KU
kansan A student newspaper serving KU
78th Year, No.59
47
WEATHER COLDER
LAWRENCE, KANSAS
See details below
Thursday, December 14, 1967
FIRST EDITION OUT
Students stand in line waiting to get the first section of the 1987-68 Jayhawker yearbook. Distribution will continue through Friday, John Hill, Prairie Village junior and Jayhawker editor, said today. This is the first time in several years the first edition has been distributed before Christmas.
Wescoe tells ASC to think, then act
There is nothing worse than the belief that the All-Student Council (ASC) is not functioning unless there is a "flurry of legislation," Chancellor W. Clarke Wescoe said Wednesday night.
"The council is nothing unless it takes time to deliberate as well as legislate." Wescoe said.
The ASC also should be a deliberate body, said Wescoe as he addressed the ASC at a special meeting in the Kansas Union.
Regarding legislation, Wescoe said students are a transient element while the University is permanent. He said students have a tendency to measure progress and activities by the day or semester, while the University measures them in years.
If the University had flurries of legislation from the transient element, there would be nothing but chaos, he said. The University is not geared to waves of student legislation.
Wescoe said many people "believe the only activity of the ASC is to hold an occasional meeting."
WEATHER
This is wrong, he said. Student government goes on day by day. There are policy-making committees that meet almost every day and there are students on all of them, he said. You do not have to be flashy to be effective, Wescoe said. The workings of government go on with what you do between meetings.
The U.S. Weather Bureau predicts partly cloudy skies will prevail over eastern Kansas tonight and Friday. Scattered very light freezing of possible snow flurries also are forecast with 10 to 20 mileper hour winds. The low temperature tonight is expected to be about 20 degrees; the high Friday near 40. Measurable precipitation probabilities five per cent Friday.
--ment go on with what you do between meetings.
"The relations between the student council and myself made it possible for more money to be made available. I would like to make that clear, because there are others who would like to take credit for getting the library opened later," Wescoe said.
"What appointed representatives do in the meantime helps to bring about legislation," Wescoe said.
Wescoe said the student council has the responsibility "not to tear apart but to build something creatively." He cited the recent problem of the library's early closing hours. He said the student council got him interested in the problem.
Professor's criticism prompts his dismissal
By Ted Bell
Kansan Staff Reporter
Copyright 1987 Univ.
Being "outspoken" has apparently cost an assistant professor of design his job.
OTTAWA, Kan. — (UPI) — Students at Ottawa University received a two-day extension of Christmas Vacation Wednesday.
For having what he calls an "outspoken" attitude in his criticism of the design department in the School of Fine Arts, Norman Abrams says he has been asked to "seek employment elsewhere" next year.
Already, however, about 220 design students have signed a petition requesting that Abrams, who will complete his second year here in June, be retained despite the dismissal notice.
School officials released classes two days early because of an outbreak of the flu which has struck 300 persons.
He was dismissed by a letter in his mail box, he said. The letter was signed by members of the fine arts promotion committee, some of whom Abrams quoted later as saying they "agreed with what he said but disagreed with the way he said it."
Officials said it was difficult to control the outbreak since the students live close together on the campus.
Flu moves up Ottawa break
The student spearhead of the petition, who asked that names be withheld because of fears of "reprisal" by the design department, said the students will present the petition to Francis Heller, dean of faculties and acting provost.
The student added that petition signers did not think it would "do any good" to submit the petition to Thomas Gorton, dean of the School of Fine Arts.
This morning, Dean Gorton could not be reached for comment.
Marjorie Whitney, chairman of the design department since 1946, refused to comment on Abram's dismissal or on his public charges that he was fired because he disagreed.
Among Abrams' charges, which he also made in the year-end faculty report last spring:
Department courses are "ancient."
The department has no guiding philosophy.
The department may be too "commercially" oriented.
Regarding the last charge, Abrams said: "Students are being taught to fit into the commercial world. They should be taught how to change it."
