University of Virginia Library

Bill Removes Draft Exemption

Robert Canevari, Dean of Students,
received a letter earlier this month from
Senator William B. Spong (D.-Va.)
regarding student draft deferments under
an act that was approved by the House
and is pending action in the Senate.

The letter, dated September 2, says
that "students who are matriculated prior
to the time the pending Act becomes law
will, if and when reached for induction,
be permitted to complete only the current
semester."

"On the assumption that the President uses
the authority which the legislation provides",
the letter continues, "no new student
deferments will be granted, only postponement
of induction until the end of the semester."

"The pending legislation, if enacted," it
reads, "will not permit Selective Service to
withdraw student deferments previously
granted for the school year 1970-71 and prior
years so long as the student continues to
perform satisfactorily full time in an accredited
undergraduate school."

'Additionally, students under 19 years of
age who, because they had no letter number
assigned, had not asked for a student
deferment, but were in college in the 1970-71
school year and would have been eligible for
deferment cannot be inducted under the new
Act so long as they continue satisfactorily a
full time course of study in an accredited
college.'