University of Virginia Library

In Defense Of Shannon

As soon as President Shannon announced
his opposition to the war in Indochina and his
support of the constructive activities of the
striking students and faculty, plans began to
secure his resignation as President of the
University. Tuesday's Richmond Times-Dispatch
ran a scathing editorial condemning
President Shannon's war letter to Senators
Byrd and Spong and his supposed weak-willed
appeasement of "radical" students.

Now the bands of Nixonites who believe
that the only education available in a
university community is in the classroom are
getting organized in an effort to remove Mr.
Shannon and replace him with "Someone with
some backbone." Even Governor Holton, who
thinks that President Nixon is doing everything
possible to end the war, said Tuesday
that now is the time for students to return to
the books - to return to classes.

Yet the same people who intend to push
the students back to classes, also state that
Virginia's taxpayers are angry implying that if
protest continues, money for the classroom
will dwindle. Governor Holton qualified this
statement by saying that it was not meant to
be a threat, only a fact. We reply that it is
clearly a boldfaced threat. What people in
Richmond are threatening is that if activism
continues, they will cut off some of the
University's money. We are not surprised.

There is a bit of a paradox in this logic of
Virginians outside the University community.
On one hand they urge the students to go
back to classes and to quit making a fuss. On
the other they threaten to limit funds for the
classrooms to which they are urging a return.
At the bottom of all of this we fear is the
same anti-intellectualism that characterizes
most of the "silent majority."

Most first-year men when they enter the
University are rather conservative compared
to the rest of the students here. As their
education in and out of the classroom
progresses, they become more questioning and
more demanding of the world around them.
The war which was so necessary back in
Danville, Atlanta, or Detroit presents grave
doubts as the year passes.

The fact of the matter is that students
become disillusioned with our national and
foreign policies in the very places where the
people of this state urge our return. After all,
anyone who has ever taken Norman Graebner's
history course realizes that our policies
in Asia might just not be a diplomatic
triumph. Anyone who was here Friday night
realizes that this country needs to reassert its
dedication to reason and consent rather than
force and coercion.

President Shannon has worked under
tremendous pressure from all sides to keep the
libertarian foundation upon which this University
was created intact. With the exception
of the tragic mistake of Friday night, he has
worked to give striking students whose
consciences dictate their absence from classes
and exams a viable option, but also to
maintain an open university for those who
wish to continue their academic pursuits.
President Shannon has kept this university
open in the face of an army of storm-trooping
police so that free discussion of all of the
issues may continue.

President Shannon spoke for himself
Sunday. It took courage to commit himself to
his students by sending that letter to
Virginia's senators. As a result he has received
abuse and vilification by most of the
"leaders" of this state who may seek to
remove him over the summer while his
students and most of his faculty will be away-perhaps
his only big protectors now.

Like any man, President Shannon has had
his shortcomings and this paper often has
been the one to point them out. His glacial
public manner and loftiness make him appear
unapproachable for the average student. This
aloofness makes many students feel that he
just is not very concerned with the welfare
and thoughts that people outside the Administration
have. We sincerely believe that
this strike, which has taught us all something,
has finally put the President on the side of his
students. We hope that many of the previous
barriers and obstacles between students and
the Administration which have resulted in
numerous misunderstandings will be removed.

We think that President Shannon is now
looking at his students with a new perspective.
We have a chance to start to rebuild our
invaded community under an understanding
and struggling leader whom we cannot afford
to lose. The students of the University will
defend President Shannon from any attempt
of removal. Richmond can expect a fight if
they try.