University of Virginia Library

President Sends Letter

Cabell Hall Eviction Sparks Apology

By SAM BARNES

University President Edgar
F. Shannon has officially
apologized for the eviction of
student displays from Cabell
Hall during Founder's Day
activities.

In a letter to Council
President Jim Rinaca, Mr.
Shannon said that he wished to
extend his apologies on behalf
of the University "to each of
the student organizations who
responded to the Student
Council request to participate
in the Founder's Day
Activities."

"Members of these
organizations contributed their
personal time, and in some
cases money, and I sincerely
regret the inconvenience they
experienced," Mr. Shannon
said.

Communications Failure

The President said he had
learned that the eviction was
the result of a
"communications failure"
between the Public Occasions
Committee, the group which
planned the displays, and the
Processions Committee, the
group which was responsible
for carrying out Founder's Day
activities. Both committees
have student and faculty
representatives.

"The chairmen of these two
committees are aware of the
problems, and I am confident
they will take steps to see that
similar incidents do not occur
in the future," he said.

Commends Actions

Mr. Shannon also
commended the actions of
Council Representative Sherri
Smith, who was coordinating
the student activities on
Founder's Day, for what he
termed "good judgment and
common sense" in cooperating
with the University officials
who ordered the eviction.

In a letter to University
Legal Adviser Neill H. Alford
last month, Mr. Rinaca
requested that the University
submit an official apology to
the groups which had been
evicted.

Mr. Rinaca said that he was
pleased with the statement
from Mr. Shannon, saying "it
was what we (Council) asked
for."

Mr. Rinaca pointed out in
the letter that Council had
"acted in good faith" in inviting
the groups to present displays
in Cabell Hall. He also noted
that Council had received a
memorandum from Public
Occasions Committee
Chairman W. Bedford Moore
approving a Council request
that the displays be allowed in
the foyer of Cabell Hall.