University of Virginia Library

By SDS, SSOC

Wheatley's Resignation Asked

The leaders of the SDS and
SSOC then took over the program
and began, for the benefit of the
assembled press representatives, to
discuss the nature of their demands.
The discussion met with some
jeering from the representatives of
the fraternities who maintained
their presence at the rear of the
crowd, but when challenged to
present a spokesman, failed to do
so. Neither Mr. Hayes, nor George
Shipley, the President of the
University Union would speak for
the then dissident group, at the
request of Steve Squire who was
leading the discussion.

Kevin Mannix, newly elected
member of the Student Council as
well as a "fraternity man," spoke
out against the methods being used
by the SDS preferring to place his
trust in political pressure. He was
not, however, in discord with the
intent of the demands.

At this point, Robert Rosen,
former editor of Rapier, spoke on
the situation. He was in complete
sympathy with the demands of the
SDS-SSOC statement, but like Mr.
Mannix, was not in agreement with
their means of achieving the
common desired goal, principally
that of removing Mr. Wheatley
from the Board of Visitors.

He called Mr. Wheatley's history
and presence on the Board, "an
insult to the Black community,"
and he stated that he would
organize a movement to remove Mr.
Wheatley, and that would differ in
strategy from that of the SDS and
SSOC.

Mr. Rosen suggested that
continued pressure should be used
on the administration to
accomplish three things: to make
the board representative of the
state, to put a Black Virginian on
the Board, and to terminate Mr.
Wheatley's association with the
Board of Visitors. Mr. Rosen then
requested that the demonstrators
disperse, but be ready to begin a
sustained demonstration protesting
the current composition of the
Board Monday morning at 10 A.M.
After his speech, most of the
demonstrators left. The more
militant members of SDS and
SSOC, however, announced that
they would wait for a statement
from the Board of Visitors. When
the Board adjourned at 12:30, no
statement had been made, so the
two groups waited by the cars
belonging to members of the Board
in the parking lot behind Pavilion
VIII. A number of students
gathered around Mr. Wheatley, and
began to question him. He said at
first that he would not apologize
for any of his actions in the past.
He then said that, knowing what he
now knows, he would not support a
policy such as massive resistance
because he is a realist and has seen
that this tactic is not effective. A
number of students asked if they
might speak to him some time in
the future, and Mr. Wheatley
replied that he lives 130 miles from
Charlottesville. When students said
that distances did not matter, Mr.
Wheatley ignored them and turned
his attention to newsmen. Ron
Hickman, president of the Student
Council, appeared with a series of
statements about the outcome of
the Visitors' meeting. SDS and
SSOC spokesmen said that they
would hold a meeting at 3 P.M. and
make a statement to the press at 4
P.M. With this, the remaining
Visitors were allowed to leave and
the group recessed until 3 p.m.

SDS and SSOC reconvened their
activities in Newcomb Hall. Among
those present were a number of
students from George Mason (who
are also under the control of the
Board). At this time, Mr. Rosen
expanded his position in regard to
the Board. Mr. Rosen said that he
felt that Mr. Wheatley should
resign, but also felt that the means
being considered by SDS and SSOC
were neither totally justifiable nor
effective. He proposed, therefore,
that he be given the chance to
organize some of the more
liberal-moderate students who are
in favor of the goals of SDS, but
opposed to their means. He based
his plan on the need for both the
moderates and SDS-SSOC to unite
in a solid front against racism, and
the present make-up of the
University's governing body. Mr.
Rosen proposed three demands as a
foundation from which he would
build a liberal movement with a
goal of making the Board of
Visitors reprentational of the
state. He suggested first that Mr.
Wheatley resign or be removed, that
a qualified Black take his place, and
that future appointments be made
in a way that would represent the
population of Virginia. To
facilitate these goals, he proposed
that students picket President
Shannon's office Monday from 10
A.M. to 5 p.m. Tuesday he
suggested that picketing from 10
a.m. to noon, to be followed by a
massive rally at noon for all
sympathetic students. After the
press conference, Mr. Rosen
approached Ed Hayes, president of
IFC, and asked for his support. Mr.
Hayes said that he was in favor of
Mr. Rosen's proposals, but would
not take a stand for or against Mr.
Wheatley until the Board Member
was allowed to make a statement.
He said that the demonstration
planned for Monday and Tuesday
are "an essential part of achieving
these things." George Shipley,
President of the University Union
and vice president group leaders.

Several people have already
volunteered to direct seminars this
semesters. Reverend Burns is
continuing his present section in
non-violent discipline and will offer
another. Mr. Ward has volunteered
to lead one or two sections in
"Theater Games" and Rod Collins,
director of the University Radio
and TV Center, will repeat his
session in "Mass Culture." Also,
many suggestions have been made
for new courses. The Coordinating
Committee hopes to provide
practical courses from which the
students will benefit in their normal
lives, including sessions on reading
legal papers, preparing for
interviews, and purchasing.