KU
kansan
A student newspaper serving KU
78th Year, No. 60
Friday, December 15. 1967
McCollum men's president impeached by male senate
Kansan News Roundup
Emery Goad, the McCollum Hall men's president whose wide-printed remarks about PDA (public display of affection) created a small furor, presided at his own impeachment last night
The Junction City senior, acting in his official capacity as chairman of the hall men's senate, listened as residents presented the senate with a 311-signature petition asking that a formal dismissal hearing be held.
In part, the impeachment petition said Goad "has not acted in the best interests of . . . (the) hall by his deliberate submission of statements of questionable merit for . . . publication."
Abrams' firing: 'responsible' act
By Ted Bell Kansan Staff Reporter
There apparently is no technical violation of academic freedom involved in the firing last week of Norman Abrams, an assistant professor of design in the School of Fine Arts, but the winds of change blow briskly through the department.
Flu epidemic strikes KU
The influenza epidemic which has struck 300 students at Ottawa University, causing classes to be released two days early for Christmas vacation, has apparently spread to KU.
Watkins hospital pharmacists filled more than 1,000 student prescriptions the first two days of this week, said Dr. Raymond Schwegler, director of the health service.
Although flu test results have not been returned from the Infectious Disease Laboratory at the KU Medical Center in Kansas City, Schwegler said the students' symptoms are the same as those of the flu.
"Fortunately not knowing whether it is influenza or another respiratory disease doesn't alter the treatment given to patients," Schwegler said.
Over 1,000 students have come to the hospital this week with flu symptoms, Schwegler said. Lawrence students are sent home, but 34 students are now in Watkins Hospital with flu symptoms.
The outbreak of respiratory illnesses seems to be part of a flu epidemic spreading south from the northern states, Schwegler said.
WEATHER
The U.S. Weather Bureau predicts mostly cloudy skies and continued cold today and tonight with a 30 per cent probability of light snow Saturday. The low temperature tonight is expected to be near 20 degrees.
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Abrams said he was fired because he made "insulting comments" in criticizing the department curriculum. He was told in a Dec. 7 letter from the fine arts promotion committee to "seek employment elsewhere."
According to the Association of American University Professors' guidelines, Abrams must be told six months ahead of time—or by Dec. 15—that he is being dismissed.
This requirement has been met, Francis Heller, dean of faculties and acting provost, pointed out.
"I do not know why the promotion committee made its decision," Heller said, "but I do know the members are responsible members of this faculty, and I have to assume this was a responsible decision."
Another AAUP requirement—noninterference in academic freedom—also seems to have been met since Abrams has not said that he was told what he could or could not teach.
The AAUP, in the case of an untenured professor such as Abrams, does not require that administrators give reasons for dismissing faculty members.
One teacher did say Abrams was "the best man around here and we should get him back."
Design faculty members largely have declined to comment.
Students, upset over Abram's firing and agreeing with his criticism of the department.
See Design, page 9
The petition added that "publicity resulting from this action had the effect of making this living group and its residents the object of public attention, dismay, concern, and ridicule. . ."
The McCollum constitution requires that such petitions contain names of at least 50 per cent of the male residents—in this case, 310 of the 620 men in Goad's constituency.
The next and final step in such impeachment proceedings is a hearing before the nine men floor presidents and the chief justice of McCollum's judiciary board, said John McGee, Independence senior and chief justice.
McGee, who is Goad's roommate, added that ouster may occur if seven or more members of the hearing committee recommend it.
One of the residents circulating the impeachment petition said many signatures were obtained after residents learned that accounts of Goad's opinions on PDA had received wide radio, television and newspaper attention.
The petition is now being canvassed by the chief justice to check accuracy of the names.
Goad, noting that he felt the petition's charges to be "unjustified," said that a "number" of residents were already asking that their names be withdrawn from the petition—thereby invalidating it.
Asked if he still backed up statements made to the Daily Kansas on Dec. 6 about the fre-
See Goad, page 9
McCollum evacuated after 2 false alarms
Two false alarms in McCollum Hall sent its residents scurrying out in to sub-freezing temperatures this morning.
While residents bundled together in blankets to ward off the biting cold, McColllum officials searched vainly for a fire. Two alarm boxes in the men's wings were found pulled, one on the sixth floor near the elevators and the other on the south wing of the seventh floor.
DECEMBER WRAP-UP
This KU coed tried to keep warm at 7:30 a.m. today as she walked to class. The U.S. Weather Station in front of Lindley Hall recorded 20 degrees this morning. Even though the weather was cold, with a strong wind, there is no forecast of snow for the Lawrence holiday season. (See weather story on page 8.)
SAGE presses for salary raise
By Beth Gaeddert Kansan Staff Reporter
A 30-page report asking for an increase in salaries and a remission of University fees for graduate student assistant instructors was expected to be handed to Chancellor W. Clarke Wescoe this afternoon by the Student Association of Graduates in English (SAGE).
Dave Holden, Winona, Minn., graduate student and SAGE chairman, said the report is a revision of a report presented in October to Francis Heller, acting provost and dean of faculties.
Holden declined to give specific information about the report because he said it would be "uni-diplomatic" to release it before Wescos officially received it from SAGE.
The original report asked for an across-the-board increase in salaries for assistant instructors, a remission of University fees, and a reclassification of the as-
sistantship to allow it to become tax-free.
This first report was approved unanimously by the voting faculty of the department of English.
Holden said the new report also will ask for the establishment of a higher base salary for beginning assistant instructors in the department of English and consideration of annual increases in keeping with the rising cost of living.
He said both reports stressed hopes that the funds for this increase would not be taken from present or projected budgets for English department full-time faculty salaries.
He said as an immediate measure the committee has recommended that assistant instructors be permitted to pay fees on an installment basis.
Corbin College seeks self-government
Holden said the request for the tax exemption was left out of the final report because "there is a pretty good chance" assistant instructors will get the exemption.
By Allison Steimel Kansan Staff Reporter
Student committees in Corbin College, one of the five Colleges-within-the-College, are researching student government organizations and the College-within-the-College system with an eye to setting up their own governing structure.
The idea is not completely new; Centennial College, the first of the five small colleges, already has an advisory committee which has recommended such changes as condensing the Western Civilization program into one semester. That plan is in operation this semester on an experimental basis
The other colleges—Pearson,
North, and Oliver—also have some
sort of intra-college structure with some advisory or governmental powers.
But Corbin could be different.
Robert Nunley, professor of geography in whose Western Civilization discussion group the idea for a Corbin government took shape, wants Corbin College to be used as an experimental government.
The government would be separate from other University organizations. Nunley thinks it would make the students of Corbin feel they had a closer representation and part in student government. It would also make Corbin more of a separate small college within the University.
This type of student government would have to be researched, Nunley said. Such matters as having a completely student or a student-faculty government and using a highly organized or an informal system of government would have to be decided upon.
These decisions could weigh heavily on the success or failure of Corbin's government, he said.
See Corbin, page 6
Joy Ensign, Overland Park freshman and member of the steering research committee of two Corbin directors and three students, said Corbin hopes to have a self-governing body. She added that she doesn't know what type it will be. Corbin may wish to remain under University organizational auspices or may
The first report said the income tax is $211 for a single person with a $2,300 annual income. The
See SAGE, page 4
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WHAT'S INSIDE
Stanford University scientists create artificial life in a test tube. See page 12.
KU's ear-piercing whistle has a long, loud history. See page 3.
If some campus buildings seem dirty at times, there's a reason. See page 5.
The SDS was in action again Thursday. See page 4.