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The Ked and Black. V\rdne»day. January w. 1'Wti
‘Perceptions!
The Edwards’ hearing
The University Svstem of
Georgia Board of Regents is
scheduled today to hear an
appeal from former Graduate
School Dean Hardy Edwards,
who was fired by University
President Fred Davison in
November and transferred to a
faculty position in the College of
Agriculture.
Edwards, Davison, along with
a slew of University deans, vice
presidents and other officials will
present their cases to the
15-member board.
Edwards, in a letter dated
Nov. 9, asked to be reinstated as
graduate dean and that his
salary situation for the past
three years be reviewed.
“Since there is no professional
basis for my being removed as
dean of the graduate school at
the University of Georgia, I am
asking the Board of Regents to
Letters
reinstate me in that position,”
Edwards said in the letter.
But Barry Wood, spokesman
for Davison, said Monday, “We
are confident that the president
made the right decision, the
proper decision and 1 think that
will be made abundantly clear
(on Wednesday).”
“I think the regents will feel
the same,” Wood added.
Davison is known to have a
penchant for getting rid of those
who try to stray from the
pecking order. Edwards was one
of those who strayed too far.
It is possible that there is a
legitimate reason for Edwards’
dismissal and transfer. Davison
will have a chance today to
prove that is the case.
We doubt he will do that. More
than likely, Davison will come up
with a suitable story, have his
underlings there ready to back
him up, and the regents, not
wanting to make any more
waves than necessary, will go
along with it.
But, we urge the regents to
make every attempt to conduct a
fair and open hearing.
As of Tuesday, it was still
questionable whether the hearing
would be open to the public and
the press. Edwards has re
quested that it be open, but the
decision is up to hearing
committee chairman Lamar
Plunkett.
Obviously Davison would pre
fer that the meeting be held
behind closed doors. In the
interest of a fair hearing, we
urge Plunkett to conduct an open
hearing.
Edwards deserves that much.
And so does everyone at the
University.
Worse than yesterday
Skip Hulett
‘The president didn’t like that word’
TO THE EDITOR:
I am writing this letter to express my
concerns, and those of my colleagues,
about what appear to be intrusions into
decision-making channels of the Uni
versity. These concerns stem from the
following observations.
1. Several weeks ago the position of
chairman of the animal science division
became vacant. Upon the recommendation
of the executive committee of the division.
D-. O.G. Daniel was asked to serve as
acting division chairman, but refused. 1
have been told that Daniel indicated he
would accept only if.he were appointed
chairman of the division and head of the
animal and dairy science teaching-research
departments in Athens.
2. Some days later President Davison
asked to meet with the dean and directors
(of instruction, rescrach and extension) of
the College of Agriculture. In this meeting
Davison proposed that Daniel be made
chairman of the division and head of the
teaching-research departments within the
division.
The dean and directors told the
president *hcy were willing to recommend
that Daniel be appointed acting division
chairman, but not division chairman, and
were unwilling to recommend that he be
named to head the teaching and rescrach
departments—even with an 'acting" title.
.1. Two days following this meeting
Davison informed Daniel that he was to
assume the position of acting chairman of
the animal science division (in addition to
being head of the Cooperative Extension
Animal Science Department). Learning of
this presidential directive by way of a copy
of the letter to Daniel. Dean Henry W.
Garren submitted appointment papers to
Vice President Younts recommending that
Daniel be named acting division chairman.
4. Subsequently the College of Agri
culture was notified that the Board of
Regents had approved Daniel as division
chairman, not acting division chairman as
specified in the appointment papers
submitted by Dean Garren. The college
first learned of the board's action through
an unusual letter from Davison to Daniel.
5. Believing that a typographical error
had been made in deleting the word
“acting." 1 called Faculty Records for
verification, t was told that there was no
error, that the Board of Regents had. in
fact, appointed Daniel as division chair
man. I then asked why the original
appointment papers were altered to delete
the word "acting." and was told, "the
president didn't like that word." ] asked
"What word?" The reply was. "the word
'acting'."
The events listed above, and others,
raise several questions.
1. Who changed the wording of the
appointment papers from acting division
chairman to division chairman, and why?
2. Were normal and proper University
channels and procedures followed in the
processing of the appointment recommen
dation papers submitted by Dean Garren?
Did faculty members in the division
participate in the selection of this
administrator as required by University
statutes? In view of the fact that this was a
division chairman, not acting division
chairman, appointment—was an opinion
rendered by the University AA/EEO
officer as to compliance with federal
guidelines?
