Newspaper Page Text
Page 4
The Red and Black. Wednesday, July 5, 1972
Obituary
We've always had the right to do this. We've just never exercised it.'
But who's the fiddler?
MARK BRANNAN
Who can
Student government is dead.
There had been talk during spring
quarter elections (as there is duriny
any spring election) of student
government's failure to achieve any
real change on campus.
After the election things
changed. The pendulum, however,
moved in an unexpected direction.
Student participation in the arena
of decisionmaking at the
University did not come Instead it
was blocked in the chambers of the
University Council and murdered in
the office of Student Affairs.
The anemic government, with
only the pseudo power of
allocations and working without
any voting power in any aree^ was
effectively squelched when Dejin
Sims vetoed the recommendations
of the Senate Allocations
Committee and sent the budget on
to the Board of Regents without
the signature of David Burch,
senate treasurer and chairman of
the allocations committee.
With rigor mortis already setting
in, senators -met last Thursday
night to try to find a way to regain
their only claim to legitimate
power. But Dean Sims' handwriting
was on the wall. And now, in big
bold letters a post script has been
added, proclaiming the demise of
student participation and predicting
SCOTT McLARTY
The position of Vice President for
Instruction is a vital one and it is the
executive-level administrative office that
deals with the students’ needs. This
responsibility includes authority over
academic deans,
libraries, registrar,
dean of student
affairs, admissions,
and other instruc
tional areas. This is
the office that has
authority over Dean
Sims, M.O. Phelps
and all academic
deans. This is the
next step if there is no success with the
dean of student affairs.
Dr. Parthemos, who resigned nearly a
year ago. was the last man to fill this vice
presidency. His resignation was accepted
reluctantly by most students, who
appreciated his student-oriented efforts.
For instance, it was Dr. Parthemos who
gave the students Student Government,
who stood up for the students, and made
student representation a reality instead of
the present myth.
Where have we gone from his
resignation? No replacement to this vital
position has been named. The position is
being held by an Acting Vice President,
A L. Kleckner. While this appears to be
equal to a vice president, there is a
difference in salary of about $5,000,
unless, of course, the acting vice president
ft being paid as a vice president, which I
doubt.
Since Dr. Kleckner took over this
office, several changes have occurred that
demonstrate a change for the students.
Student representation has been
minimized, and results of this
representation have practically
disappeared. It is general concensus that
Dean Sims, under Dr. Kleckner, is
dismantling Student Government. Using
his veto authority with alarming power,
Sims has changed allocations, denied use
of Student Activities space, accepted
things he liked and denied those he
didn’t.
Now. Sims claims his hands are tied,
often relying on the well-worn excuse.
the return to absolute
administrative control.
The Student Senate can
condemn the administration for its
actions from now to doomsday , but
nothing will change. The question
of allocation power is a dead one,
and students voice will never be
absolute in that area. The only
alternative students now have is to
push for the creation of a
University Senate.
The University Senate, which has
been in the mill for the past three
years, is the only chance students
have to obtain a voice that will be
heard. The proposal for a
University Senate is in the hands of
the statute committee and will
probably remain there if students
stay divided and unwilling to band
together to emphasize the need for
administrators, faculty and students
to hear each other as equal
members of this university
community.
With dignity and determination,
students should file through Old
College and urge the statute
committee to hasten the creation of
a University Senate. We should be
emphatic but not emotional. Too
often students have forgotten that
it takes a delicate combination of
the diplomacy of Joe Fowler and
the guts of David Alonso to win
over the other side.
"outside political pressures.” Do these
pressures come from Dr. Kleckner? Does
he tie Dean Sims hands? Or are Sims’
hands tied by truly "outside” political
pressures? If they are he should only
speak to the Board of Regents, for they
are supposed to be apolitical, and so is the
University system. Docs Dr. Kleckner
allow Sims to be manipulated? If so, God
forbid, why? The academic life at an
educational institution should stay as
apolitical as possible.
One thing is certain - students have
progressively lost their position in the
University since Parthemos’ resignation.
