University of Virginia Library

Shannon Answers Coalition

EMPLOYEE ORGANIZATIONS

As I understand the matter,
there is no legal prohibition
preventing state employees from
organizing associations or affiliating
with unions. I do not believe it
advisable for the University to seek
special legislation for its employees
to be empowered to strike.

ENROLLMENT OF UNIVERSITY
AT CHARLOTTESVILLE

I doubt that this proposal
related to "concrete goals towards
the creation of a student body
which is fully representative
racially, economically, and sexually
of the population of the State" is
exactly what the Council intends. If
taken literally for the University as
a whole, it could result in a College
of Arts and Sciences
approximately 90% female, because
of the impossibility of attaining
proportional female representation
in Law, Medicine, and Engineering,
for example. The statistics on
legally "poor" are shifting rapidly.
Nor do I believe that the Student
Council would wish to abandon the
significant numbers of out-of-state
students, who make such an
important contribution to the
educational life of the University.

I trust that the Student Council
will agree that the University
cannot undertake to be a
microcosm of a state society. The
University has certain enunciated
purposes, with a plan for the public
institutions in Virginia, that
commit it to offering the highest
quality education possible to able
undergraduates and to graduate and
professional work.

I am sure that the Board of
Visitors, the President, the Deans,
the faculty, and the appropriate
joint faculty-student committees,
in considering planning for the
future of the University, will be
alert to provide opportunities for
students to benefit from the
purposes of the University,
irrespective of circumstances of
birth.

BOARD OF VISITORS

The procedures for
recommendation and
appointments by the Governor
to the Board of Visitors include
recommendations by the
Alumni and the faculty, and it
would be completely
inappropriate for me to make a
recommendation concerning the
Governor's appointments to the
Board, which appoints me.

RECRUITING VISITS

I understand that
representatives of the
Admissions Office have visited
schools that are all black or all
white, as well as mixed but that
discriminate on racial grounds to
interview candidates. Recruiters
for the Department of Athletics
will follow the same practice as
regards schools by will not
discriminate against a potential
applicant himself because of the
policy of the school he attends:

BLACK STUDIES

I am confident the Council
realizes that the introduction of
new academic programs and
courses is primarily a matter for
consideration and action by the
individual faculties, rather than
the President. With regard to the
proposed Black Studies
Program, I have conferred with
the Dean of the Faculty of Arts
and Sciences. Plans have been in
progress for some time for the
development of an
interdisciplinary program which
would encompass existing and
new courses in the area of ethnic
studies. Within a matter of
weeks the Dean expects to
announce a list of such courses
which could be the basis of an
interdisciplinary program, in
accordance with existing
regulations governing major
programs involving more than
one academic department in the
College of Arts and Sciences.

TRANSITIONAL PROGRAM

I appreciate the Student
Council's interest in a
transitional program for
disadvantaged. I have previously
supported, and with faculty and
other officers of the University
worked for, the development and
funding of a sound program for
both black and white
disadvantaged students. As I
think the Student Council
knows, the University has been
previously unsuccessful twice in
gaining funds from the
Rockefeller Foundation and last
year from the Federal
Government. In each case the
University undertook to make a
substantial financial
commitment and outlay. As
soon as the guidelines for the
new Federal program are
established -administrative
officers of the University have
been closely in touch with
H.E.W. and the guidelines are
expected any day - the
University will make an
application for matching
support of its program
immediately. For the program
to be sound and effective, it
appears to be beyond the
unassisted resources of the
University.

PHOTOGRAPHS AND FEES

Discussions with the staff of
the undergraduate Office of
Admissions indicate that
discontinuing the picture would
be detrimental to the best
interests of disadvantaged
applicants. The application fee is
required by state policy. If
instances can be identified
where a low-income student has
encountered a financial bar to
application because of the cost
of the picture or the fee, I shall
be willing to undertake to find
the money from private sources
to pay them.

ASSISTANT DEAN

Your ninth
proposal, regarding appointment
of a "full-time black Assistant
Dean of Admissions," makes it
necessary for me to point out
that the University has officially
advised the U.S. Office of Civil
Rights and the U.S. Department
of Health, Education and
Welfare that the employment
policy of the University is
completely non-discriminatory,
that the desirability for special
communications with special
groups of applicants for both
admissions and employment is
being met within this policy,
and that no positions
specifically for black admissions
officers, or for any other officer
designated by color, have been
or will be established by the
University. With the admission
of women, in addition to
present considerations, the
future staffing needs of the
undergraduate Office of
Admissions will be under careful
consideration by Dean Ern. I
am told that currently there are
twice as many black applicants
to the undergraduate divisions
of the University as there were
last year, and I hope that the
erroneous notion that the
University is antithetical to
them will not be given so much
currency as to discourage many
who are admitted from
attending the University.

ATHLETICS

The tenth proposal by the
Council is that the Director of
Athletics immediately state
publicly and demonstrate at the
earliest possible date his
eagerness to recruit black
athletes and hire black coaches.
I know, as do most people who
follow athletics at the
University, of Mr. Sebo's desire
to have excellent players and
coaches regardless of race or
color. I have discussed with Mr.
Sebo the importance of making
the Athletic Department's
position and its actions clear:

In this regard, The
Cavalier Daily has been
extremely helpful for several
years in advising students of the
department's policies and
actions. For instance the column
by Bob Cullen in The Cavalier
Daily last week described again
the great effort put forth by the
Athletic Department to recruit
Negro athletes in recent years.
He reported that activities by
the students now in the
University were, unhappily, a
strong factor in preventing the
Department from successfully
recruiting black athletes this
year. The Student Council can
be a significant force in
alleviating these conditions and
attracting black athletes and
staff to the University.

I should like to propose
establishing a
faculty-student-administration
committee to receive and
consider proposals for furthering
equal opportunity and racial
harmony at the University. I
shall be grateful for the Student
Council's consideration and
recommendations on this
suggestion.

I appreciate having had the
opportunity to discuss these
proposals with you. I am always
glad to receive recommendations
from the Council on matters
affecting the welfare of the
University. I am confident that
progress can be made in racial
harmony by working
unstintingly together for this
goal.