved in the Rapier incident was given in the
form of a loan, not as an allocation as Mr.
Manly had claimed. Rapier has since folded,
and the defunct publication has left an
outstanding debt of $4,000.

Mr. Manly also claimed that SDS should not
have been allocated any funds since it is a
political group. Mr. Hurdle said that SDS was
granted the money, $49, "strictly for educational
materials."

"During the hearing," Mr. Hurdle explained,
"they were questioned at length about this and
satisfied a majority of the Committee that the
money would go for literature of an educational
nature. In the past, the Committee has
given Air Force ROTC funds for sending books
to Viet Nam."

Mr. Manly's final claim was that the Black
Students for Freedom were not eligible to
receive any allocations because the group
discriminated on the grounds of race. Mr.
Manly based his argument on the fact that there
are no non-white members in the group.

In his reply, Mr. Hurdle said that "there are
no racial restrictions mentioned whatsoever in
their Constitution. The fact that no whites are
members is no more indicative of official
discrimination than the absence of blacks in
fraternities. Whites have simply not opted to
join the organization."

Mr. Hurdle informed Mr. Manly that "a
system of central auditing has been discussed in
the past by the Student Activities Committee,
and I tend to favor it, although I do not
necessarily agree with your specific plans."

In closing, Mr. Hurdle wrote. "rather than
threatening a Bill of Complaint initially, you
might have better researched your claims and
more positively approached those involved."

He offered to meet with Mr. Manly should
his response not be acceptable.