University of Virginia Library

On Parietals

The first imperative, in the
continuing saga of first year
parietals, is the restoration of the
right of the individual to make his
(or her) own choice. The only
conceivable constraint, by the body
politic, comes when the couple's
behavior is not publicly discreet or
infringes on another's rights. There
is a presumption in this
community, and I believe it to be
well founded, that we are discreet
Ladies and Gentlemen. Therefore,
outside regulation is invidious and
most worthy of the disdain of all.

The Administration has
exercised its elitist prerogative and
regulated the parietal hours of first
year students. I submit that this
action must meet the above
criterion. That is, it is incumbent
upon the Administration to show
beyond a reasonable doubt that the
social, academic and personal
privacy demands of the individual
student will be injured by the
decision of the First Year
Legislative Council, or by the
people themselves. As an
upperclassman in the first year
dorms, I have seen no Ground,
upon which the Administration can
stand.