3. Were the dean of the College of
Agriculture, vice president for Academic
Affairs, acting chancellor and members of
the Board of Regents made aware of the
change (deletion of the word "acting") in
the appointment papers submitted by Dean
Garren?
4. Did President Davison meet with
elements outside the University to discuss
the appointment of Daniel?
5. Of what significance in the appoint
ment is the fact that Daniel is a member of
the search committee for a new chancellor?
I suggest that these items and questions
warrant inquiry by appropriate offices into
what appears to be serious intrusions into
authorized and proper decision-making
channels in the University.
ROBERTS. WHEELER
Director of Resident Instruction
College of Agriculture
As usual we have rung in the new year
with toasts of optimism and good wishes,
lifting our eyes and glasses to the sky in the
tradition of hope. But as I sit watching
Alabama emerge victorious in yet another
Sugar Bowl. 1 realize that the disposal of an
ola calendar, or ten of them, promises no
miraculous transformation in and of itself.
Skip Hulett Is cltv editor for The Red and
Black
We could, in fact, add another day to
December and people would adjust. (The
chaps in charge of the atomic timepiece in
Washington did add another second to
Dec. 31. 1979. but did they hold up the ball
in Times Square? I think they slipped that
one by us pretty efficiently.)
In effect, such benchmarks as the
metamorphosis of decades are simply
imaginary waves in the sea of time;
marking neither alterations of history nor
the transformation of history's partici
pants.
Recent polls have made quite a fuss
about the fact that the majority of
Americans apparently believe the nation's
fortunes will continue to worsen rather
than improve.
Specifically, the pollsters have deter
mined slightly over half of the nation
believes today is worse than yesterday and
they portend further deterioration for
tomorrow.
However, the pessimism I know best is
my own; that of persons my age, in
general.
1 found a cursory summary of this
cynicism in the words of a close friend I
saw during Christmas vacation at home in
Macon.
"Skip. man. we missed the Great
American Dream." Steve told me.
"Twenty-five cent gas. 30 cent cigarettes,
70-mile-an-hour speed limits; we missed it.
man. And it won't come back."
That is the type of perspective, simple as
it may be. that most of us refer to when
engaging in cocktail party prognostications
or responding to the queries of nationally-
acclaimed pollsters. The conclusions of
mainstream America are drawn from
personal experiences, not consumptory
research and evaluations.
If I cannot project a facade of optimism
for you, forgive me. I am the product of
such subjective reality.
Born in the year of Sputnik, my
knowledge of the U.S. presidency was
spawned on Nov. 22.1963. compounded by
the toppling of Johnson and the resignation
of Nixon/Agnew. and polished by the WIN
buttons of Ford and the unlit "hostage"
tree of Carter
Right now I face, for 1980, a whole
myriad of candidates obviously determined
to adhere to Jimmy’s strategy of market
ing—TV prose, moral utterances, leader
ship ambiguities and the remaining
variables that will no doubt complete the
formula and procure election for one of
them.
Unlike my brother's generation (post-
World War II baby boom) my peers and I
reaped the consequences of lowered
drinking age—an ever-increasing rate of
alcoholism.
I await with glee the day. in the near
future, when 1 can no longer afford health
care—a happy moment which would have
arrived sooner if not for my father’s 21
years in service and my resulting
dependent status.
I have watched television progress to the
point where nonsensical shows like Alice,
Mork and Mindy. Happy Days, Charlie’s
Angels and Fantasy Island have become
surrogate parents, teaching ageless values
like “Nanu-nanu" to children who cannot
read nor wish to learn.
1 have watched the Supreme Court of the
nation declare it legal to conduct random
searches within the offices of news
organizations, probe our "state of mind."
and jail us for keeping our word to sources
of valid information.
I have watched a television network
commit a quarter of a billion dollars to
acquire rights for the 1984 Olympics, while
the University bitches about spending a
million to comply with federal regulations
designed to give minorities and women a
fair break they never received.
During a year at West Point I was told to
learn about setting priorities. Ford Motor
Co. showed me how they set priorities—it
would cost more to redesign the Pin»o than
they estimated would be lost in insurance
settlements when people were injured due
to the car’s rear end construction, so they
took the chunce and left the design alone,
according to the Chicago Sun-Times.
Is it any wonder I agree with the
majority's pessimism?
Happy New Year.
College of Agriculture "W-v • -a #
‘Events in Iran Boycotting the Olympics
may clear doubts’
TO THE EDITOR:
The Russian word for "peace" is
‘meer.’ The Russian word for "the world"
is also ‘meer.’ Consequently the phrase,
"We want ‘meer’" is ambiguous and is
often printed on Soviet propaganda
posters.
