University of Virginia Library

Election Change

Last year the Council began to assert itself.
Just a few years ago only fourth-year men
were allowed to run for the coveted position of
being a representative, and only last year was
the opportunity opened to all students. Coming
from such elite representation and the shadows
of an overly-protective administration, the
Council began to take independent action and
became something of a gadfly to more sedate
groups.

Several in the current administration say
that the real change began when Arthur "Bud"
Ogle became president at the beginning of last
year. He was elected by other members of the
Council, as was his successor, James Roebuck,
the first black student to be elected to the
presidency in a school that has had to fight its
"white gentlemen's" image. Mr. Mannix was
the first to be elected under the new
constitution, which provides for a student-wide
election of the president and vice-president of
the Council.