University of Virginia Library

Anti-War Activities

As for the other members of the 68 students
arrested during the strike, the charges were only
yesterday nol prossed. This means that charges
will not be dismissed, but only that charges will
not be pressed by the city.

Also this fall, investigators from the
Criminal Intelligence Division of the Military
Police came to the University to interrogate
students in relation to anti-war activities. It
soon became apparent that administrators
working in the offices of various deans had
given the agents class schedules of specified
students.

Student response to the reaction of the
University and community to the strike was
mixed. Few protests were held over the arrests
and trials of students.

Reaction to the new conduct code came
from the Student Council, however, early in
September. Council members objected to vague
rules and even vaguer sanctions but opposition
seemed to rapidly fade until a newly formed
group, the Union of University Students,
submitted petitions for a student referendum
on acceptance of the new rules. In November
elections, the students rejected the conduct
code by a 3-2 margin.

The Council then began meetings of
students and administrators to draw up new
code of conduct. Prohibited conduct again
included disorderly conduct and "violation of
federal, state, or local law if such directly
affects the University's pursuit of its proper
educational functions." This time, however, the
conduct specified the rights of students and
attempted to include procedural safeguards in
the sanctions.

Students supported the new conduct code in
a referendum in December by a vote of
1367-538.

While reaction to the new student conduct
code grew over the semester, students seemed
reluctant to protest the arrest of Kent State
students and faculty in late October, While
some students felt that this was a reminder that
the "old University" was not yet dead, others
stated that student apathy was also apparent at
other universities over the entire country.