A new vice president should be
appointed to replace Dr. Parthemos. Dr.
Kleckner has not been made a full
vice-president to fill the position. This
could be because he is not qualified
enough to fill the position. If this is the
case, what is he doing filling the position
now? (A year is hardly temporary).
Perhaps he is qualified, but would present
a challenge to the political powers if
appointed.
Whatever the reason, the fact that the
Provost and President have yet to name a
successor to the position cannot be
excused. Student opinion has not been
tapped in consideration of a successor.
This is odd. because this is the
vice-president concerned directly with
students.
Either Dean Sims is making his changes
under the advice and consent of Dr.
Kleckner, or Dr. Kleckner is deaf to the
needs of the students, or Dr Kleckner has
no say about Student Affairs. Either way.
student opinion is vital in any new
appointment, if indeed one is made.
Education suffers from this failure to
appoint a vice-president for instruction.
The failure to appoint a vice-president of
the quality of Parthemos is theft from the
students and considerable detriment to
the academic community. Our
administration cries "outside political
pressures.” well, why not use these
pressures to provide a conscientious
vice-president? With all the personnel
changes made in the last few months,
why not hire someone to fill the position
of responsibility over these personnel
changes?
I feel that a great deal of responsibility
for this failure falls on the Provost, Dr.
Pellitier. As the man responsible for the
four vice presidents, he should have
found a successor to recommend to the
Board of Regents, and he should have
done so with the opinions of the students
in mind.
The failure to appoint a successor is a
failure of Dr. Pellitier and the Board of
Regents. This failure raises several
questions. Does an acting vice-president
have less power than a full vice-president?
If so, does Dr. Pellitier inherit that
power? That might explain his
intervention in Student Affairs.
Does he fear his power being lessened
by a vice-president? Or has he not had
time to find a successor? This is possible,
for Dr. Pellitier is a very busy man. If this
is the case, he could appoint a
student-faculty-admimstration committee
to make recommendations for a successor
(or is that too radical?).
Each student, when he pays his fees, is
entitled to the best education that his
money and state funds can buy. It is hard
for me to believe that we are getting the
best when we lack a vice president for
instruction. The academic life of
students suffers, and the everyday
student life suffers from the failure to
provide an adequate replacement for Dr.
Parthemos. Perhaps the administration
fears that a full Vice-President would do
as Dr. Parthemos did, and value student
opinion.
We have no assurance that a new vice
president would alter the sweeping
changes made in the past year. One thing
is certain the respect and power that
students had under Dr. Parthemos is
being quickly dismantled, and this hurts
students and faculty alike, not to
mention the damage done to the
academic community
There has likewise been no
replacement for the vice-president of
business and finance since Mike
Willoughby revealed misappropriations of
funds and Mr. Green resigned But. well,
that's a different song. (Although the
fiddler and the tune are the same).
Letters policy
Letters to the editor should
• Be typed, double spaced,
on a 60-space line
• Be brief, to the point.
« Include name, address and
phone number of contributor
Names will be withheld for
good reason upon request, but
must bear the above
information Letters are
subject to editing for style and
libel laws as well as for space
limitations.
Mail letters to The Red and
Black, 130 Journalism
building, University of
Georgia. Athens, Ga. 30601,
orbring by 130 Journalism
building.
David Alonso said at last Thursday’s
meeting of the Student Senate that the
Senate has to tell the administration that
students are not here to play games. Steve
Patrick, at the same meeting, called for
"positive action” to
make the students
aware of what was
going on at the
University. Steve
Harvey was going to
take matters a little
further. He
suggested that the
Board of Regents
might not know
what was going on, that someone needed
to tell them.
We seem to have a problem in
communication here, my friends. When
the administration decided that these
young ruffians could not get away with
deciding how to spend their own money
and took the heavy responsibility away
from them the ruffians got not a little bit
mad. Rally round, gang! The masses are
rising! If they can get together.
