The Cavalier daily :: Wednesday, October 25, 1972 :: University of Virginia Library

Last year, representatives of
the black students of the
University of Virginia sought
out members of the University
administration (at that time
the appropriate forum) with
genuine grievances against a
university employee. We did
not face a questioning,
concerned administration.
What we encountered was an
administration which feigned
impotence, copped a plea, and
discouraged our efforts
through the use of subtle
rhetoric.

The black students in this
bastion of racist conservatism
were concerned for their
safety–and with good reason.
A member of the University
Security Force–Walter Chaffin
by name– had harassed blacks
on the campus. The campus
black community felt that if
the University allowed its
"Rent-a Cops" to act in this
manner, it wouldn't be long
before blacks were being
lynched at Monticello!

The concern of black
students for their safety was
being balanced against the
morale of our thirty-five man
Security Department. And
despite President Shannon's
attempt to disguise the
outcome with a sack of bogus
arguments, it is clear that the
security department is winning.

Last Friday's C.D.
announced that Mr. Chaffin,
perpetrator of consistent
harassment of black students,
would be: 1) reinstated by the
University; 2) given detached
service; 3) enrolled at
University expense, with full
pay in a law enforcement
degree program at V.C.U.; 4)
given an opportunity, at the
end of his training to return to
duty with the University
Security Department.

A very high administration
official was quoted as saying,
"I think this is a workable
solution that recognizes the
essential interests of the parties
involved." Is it not clear what
parties this official was
referring to? The compromise
totally ignores the interests of
black students at this
University.

Mr. Chaffin was suspended
from duty – it was
thought–because his very
presence was leading to a racial
incident of major proportions.
His suspension served to
reassure the black community
that the University was
sincerely concerned about the
intolerable conditions which
his very presence produced.

His pending reinstatement
serves only to crystallize the
obvious– 1) that our distrust
of the University's
administration and its
commitment to black students
is well founded; 2) that the
University neither wants nor is
willing to seek meaningful
communication with black
students; 3) that though the
black community is willing to
go at least half-way toward
establishing a productive
relationship with the
administration, all we get in
return are artificial maneuvers,
blatant lies, and a racist named
Chaffin.

It is alleged that the
compromise was sought to
avoid a possible court order
which would have put Mr.
Chaffin back on duty
November 11, 1972. We
submit that the actual reason
for his reinstatement is to
avoid adverse repercussions
stemming from extensive
litigation with Mr. Chaffin.
That is, if Chaffin did obtain a
court order, and litigation did
in fact occur, the type of
person this University hires
protect its students–both
black and white–would
become a matter of public
record. Clearly Mr. Jefferson's
University could not stand this
type of publicity.

Wherein lies the basis for the
assumption that two years of
law enforcement training will
render Mr. Chaffin competent
to serve on the University
Security Force? Who will
assure the black community
that the glaring personality
defect which Mr. Chaffin has
demonstrated by his actions
can be corrected in Richmond?

One does not need a degree
from a law enforcement college
nor does one need even be a
police officer to exercise sound
judgments, which Chaffin
consistently failed to exercise
in the incidents with Prof.
Harris and Ron Colbert.

Racism is not innate or
involuntary–it is learned. And
Mr. Chaffin has demonstrated
that he learned well–like a dry
sponge in a bucket of water.

Throughout this entire
conflict, the University
administration has not taken a
firm stand. We did not expect
the University to carry our
banner, but we did expect that
a position would be taken on
the issues involved. Of course,
the Kellogg Committee was
appointed to investigate the
seemingly obvious problem,
but the committee's efforts
never really reached fruition.
The dilatory tactics and
maneuvers of the University
administration and the local
Commonwealth Attorney dealt
a fatal blow to that effort.

In a meeting called last
Thursday night to inform black
students of the out-of-court
settlement with Chaffin, one
high administration official
said that the mere fact that
black students complained of
being harassed by Chaffin
would not be sufficient to
prove a case of racial
harassment. It would appear
that before this peek-a-boo-firing-hiring
cycle can be
stopped, black students must
have a case clearly sound
enough to withstand a "motion
to dismiss" in a state or federal
tribunal. The inference is that
we must have this element of
certainty before any action is
undertaken by the University.

In light of the difficulties
inherent in establishing a prima
facie case of discriminatory
treatment of blacks, the black
students at the University of
Virginia have no administrative
redress for their grievances.
This "certainty" requirement
for establishing a case is
absurd–typical, but absurd.

In any future incidents
similar to the "Chaffin Affair,"
black students must expect the
same lack of integrity. We must
expect these very same high
administration officials to
continue to le–to tell us that
one solution is being sought
while another is put into
effect; to cheat–to deny us
an expedient, efficacious form
of redress; and to steal–to rob
us of a safe and respected niche
in this University Community.
At the very least it is a
saddening commentary that
one incompetent University
security officer can marshal
more forces to countenance his
misconduct than can the
University president to provide
justice to his students.

We refuse to work with, rely
on, or remain docile to a
University administration
which sanctions and rewards
racist subjugation of black
students. Will it one day be
said of this institution that it
offers a free two year law
enforcement degree, with full
security pay, to anyone on the
security force who willfully
and maliciously harasses any
black student and/or black
professor? As sickeningly
incredible as it may seem, that
day is not coming–it has
arrived.