University of Virginia Library

Poll Indicates Student Interests

By Patti Kyle
Cavalier Daily Staff Writer

The following article is the last in a two-part analysis of the Student
Council's "Survey on Attitudes and Opinions at the University."

It appears that students want Student Council to become involved in
issues where student interests are at stake, and that in most cases a direct
effect on students is the prerequisite in many minds for Council
involvement.

The Student Council should become involved in national affairs which
directly affect students (e.g. the Draft, voter registration, etc.)

           

AGREE STRONGLY	68 (25.2%)
AGREE SOMEWHAT	106 (39.2%)
NO OPINION	14 (5.8%)
DISAGREE SOMEWHAT	43 (15.9%)
DISAGREE STRONGLY	32 (11.8%)
NO RESPONSE	4 (1.5%)

The Student Council should become involved in international affairs
which affect students (e.g. the War in Indochina, population control, etc.

           

AGREE STRONGLY	38 (14.1%)
AGREE SOMEWHAT	95 (35.2%)
NO OPINION	22 (8.1%)
DISAGREE SOMEWHAT	50 (18.5%)
DISAGREE STRONGLY	55 (20.4%)
NO RESPONSE	7 (2.6%)

Of general interest are the responses to questions concerning abolishing
the draft and legalizing marijuana.

1. The Draft should be replaced by an all-volunteer army.

           

AGREE STRONGLY	116 (42.9%)
AGREE SOMEWHAT	64 (23.7%)
NO OPINION	29 (10.7%)
DISAGREE SOMEWHAT	42 (15.5%)
DISAGREE STRONGLY	12 (4.4%)
NO RESPONSE	4 (1.5%)

2. Marijuana should be legalized.

           

AGREE STRONGLY	89 (32.9%)
AGREE SOMEWHAT	74 (27.4%)
NO OPINION	41 (15.2%)
DISAGREE SOMEWHAT	27 (10.0%)
DISAGREE STRONGLY	32 (11.8%)
NO RESPONSE	4 (1.5%)

A 66.6% of the student sample favor an all volunteer army, with only
19.9% disagreeing. On changing marijuana laws, 60.3% of the sample agree
while 21.8% disagree.

A ranking of the most important national issues was another item of
interest included. Issues selected the most ranked as followed:

Ecology - The Environment (selected by 81.9% of respondents)

Race Relations (58.2%)

War in Indochina (57.1%)

Crime and Violence (56.&%)

Population Growth (51.9%)

A physical "greening of America" seems to be the major concern of
students while the draft, police power, and campus unrest don't even make
the top five.

A ranking of University issues was also requested. The following seven
issues were selected most frequently:

Growth of the University (76.7% selected it)

Academic Programs - evaluation and reform (74.8%)

Bookstore (56.7%)

Race Relations - Race Discrimination (56.&%)

Determination of student conduct and social regulations (56.0%)

Housing - Off-Grounds (54.5%)

Student Participation in University Governance (50.8%)

The usefulness of these results lie in pointing out where priorities of
student concern lie. Several general conclusions are also pointed out. The
fact that there were no trends in the male-female and
undergraduate-graduate responses dispels any misconceptions that sex and
age are indicative of a political leaning here.

In fact the only trends were within each individual question; for
instance, student backing of dissent diminished as the level of implied
personal risk increased. (Still, over 3/4 of the students were willing to
demonstrate.)

Students still consider the Student Council as the vehicle for change,
and a group generally in line with their views, but are presently dissatisfied
with the representation and lack of response to their views on Council's
part. Now that Council knows what the attitudes and opinions at the
University are, there's no excuse for any inaction is there?