The Senate meeting was in response to
the action of the administration over the
budget In The Red and Black last
Wednesday there was a notice that there
was going to be a Senate meeting at the
chemistry building room number three at
7:30 p.m. At the same time that The Red
and Black was telling us when and where
the meeting would be, the rumors in the
MARTY O'TOOLE
Once, when the press was
comparatively "free,” the story of the
attempt on Wallace's life would not have
been dealt with in the manner it has been
to date. In most magazines and papers,
the idea is peddled that one Arthur
Herman Bremer was a "loner” without
help or "political interests."
Bremer earned $3,016 for the taxable
year 1971. On January 31, and February
15. 1972, he left his two jobs as janitor
and busboy respectively. On October 15,
1971. he rented an apartment for 138.50
a month and up till the time of his arrest
had paid around $1,000 in rent. Prior to
that, in September 1971, he had
purchased a used Rambler for $795. He
also picked up three registered guns for
$274.50.
Later he was arrested on gun charges
and fined $38.50. In addition, he paid
$10 for the prestige of joining the
infamous American Civil Liberties Union.
This sum amounts to two-thirds of his
salary Bremer is also known to have
purchased a tape recorder, police band
portable radio, and high power
binoculars. He was also fined in New
York for speeding
With the remainder of his personal
fortune. Bremer traveled a little. He is
known to have been in Milwaukee. March
1. New York City. April 7-8 (at the
Waldorf!): Milwaukee-Ludington. April 9;
Binghampton. New York. Apnl IS;
Milwaukee. May 5; Cumberland,
Maryland, May 6, Milwaukee, May 9;
Caddilac. Michigan. May 10. Cambridge
Maryland. May 13 and finally Laurel,
Maryland on the fateful May 15.
The newspapers reported that the
apartment was strewn with cancelled
airline tickets, indicating that at least part
you
Bulldog Room had the meeting at 6:30,
5:30 a id 9:30. And, the whispers said,
every senator was to meet at the law
school. Memorial Hall, forestry building,
and even in President Davison’s office.
(Art Ryder getting hauled off to the clink
for trespassing is a bit much.)
When everyone had decided to meet in
one place the meeting had to start a little
late. Waiting for the stragglers to come in,
little groups of people would huddle in
obscure little corners mumbling to each
other, “Do you know what the hell is
going on?”
Of course not. Do they know what is
going on? Remember what your father
told you about Vietnam? “The President
knows all the facts so let him do it his
way.”
The students have little idea about how
they are getting the shaft, the senate
doesn't, and the administration isn't
talking. Chuck Searcy said at the meeting
Thursday that the student senate should
inform the student body of the situation
by sending a newsletter to all students
and a letter to the Board of Regents and
to every state legislator. The senate
agreed and special funding of our money
was established to tell you and me that
things are wrong.
I think the students know that
something is wrong. What needs to ome
out is what is going to be done about it,
who the enemy is, and how he works.
Trying to get the people on north campus
of his pilgrimages were accomplished by
that most expensive of means. For our
“non-political” friend to have acted
without financial support would strain
our credulity, not to mention his
pocketbook. Hold in mind that the
expenses enumerated do not include his
food or clothing or hotel bills (such as the
Waldorf-Astoria!). Yet the government
says he had no friends a “loner.”
In regard to Bremer’s politics, he wrote
congressmen urging them to cut military
spending and “get rid of the generals."
Fellow employees recalled his ideas that
the wealth ought to be split up among the
people High school teachers recalled his
passionate defenses of socialism. He was a
member of the coalition-type “12th Ward
Democratic Club" - described as a
“liberal" club.
Bremer also consorted with members
of the Young Workers Liberation League,
alleged affiliate of the Communist Party
USA. His apartment contained Black
Panther material and “poems” of his own
composition such as “My Country tis of
thee. Sweet land of Bigotry . . One
wonders what Bremer needed to do for
the press to concede that he did have
political interests.
A brief survey of these facts can not
help but make clear that the journalists
are either lying agains or unwilling to do
any investigative reporting into the
Wallace shooting. The Atlanta
fishwrappers carried a story not long
before Wallace was shot admitting that
the press was not covering Wallace for
fear of building his stature.
