University of Virginia Library

Letters To The Editor

Counselor Lauds 'Flexible' Housing Rules

I write this letter in response to
Mr. Siegel's article of November 10,
titled "Black Students Face Housing
Problems." As senior counselor
of Emmet House in which, as Mr.
Siegel's article pointed out, there
were two room changes involving
black/white roommates on the first
day of school, I feel it important to
divulge the rationale of the counselor
and the Housing Office in
making such a change.

In the Housing Office directive
concerning room changes is the
following sentence: "Room changes
are not made during the regular
session unless special circumstances
warrant it." It would appear that a
situation involving a black/white
room change has certain special
circumstances surrounding it.
Having been a tutor-counselor in
the Transition Program of last
summer I feel particularly versed in
the problems and pressures which
exist fr the Blacks at this university.
To me, it seems rather sadistic to
force a black to live with someone
whom he knows is uncomfortable
with him. And it is equally sadistic
to force a discontent white who is
entering a totally new environment
which has obvious pressures inherent
in itself, to cope with an
additional pressure which, indeed,
he may not be capable of handling.
Of course, it is beautifully idealistic
to suggest that the white, through
personal contact with his black
roommate, would liberalize his
views. Fortunately, it is the counselor's
duty to remain practically
realistic in such situations. The
potentiality of the situation might
be as easily directed toward a
heightening distrust and fear which
could mark the students involved
permanently. It seems to me,
immeasurably more humane and
considerate of both parties involved
to alleviate the problem before
serious embarrassment occurs.

In response to the student who
was moved because his Black
roommate merely smoked, it is also
important to note that the white
student suffers an acute illness
which is aggravated by cigarette
smoke.

It has been the previous consensus
of students involved in the
first-year dorm complex that room
changes were too difficult to
secure. The 1 to 2 weeks which the
anonymous counselor mentioned in
Mr. Siegel's article quotes as a
reasonable time for acquiring a
change is merely concentrated into
a 3 hour process in changes of this
nature. The counselor or senior
counselor involved in the situation
consults both roommates, advises
the parents of the students of his
primary interest in the wishes of
the student and goes into consultation
with the student requesting the
change and the Director of Housing.
The student then writes a
formal request explaining his reasons
for desiring the change, and
then the counselor finalizes in
writing the change with his authorization.
The time element of a 1 to
2 week process is merely condensed,
not the thoroughness or
consideration which is required.

Though there may be a written
"general policy to have no room
changes during the first two weeks
of school," this policy will not hold
up under scrutiny. Students'
parents have requested a room
change to secure the better accommodations
of the Observatory Hill
dorms; students have been moved
from the 3rd to 1st floor because of
physical disabilities; and, as in the
cases considered here, Black/White
room changes have been made in
consideration for both individuals
involved.

I sincerely hope that pressure
will not be applied to the Housing
Office with the intent of forming
rigid, cut and dry rules involving
room changes. Each case is individual
- personal - and should be
considered on its own particular
circumstances. The Housing Office
was most co-operative and considerate
in accepting my recommendation
for the changes cited above,
and I hope it will maintain the
flexibility which will allow it to
continue confidence in the opinions
of counselors handling similar situations
throughout the dormitories.

This letter was written with the
acknowledgement and approval of
the Black students involved.

The American Way

There is only one true American
solution to the Vietnam situation:
take South Vietnam and "Sell it to
Hanoi."

A Few Corrections

I would like to correct a few of
the glaring misconceptions in the
article by Messrs. Bishop and Pape,
in The Cavalier Daily of November
14.

The article castigates the ROTC
units for teaching what are described
as "academically-oriented"
courses, which could better be
taught by the College. In the case
of Navy ROTC, such courses are in
fact no longer taught. Other courses
have been substituted from the
College.

The article also attacks the
"professionally-oriented" courses
offered by ROTC. They say that
"Department of Defense manuals
for instructors...explicitly state"
how the courses must be taught. This is simply not true, for
although outlines given to each
instructor for his courses prescribe
the objectives of each course, about
the only thing they explicitly state
is that the "manual" itself does not
have to be adhered to.

The article further states that
ROTC courses are in effect shoved
down the throat of the University;
the University has no say as to
whether a course is up to its
standards. Untrue again: by the
same act of Congress that established
ROTC, all ROTC courses
must stand the same review and
evaluation as any other course at
the school in which they are being
taught.

Portrait Of RATC

It is interesting to know that our
youth is so energetically portraying
their efforts of rebellion. Knowing
that RATC was formed on such an
intellectual level is encouraging.
With such efforts on display, I am
confident of the successfulness of
their motives. Hopefully, RATC
will further their time involving
organization to continue such manifestations
- I am sure it is
rewarding to know that so much
was accomplished.

First Step

I am writing this letter in hopes
that some people will realize one of
the basic reasons why the ROTC
program should not be granted
academic credit. The University in
its present form grants it credit
because it is bound by traditional
ideas on how a college should
benefit a student in giving him an
education. However, the American
university today is striving for a less
institutionalized and more open
atmosphere of learning in which
courses actually broaden a person's
ability to learn and not stifle as
many of the courses, especially for
first-year men, now do.

A course such as the ROTC
program is inimical to these ideas.
It has a rigid and uncompromising
structure as shown by the ROTC
Affairs and Curriculum Evaluation
Committee report. This limits a
student's horizons and does not
broaden them. The ban ROTC
credit movement is the first step in
the re-evaluation of today's college
curriculum. I think it is time for the
University to take this step.

Only No. 2

Staff writer Corbin Eissler's
apparent astonishment at actually
finding guns in our very own
community should not be allowed
to create any impression that the
sky is falling. I wonder if he would
have chosen to editorialize if the
Barracks Road Shopping Center
raffle prize had been a new car
instead of a gun, automobiles being
unquestionably the Number One
cause of death and destruction in
this country. His question about
the purpose of raffling a gun in late
September is easily answered by
noting that hunting season opens in
November. Hunting is a popular
and legitimate sport in Albemarle
County, the State of Virginia, and
the entire United States. Even
non-hunters should note that hunting
license fees and special taxes on
guns and ammunition go directly to
support conservation programs
which benefit everyone.

Current laws regulating gun and
ammunition sales are strict and
rigidly enforced by dealers, who
must have Federal licenses. Any
persons doubting this may go to a
gun shop and look at all the legal
forms for themselves. However, an
individual offering his gun for sale
is not automatically a black-marketeer,
since a private citizen
legally possessing a gun may lawfully
sell it to another resident of
his own state.

An error was also implied in the
reference to the Smith & Wesson
Company. While Smith & Wesson
does supply police revolvers, they
also make some of the finest and
most popular sporting and target
pistols available. In fact, these
models are usually in short supply,
and most serious shooters would
very much like to meet anyone who
has a "room-full" to sell.

Hunting, target shooting, and
gun collecting are respectable pastimes,
engaged in by honest citizens
who respect and obey all of the
many laws relating to the subject.
Rather than engaging in unfounded
speculation or implied criticism of
the shooting sports, any interested
students are invited to visit the
University Rifle and Pistol Club
during practice on weekday evenings
at 7 p.m. in the basement range
of Maury Hall.