Abrams admits he might have been too strong in his criticism of the department and that his dismissal might have been caused by the way he disagreed as much as because he disagreed.
"I was outspoken, perhaps to the point of insulting some people." he said.
"But three or four people in the department agree with me. I had to be crude" to get something done, Abrams explained.
Peace poster 'tank'
SDS bombards marines
Marine Corps recruiters, on their second visit to KU in three months, were shot at Wednesday with a red tank, built of old peace posters. The ammunition was flower petals; the result was a misfire.
Members of Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) held a three-hour "Vietnam speak-out" at the Kansas Union in protest to the Marine recruiters' visit. Before the anti-war speeches, the SDS rolled out the paper tank and fired five dozen rose petals. The improvised weapon was ignited by an electric motor with a reversed fan blade.
After the tank misfired and sprayed flowers out its sides, an SDS member said the incident demonstrated the strength of "flower power."
An anti-war speaker, Hamilton Salsich, assistant instructor of English, told about 200 persons
After the fun, a series of speeches were presented.
Tom Rehorn, Fullerton, Neb. graduate student and Wesley Foundation minister, condemned the Vietnam war as immoral. He was filling in for a scheduled speaker, Jane Morse, chairman of the local chapter of Women's International League for Peace and Freedom.
SDS members and their recruiters set up tables in front of the Union's information booth on the main floor. The area was selected so that more than one organization could have tables on one floor without obstructing hallway traffic, Frank Burge, Union director, said.
that men should think for themselves and not unquestioningly believe what they're told by military or political leaders.
In September, protest leaders manned a table in a hallway despite a Union rule allowing only one table on each floor.
sent their views during the speak-out. Capt. James Custer said it is the students' place to engage in debate, not his.
SDS members said the Marines turned down an invitation to pre-
"If they're interested, they can come to the table," he said. "We're not reaching out and grabbing them."
Wayne Sailor, Lawrence graduate student and SDS member, said his organization's policy doesn't allow disrupting recruiters in a direct way. The recruiters and SDS members politely ignore each other.
"Even if people argue, we've accomplished our purpose," Sailor said. "At least, then they're thinking and not just accepting what is handed out about the war."
Today Arthur Skidmore, assistant professor of philosophy, presented the U.S. State Department's Vietnam stand in a debate with Howard Kahane, assistant professor of philosophy, who gave the anti-war viewpoint.
He said he is flattered by the petition the students have been circulating, although he does not know who started the petition.
Because he won't be back next year but now has nothing to lose, Abrams said he is going to "experiment" this spring.
"It's like having a semester of tenure," joked Abrams, referring to the academic employment system which makes dismissal of tenured faculty members nearly impossible.
Abrams said he might try a "pass-fail" system, and might introduce "new material" in the courses.
"What the heck? There are students here who have talent in spite of the department, not because of it," he said.
He says his major complaint still is that the department needs to reevaluate the validity of present methods.
"The idea of change terrifies some people," Abrams said.
Krebs enters Rhodes finals
Fred Krebs, Shawnee Mission senior, is one of two college students selected to represent Kansas before the district Rhodes Scholar selection committee Saturday at Des Moines, Iowa. He is majoring in ancient history.
The district committee will pick four Rhodes scholars from among nominees from Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, South Dakota and Minnesota.
The other Kansas nominee is Dave Langford, Topeka, a senior in nuclear engineering at Kansas State University.
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WHAT'S INSIDE
Year-end wrap-up today considers advances in science and medicine and the significance of "Happenings." Pages 2 and 3.
Gen. Lewis B. Hershey national director of the Selective Service System, is urged to resign by eight Congressmen. Page 4.
KU gymnasts, swimmers,
set for weekend meets. Page
7.
Greek King Constantine flees homeland after royalist coup fails and military government assumes control. Page 11.
Dennis Quinn, professor of English, discusses the need for "excellent" teachers in progressive education. Page 9.
Elmer Beth, professor of journalism, is honored for 20 years of service on Humanities committee. Page 14.
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