An ambitious young reporter could
emerge with quite a scoop if he were to
utilize the above facts assembled by
trust?
to talk is hard, to say the least. What
other sources of information are there on
campus? Who do we trust? The Red and
Black? To the vast majority of students
The Red and Black is the only
information input they have. And,
depending who runs it for which quarter,
the paper is either a bigger version of
“Right On” with pictures, or the Great
Speckled Bird East.
The Red and Black last week had
nothing on its editorial page that was
even close to middle of the road or
conservative. Still at times, when
someone is picked up off the gutter and
asked to write a column after he sobers
up, some sort of spectrum of views comes
across.
Yet confusion still reigns. The
Coalition *72 mewsletter is a step in the
right direction to inform students about
what is going on. But it is admittedly
partisan. The campus radio station is a
real threat to be very bland in the way of
news or information. There are students,
and even administrators, who have
something to say and need to be heard.
But they don’t take advantage of what
little available space there is for speaking
or are put off by the lack of it.
I would like to tell you all about the
student government here, the
administration money, taxes on students
what the senate is doing, and how Dean
Sims can smile when he twists the knife.
But I gotta go and get a beer.
researcher Frank Capell and publicize
them. Instead it would appear that the
America people are going to get the same
Une as they received about the Kennedy
shootings as well as the attacks on
Wallace and King
Chief Justice Warren, when told of the
shooting of Kennedy said "The Birchers
have killed Kennedy!" Later he headed
the commission which held that Marxist
Oswald was unassisted and that through
his faith in the dialectic Oswald could
make bullets do ninety-degree turns in
mid-air and cause other wonders to occur.
It was a tragedy that Oswald died before
his secrets could be elicited from him.
James Earl Ray was an obvious hired
hand whose international friends lifted
him overseas while radio messages
directed the police in the other direction.
Sirhan was a communist also. In Robert
Kennedy’s case, he was led past the
muzzle of Sirhan’s gun by people who
should have taken him the opposite
direction to his press conference!
In each of these cases, except Ray’s,
the press has echoed the government in
stating that “lone psychos'* were
responsible. When government
commissions do investigations, they
emerge with platitudes and the “loner"
answer and then seal up the evidence they
found so convincing for generations so as
not to disturb the minds of the people.
It is time that the public, which is
asked to make intelligent voting decisions
without the facts before it, demand the
whole truth in these matters and refuse to
take another case of "lone psycho"
answers which the government appears to
be preparing. It is time answers were
given to the questions about those who
stand behind the assassins.
ffi
THE RED AND BLACK
CINDY LUKE
Managing editor
JIM THOMPSON
Business Manager
CAMILLA HOWE
News editor
Emily Stapler, feature editor, Gene Scialdone, sports editor: Stacy
McDaniel, wire editor, Tom Hill, photography editor, Leslie
Thornton, assistant feature editor.
The Red and Black. student
newspaper 0 f the University of Georgia.
Athena, ts published nine Umea during
the summer months of June. July and
August. Second-class postage is paid at
the Athens Post Office. Athens. Georgia
30601.
iptnions es pressed in The Red and
ck. other than the unsigned editorials.
. the opinions of the writers of dgned
olumns o« cartoonists, and are not
necessarily thore of the University
Administration, the Board of Regents or
The Red and Black State, national and
international news in The Red and Black
w from the wires of United Press
International.
News contnbuuons will be accepted
by telephone (342-3441) at the editorial
office in 130 Journalism Building.
University of Georgia. Inquiries
concerning advertising should be made st
the business numbers (542-3414 and
342-3415) at room 21 of the Beech wood
Office Building. Beechwood Shopping
Center. Athens. AU correspondence
diould be addressed to the appropriate
editor at 130 Journalism Building.
University of Georgia. Athena. Ga..
The Red and Black's national
advertising representative is NaUohal
Educational Advertittng Sendee Inc..
360 Lexington Aim.. New York 10017
SubecrtpUon rata is g7 per year
The assassin backers