Monday, Dec. 11, 1961 University Daily Kansan
Page 3
Documents in Butterfield Controversy
Letter to Perkins
(Editor's note: The following letter was sent by three faculty members at the College of Emporia in protest of remarks made by Elvin D. Perkins, chairman of the board, at a faculty meeting Dec. 4. Perkins' reply is printed below the protest letter.)
Dear Mr. Perkins:
This letter . . . may be taken as a corporate response to your remarks delivered to the assembled faculty of the college on 4 December 1961.
. . .
The essence of any academic institution worth preserving is enclosed in the freedom guaranteed to faculty and students to enter freely and without restraint into discussion of any and every issue, however controversial, however unpopular, however out of step and harmony with the status quo it may be. Granted, within the context of the classroom situation, certain rules of propriety obtain which pose recognized limitations of this freedom. Outside that situation, however, there can be no legitimate infringement of continued dialogue between faculty and students on any matter which presents itself as an item of interest.
***
It would seem this privilege was sadly ignored in the remarks addressed to the faculty yesterday afternoon. We were told that the Board had decided with finality on certain issues facing the college, that the Board was ultimately responsible for the total life and well-being of the college community, and that this decision made unnecessary further discussion of the matter. Further, since these issues were now to be seen and understood as "history," faculty was directly discouraged from further comments, either among themselves or with students, concerning the issues involved and the decisions reached by the Board of Trustees. In short, the faculty was intimidated in a rather direct fashion, and the distinct feeling that it had been threatened was one which we have not been able to overcome.
...
It is inconceivable to us that any faculty anywhere at any time should be subjected to this type of humiliation and degradation. Unless your conception of a faculty is that of a group of automatons structured for an unthinking affirmative response to any and every directive given from above, there is ample room and reason for serious and sustained consideration of both the issues, controversial or not, in the present situation, and the decisions reached by the Board of Trustees relative to the solution of these.
There is a very basic issue involving academic freedom and security in the disposition of Professor Butterfield, which has not in any way been resolved, much
less entertained, in the decision of the Board. If a faculty member, any faculty member, can be disposed of in so summary a fashion, then we face a situation which poses grave problems for the tenure of all faculty personnel. Mr. Butterfield has never been apprised of the reasons for his dismissal, he has never been granted anything remotely approaching a fair and open hearing of charges brought against him, he has never been given any opportunity to defend himself in any way. In the meeting of the Board on 2 December, a faculty protest went virtually ignored, and a motion from one of the members of the Board to give Mr. Butterfield was voted down. The result was a complete ignoring of even the most essential ingredients constituting justice in any legal situation. It is not only that a faculty member has been handled in so cavaler a fashion that is distressing. Even more disturbing is the injury inflicted on the reputation and professional standing of this man as a result of irresponsible and unfounded rumors which have appeared precisely because no specific charges, no word of explanation, was forthcoming from the Board as to the basis for its action.
In the light of these developments, it is more than a little insulting to be told in an authoritarian fashion that discussion concerning this issue is to cease. History it may be, but history has a
His Reply
Dear Mr. McKenzie:
This will acknowledge receipt of your letter of December 5, 1961, directed to me as Chairman of the Board of Trustees of The College of Emporia.
It was not my intention at the time of the meeting of the assembled faculty of The College of Emporia on December 4, 1961, to abridge or in any way encroach upon the academic freedom of any member of the faculty of the college.
The Board of Trustees has and does recognize the existence of an ancient and important right on the part of each person to make legitimate inquiry and seek information. I personally recognize the importance of a free exchange of ideas between students and faculty members.
With each freedom rests a corresponding responsibility. It would appear that the responsibility of using and not abusing the right of academic freedom would be of as great an importance as the right to the freedom itself. Generally, it would appear that the discussion during the class period should be germane to the subject being taught in that class.
Yours very tuly,
Elvin D. Perkins
way of retaining a vitality and liveliness of its own. . . .
We fully intend, therefore, to discuss this and other issues with interested and concerned faculty and students whenever and wherever the opportunity presents itself outside the classroom situation. What we are insisting on, in other words, is our right as individuals to free expression. If this is denied, then the marrow of academic integrity has been destroyed.
Further, since the Board of Trustees has not seen fit to respond to a legitimate request from interested faculty for redress of grievances, such requests must be channelled into alternate avenues of appeal. At a faculty level, these would include the American Association of University Professors, the National Student Association, and the North Central Association, the latter of which is responsible for the status of accreditation of this college. As a matter of course, contact will be sustained with presbytery and synod courts.
It is regrettable, we feel, that such appeals must be made. They are essential at this point, however, if the College of Emporia is to have any sort of ethical integrity as an essential concomitant of its total existence.
---
Very sincerely yours,
Robert E. Willis
E. Wills
Dept.
 of Religion and Philosophy
Robert A. McKenzie
Chairman,
Division of Humanities
Clifford G. Wood
Department of English
Butterfield's Letter
(Editor's note: The following letter, written by David Butterfield, was sent to the campus newspaper at the College of Emporia Oct. 12. It was never published, but was reportedly one of the main reasons he was fired. The letter was criticized by certain administrators as having been written to "excite opinion." The student body president to whom the letter refers was forced to resign because he had attended a beer party.
Dear Editor:
The recent resignation of Robert Kipfer as student body president has bothered me.
It needs to be said that Bob is an honest person. Members of the committee who "dealt" with him have testified to his transparency before them. In fact, had he been less forthright and honest he probably would not have suffered the fate that he did. I commend him in his honesty. I commiserate with him in his mistaken judgment.
The appalling apathy of the students over this affair is alarming. Is this a student body of sheep?
David A. Butterfield
Letter to USNSA
(Editor's Note: The following letter to the president of the USNSA was written by a student at the College of Emporia. Along with it was sent material concerning the Butterfield case.) U.S.National Student Association
5457 Chestnut Street.
Philadelphia 4. Pa.
Dear Ed Garvev:
I must admit that the great majority of students here at Emporia (enrollment 600) will shirk serious rights and responsibilities of any kind, no matter how genuine the offer. They sometimes seem so insulated from the full impact of meaningful communication between the faculty, administration, and fellow students, that it is probably hopeless to affect the mass unless radical reorganization of certain patterns comes about.
However, in light of the flagrant injustice to Mr. Butterfield... and the obvious suppression of student freedoms, sufficient concern and action has arisen to warrant significant cause to seek help from the National Office.
My pursuit while I am at this college will be to move against any pattern of student, faculty or administration values which stress self-centerness and provincial conformity.
I would hope that the college of my choice would endorse and show by example the basic policy of USNSA.
Upon our background in USNSA and feeling well versed in NSA policy and structure, we feel that the enclosed material justifies the request for investigation by the National Office.
Michael A. Klapak
Sincerelv.
Memo to Faculty
(Editor's Note: The following note was written November 25 by the business manager of the College of Emporia and placed in the mailboxes of faculty members. Checks for the month of November were issued December 6 — a week after the usual payday.) Memo To The Faculty;
After the resignation of Mr. Hanna on Monday of this week, arrangements were made for financing the operating expenses of the College for the remainder of the current semester. Following Mr. Hanna's statements to the Emporia Gazette and Radio station KVOE on Wednesday, the lenders withdrew their complete financial help and support. Therefore, this is to advise you that we do not know at the present time when salary checks can be issued and the other bills of the College paid.
J. Irwin Beeson Business Manager
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