University of Virginia Library

Committee Work

Doors are now open for students to
champion changes and reforms which they
consider vital and needed. They represent a
chance for students to work for goals within
existing channels and have meaningful results
to stem out of their efforts. Ironically one of
the doors has existed for several years but has
never been fully taken advantage of by
students. A second door is one which has been
opened perhaps a bit late but nevertheless
should be taken as a welcomed opportunity
for student participation.

The doors we refer to concern student
representation on administrative and faculty
committees. Student nominations to these
committees are now being accepted by
Student Council. We were pleased to see the
active role council president Ron Hickman has
taken in soliciting student participation on
these committees (see story on page 1) and
would urge those persons he has contacted to
make every effort to see that any student
interested in serving on a committee will have
his name properly submitted. Mr. Hickman
has also indicated that any student wishing to
contact him personally about a committee
should not hesitate to do so.

Student participation in the past on the
administrative committees has been
disheartening at best. We hope that will not be
the case this year and that interest will now be
shown for the five college faculty committees
as well. The important duties these committees
perform in areas close to student's
University life cannot be stressed enough. It is
important that students concerned with
having an influential voice in determining the
course of this life take advantage of
representation on these committees. They
must do it soon for Mr. Hickman has
requested that suggestions be turned in by
May 6.

Once the names have been submitted by
Council we trust that President Shannon and
the Nominating Committee for the College
Faculty will choose the representatives fairly
and wisely. If enough student interest is
shown we would hope that the number of
student representatives on certain key committees
might be increased. Where the Faculty
is concerned we would again urge them to
rectify a needless omission and provide for
students on their Committee on Rules. In the
administrative area we would urge President
Shannon to place students on all of the 53
committees, provided student interest is
shown, and to increase the student numbers
on certain committees having closer contact
with student life.