University of Virginia Library

Letters To The Editor

Faculty Library Abuse'Flagrant And Gross'

During the past eight
months I have worked at the
Circulation Desk at Alderman
Library, and during that time I
have observed a situation in
which dozens of students are
shafted every day. The
problem is that faculty
members are never required to
pay fines – regardless of the
length of time they keep a
book and irrespective of the
number of requests they
receive to return a particular
volume.

I do not know why those
people at the apex of the
Alderman hierarchy have
formulated this policy, but I
do know that certain faculty
members have not returned
books which were requested by
students three months ago: I
have sent at least five requests
for these books to certain
people, and they have not
responded. I am absolutely
powerless to do anything about
even the grossest, most flagrant
abuses.

Why should the faculty be
immune from sanction when
every other class of patron has
to pay for his abuses, including
students (naturally),
employees, and cardholders? If
every faculty member returned
books as promptly as the Law
School's A.E. "Governor Dick"
Howard, no sanction would
ever be needed. Unfortunately,
a substantial number either
cannot read or do not give a
damn about the student who
need the books they have.

I hope that the Cavalier
Daily will join me in
demanding that the faculty
library committee require that
faculty members be liable for
the same penalties for
misconduct as any other
library patron. This change
would be fair because it would
treat all classes of patrons
identically, and it would result
in greater service to the
students for whom the library
purports to exist.

Mud-Washed Path

In response to Dr. Philip
Allen's letter which appeared
Wednesday, I feel he has laid
the blame for the
"mud-washed path" circling
the amphitheater on the wrong
party.

My first year, when I was in
the College, my path to class
was around the amphitheater
twice a day. At that time, the
upper boundary of the
amphitheater was a classical
balustrade like the one at the
bottom and a boxwood hedge,
from Minor to Cocke Hall.

For some strange reason,
known only to Buildings and
Grounds, a crew of workmen
labored hard my second year to
uproot the boxwoods and tear
down the balustrade. They
replaced this small piece of
landscape architecture with our
"rutted path."

Dr. Allen owes the student
body an apology; but more
importantly, Buildings and
Grounds owes the University
an explanation for this illogical
and unwarranted, and
undoubtedly expensive,
"improvement" to the
Grounds.

Rampant Chauvinism

Your recent (CD, April 30)
descriptions of the woman who
is seeking the office of Va.'s
Lieutenant Governor
demonstrated again the
University's rampant
chauvinism.

Perhaps the description of
the candidate as
"grandmotherly" was not
inappropriate, although I've
yet to see you describe Lt.
Gov. Howell, 50-ish and
gray-haired as "grandfatherly."

However, your decision
that she seeks one of Va.'s
highest elected officer in order
to find "happiness and
fulfillment" was a
condescending pat on the head
to all women who attempt to
lead socially meaningful lives.

I doubt that you would so
patronizingly describe the
political aspirations of Mills
Godwin – or Richard Nixon –
or any other man.

Your incredible editorial
condemning the ERA and your
frivolous approach to this
woman's candidacy combine
to clearly advertise the sexism
of the CD staff, if not the
entire University.

Landmarks

As an alumnae of The
University of Virginia I have
fond memories of the many
landmarks there. Along with
the other alumnae I have been
concerned with some of the
changes taking place in the
name of progress. The unique
charm of the University is a
precious gift. Everyone who
attended the University
remembers the trees, the
spacious lawn, the gardens, the
serpentine walls and the Greek
amphitheater.

The decision to turn this
landmark into a parking lot
seems to be almost a sacrilege.
This landmark was a gift to the
University. Alumnae planning
gifts to the University may also
view with alarm this decision.

Will the lawn be next?