University of Virginia Library

Write Letters

One recognized method for
getting a matter before a committee
is by writing a letter to the
chairman setting forth in general
terms the nature of the question
desired to be discussed. In some
cases, though, letters of this sort are
never mentioned by the chairman
in which case all members of the
committee should receive copies.
There are indications that students
who are on committees and desire
to send letters of this sort to all of
the members of a committee may
have them sent by the Student
Council secretary, eliminating the
cost and time required. This avenue
has been effective in the past and
should definitely be pursued.

Students should call or write the
committee chairmen for the
purpose of requesting a meeting if
their committee is one of those that
appears to exist in name only. If
necessary, students should get in
touch with Jerry Gardner, President
Shannon's assistant who has
indicated an interest in the
committees and their activities and
who has given assurances that he
will attempt to get them disbanded.

It seems manifestly unfair, to
place so much of the burden upon
the student members, and perhaps
it is. But, what else can be done?
Assuming that the students who are
on committees go to the meetings
(they frequently don't), they
should play the game like everyone
else does. A student on an
administrative or faculty committee
is just like any other member. He or
she is not a second class member
with a limited function.

The student body here expects
full representation from its
spokesmen on committees and
deserves nothing less. The time has
come for all student committee
members to speak out, to exercise
their prerogatives and to begin to
insist that the University be run the
way we have been told it does.