As stated, a correct translation of this
phrase is impossible, due to the differing
meanings of the word. Recent actions in
Afghanistan and future events in Iran
should clear up any doubts as to the
meaning Moscow prefers.
JOHN TOOHEY
Kenneth Hecht
If this past New Near's eve partying
seemed a bit duller than usual, there were
some very good reasons—all you have to
do is read your newspaper or watch TV
news to understand.
Kenneth Hecht It a senior in the School of
Journalism
Not only are the SO Americans still being
held hostage in Iran, but as if to add insult
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Either mail them or drop them by
123 N. Jackson St., Athens, Ga.
DO YOU KNOW ME? IN SOME PLACES I’M
STILL NOT KNOWN AS A SYMBOL TO HATE
AND ATTACK.
THAT’S WHY I CARRY
AMERICAN DISTRESS?
IT LETS PEOPLE ALL OVER
THE WORLD KNOW THEY
GAN ABUSE ME WITH
IMPUNITY.
AMERICAN DISTRESS®
YOU CAN'T LEAVE HOME WITHOUT IT.
glEJN ‘fl
UCKV mtn
to injury, the Soviet Union is presently
leading an invasion of Afghanistan, a
neighbor to both Iran and the Soviet Union.
The implications of this Russian-supported
overthrow of one regime in favor of a more
reliable Soviet puppet regime presents a
serious threat to world peace.
The irony is that the Carter administra
tion may be put in a position of supporting
Khomeini's army, who strongly oppose
this new Russian-inspired development.
The United States is already in the process
of sending large shipments of arms to
Pakistan which fears further Soviet aggres-
Afghanistan is not the only place where a
Soviet presence is felt, Tbere are con
tinuing reports that the Soviet Union is
obstructing the progress of food and
medical supplies to hundreds of thousands
of Cambodian refugees who are on the
verge of starvation.
Standing in the middle of these
significant developments is the United
Nations—that body of world members
whose purpose it is to ensure peace in the
world. But even at the United Nations a
resolution calling for the release of the
hostages was flatly denied by the Iranians
and another resolution in the Security
Council calling for Soviet withdrawal from
Afghanistan was swiftly vetoed by the
Soviets.
From their point of view, was there any
other way to vote? The uselessness of the
United Nations as a fair and faithful forum
for promoting world peace has unques
tionably been exposed.
Apart from ignored resolutions in the
United Nations, how can the United States
react to these recent events? A few nights
ago President Carter announced he was
stopping future grain and wheat sales to
the Soviet Union. This appears as an
appropriate response but the debate within
the U.S. will continue for sometime as to
who this embargo hurts more: Russia or
the American farmer.
There is one sure way for the United
States to express displeasure and alarm
about recent Soviet moves—a boycott of
the Summer Olympics that arc scheduled
to be held in Moscow. Clearly this issue
will be a topic of much debate in the
coming weeks. Those opposing a boycott of
the Olympics will claim that it is not a
political event and that the athletes come
first.
We must ask ourselves some questions.
What are the motives behind Russia’s
plans to move all school-age children out of
Moscow during the Olympics? And what
are the motives behind current plans to
move the "undesirables" out of Moscow
and into camps in the countryside. Could it
be that the Russians don’t want these
youngsters and "undesirables" corrupted
by an influx of Western political thought?
Gearly. the 1980 Olympics is political
and will be used by the Russians to
promote an image of a peace-loving
country. This type of propaganda brings to
mind the way Hitler utilized the 1936
Berlin Olympics to lull the West into a
feeling of safety when in fact its security
was being threatened.
The 1980 Moscow Olympics should be
boycotted. Unfortunately NBC and its
sponsors have millions of dollars invested
in this event and will use every bit of their
clout to see that the Olympics arc played.
Along with the crisis in Iran and the
Soviet invasion of Afghanistan we hear that
OPEC will again be raising the price of a
barrel of oil. Only this time OPEC could not
agree on a set price—$30 a barrel will be
felt on the U.S. economy. And there is
more: crime, inflation, unemployment,
starvation, etc., etc.
So as we move into the 1980s the
challenges are clearly before us. They must
be acknowledged and responded to. The
era of ‘detente’ is over.
If world events seemed a bit out of order
as you were sipping your Jack Black and
Coke when the clock struck midnight
ushering in a new decade, you had plenty
of reason to feel a bit uneasy. If on the
other hand, current developments did not
interfere with your partying, you are one to
be envied.
T Red and *BlacK
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