University of Virginia Library

Bright Spots

There are bright spots, to be
sure. Mr. Pape's proposal is one of
them. The aid that the library
receives from Groups such as the
Seven Society and Circle K is
another, as are the attitudes on
housing by men like Messrs. Titus
and Whitebread. But there must be
more people in this University
capable of helping. There must be
new ideas, and with them, strong
leadership to transform proposals
into action.

It should not be inconceivable
to consider some of the following
proposals. It seems that advantages
could be reaped by better attitudes
toward each other by all elements
of the University community. To
reap these benefits it should be
possible for the Board of Visitors,
the Administration, the Faculty,
and the Students to meet in open
session at least once to listen to
each other. A well-organized
well-publicized meeting of this sort
would do much to furthering the
understanding by everyone of the
problems of the other segments.
Furthermore, through such an
encounter new, as yet-unexpressed
ideas could reach the proper
channels.

Hopefully, it is not insanely
naive to believe that legislators in
Richmond might be impressed if
students indicated to them, through
lobbying or other "respected"
means, the widespread concern that
the unique personality of this
University is in danger of being
destroyed by the rapid and
underplanned growth we are
experiencing. Many of the most
revered traditions of the University
will be endangered in that process.

On another front, there is no
reason why students should not
express their concern for specific
problems by supporting Mr.
Mannix's "Spring Offensive." If one
finds the Student Council
bureaucracy too inefficient, there is
always the opportunity to use the
good offices of the Council to help
reform itself and its committees.
For, whatever one feels about the
Student Council at this University,
at least it is an open elite; and, as its
new series of posters indicate, only
apathy prevents any student from
influencing the decisions and
actions taken by the Council.