University of Virginia Library

Council Requests Legal Advice
To Clarify Board's Decision

By LIBBY WITHERS

In a closed executive
session Tuesday night, Student
Council discussed the Board of
Visitors' recent decision to
deny funds to the Gay Student
Union (GSU).

The major purpose of the
session was "to chart guidelines
before the Student Activities
Committee (SAC) meeting
Monday," Council President
Jim Rinaca said. "We discussed
the lines we've tried to take to
interpret the guidelines."

Mr. Rinaca preferred not to
comment on the questions
debated at the meeting.

He said Council, at present,
doesn't understand the
guidelines laid down by the
Board. "Before we can do
anything, we must ask Mr.
Alford (Neill H. Alford Jr.,
University Legal Adviser) for
clarification of the unclear
problems," Mr. Rinaca said.

Additional closed sessions
are not anticipated by Council.
"We need an opportunity to
interpret these questions now,"
Mr. Rinaca said. "We can't lock
ourselves in by yes or no
answers until the guidelines are
clear."

Vice-President for Student
Affairs D. Alan Williams has
been notified of Council's
concern, and is in close contact
with members of Council. The
date for Mr. Alford's
clarification of the Board's
action is unknown.

The Council Executive
Committee, consisting of
committee chairmen and
Council officers, will meet
privately today, as is its usual
procedure. The ruling on the
GSU, will probably be brought
up at Council's regular meeting
Tuesday night.

The Board of Visitors
denied the GSU request on the
basis of the interpretation of
their own 1970 guidelines.

The Board contended that
the GSU's advocation of a
type of sexual life is a private
and personal affair which has
no relationship to the
educational purposes of the
University. Funds are to be
used to support organizations
to which all students have de
facto access. Because
heterosexuals have no de facto
access to GSU activities, the
Board refused allocation.

The effect of this ruling on
other organizations and
second-semester allocations is
unclear. An interpretation
is expected to be completed by
the end of February or the
beginning of March.