University of Virginia Library

Board Awaits Proposal
On Pending GSU Appeal

By SAM BARNES

Final recommendations on
the pending Gay Student
Union appeal may be made to
the University's Board of
Visitors late this week,
according to D. Alan Williams,
vice president for student
affairs.

The Student Affairs and
Athletics Committee of the
Board of Visitors will meet
tomorrow to formulate
appropriate recommendations
for the Board.

The committee will then
present its proposals at
meetings to the entire Board
tomorrow or Friday for
approval.

Mr. Williams warned,
however, that the committee
and the Board may reserve the
right to delay a final decision
to allow further study of the
case.

Sec. Raymond C. Bice, Jr.
was optimistic. "I can't predict
the future," Mr. Bice said, "but
I think they are meeting to
resolve the matter."

Committee Conducts Hearing

The committee reportedly
conducted a full hearing on
Jan. 17 with representatives of
the GSU, the appellants and
University administrators
present to answer questions of
the Board. The committee then
delayed its final
recommendations to allow
more time for review of the
case, according to Mr. Williams.

Mr. Williams said the delay
is a normal procedure in such a
hearing, and is no indication of
disagreement among the
committee members over a
recommendation. The
opponents of GSU funding
from Student Activities funds
previously carried their appeal
to the Student Activities
Committee, which upheld the
Student Council Organization
and Publication Committee's
original allocation of $45.

The appellants, led by
fourth-year man Bill Hurd,
have objected to the funding
because it is "providing
support to only one side of the
issue" and making the
University a "patron of
propaganda."

Mr. Hurd maintains that
the GSU is a social and
political organization, and is
thus ineligible for funding
according to Board of Visitors
regulations.

University Wrong

He also said that the
University is not right in
forcing students to finance
political groups contrary to
their personal convictions.

Mr. Hurd further
maintained that the University,
by financing the GSU, is
becoming a "tool of social
change" against the wishes of
the people of Virginia.

Should the Board of
Visitors uphold the Student
Council allocation, Mr. Hurd
said he will appeal the decision
to the court. The Board is the
last official administrative
channel of appeal in the case.

"I really have a lot of
confidence in the Board of
Visitors' judgment, however,
and I think they'll make the
right decision," Mr. Hurd said.