Sophomore Class Congress
On Monday, Oct. 3, the first of the sophomore class representative elections will take place in fraternities, sororities, and scholarship halls. Elections in the large residence halls will be the following Monday.
These representatives will be delegates to the Sophomore Class Congress, the newest (well, almost) and perhaps one of the most significant student organizations on campus. The idea, as explained by Sophomore President Ken North, is to organize the class through living group representatives to better carry out the wishes of the class as a whole and to provide a meaningful student government organization on a more localized level.
The structure of the Congress will include four committees: service, social, financial, and promotional. Plans are already underway and partially carried out concerning various service projects on campus through national levels. Social functions and fund-raising projects are also under consideration.
But North and the sophomore officers cannot do this entirely by themselves. Most of the plans
for the Congress were formulated last spring through a class convention, but even that had only partial response from living groups. This was not the fault of uninterested sophomores, but of house and floor presidents who did not pass the information along. Out of 104 letters requesting delegates to the convention, only about 60 were returned.
Again, with the elections on Monday, the class has had to depend on living group heads to handle their own elections.
We ask that these people accept the responsibility for getting this worthwhile organization off the ground. All that is required is that sophomores in the groups are informed of the procedure as outlined in the returns affidavit which has been mailed to all living group presidents, and that the results are reported to Congress headquarters, VI 2-8410.
Considering the amount of enthusiasm already present in the class and its officers, an organization of such high potential deserves a good head start.
- Jack Harrington
Verwoerd and South Africa—tears...
The following opinion is reprinted from the KU African, a monthly publication put out by African students at KU. It was written by Swaebob Conateh, a senior in journalism from Gambia.
Hendrik Frenchs Verwoerd might be dead, but apartheid is not. Consequently, there is no cause for rejoicing. In fact, this is a time for tears. For Verwoerd? Yes, for despite his shortcomings, we must remember that he is a member of our human race and a product of our age. But also, and to an even greater extent, for South Africa's oppressed black people.
For there is no doubt that now is the time when everyone concerned should be prepared for the worst in a renewed and determined drive by the remaining adherents of apartheid to implement Verwoerd's program of separation of the races in that crises-ridden republic, a program which has already silenced vocal African nationalists and set the stage for the
passing of an unprecedented number of oppressive laws. There should be no doubt because it has happened before. For instance, after David Pratt's attempt on Verwoerd's life failed in 1960 (a fasco that occurred weeks after the ignoble Sharpville massacre of 70 helpless Africans, a massacre which not only splashed the evils of apartheid into the world's gaze in a most dramatic fashion, but which also heralded Verwoerd's withdrawal of his country from the Commonwealth and the institution of a republican form of government in South Africa), the consolidation of the enforcement laws for apartheid followed. And we can expect it to happen again.
THAT WILL BE DESPIE the irony in the circumstances of Verwoerd's death, an event which took place in that bastion of white supremacy doctrines in South Africa, that center for the creation of all of Verwoerd's oppressive racial laws—the House of Parliament. The assassin, Dimitrio Tsa-
fendos, a disgruntled immigrant,
a malatto, believes that Verwoerd
had not done enough evil against
South Africa's black populace
who outnumber the whites four
to one; the money being used to
implement the apartheid schemes
does not only make such schemes
prohibitive financially but mean
that Verwoerd was doing more
for the black African than the
poor white!
Such an attitude does definitely contrast with that of David Pratt who, after his attempt on Verwoerd's life failed, confessed he was "shooting at the epitome of apartheid" rather than Dr. Verwoerd. Pratt later hung himself in a mental institution to which he was sent by the courts. We do not yet know the sentence to be meted out against the new assassin. But we have a feeling that his act has left the world in a worse shape than before, for it can only aggravate the estrangement of South Africa from the cause of justice in what would probably be a final bid to fulfill Verwoerd's dream. The lesson here has been well learned in other parts of the world before: dead men who held unpopular views in their lifetime score a political victory for their views when they die as martyrs for their cause.
Change of government-South African style
JOHANNES Balthasar Vorster, the minister of justice who now sits in Verwoerd's place as prime minister, will make sure of that with the aid of his colleagues. Which is another way of saying that an already explosive situation has been further aggravated. The anticipated clash between an immovable wall and an irresistible force and the resultant turmoil can no longer be too far away in South Africa under these circumstances. The only bright spot here is perhaps the long-awaited moment to wrest freedom and equality for people of all races in the otherwise beautiful and rich republic of South Africa.
Dog gone!
Units of two local law enforcement groups, the local humane society and countless students searched the KU campus this morning and afternoon for the Lambda Chi mascot.
The 18-week-old puppy, which looks like a raccoon, disappeared this morning.
LITTLE MAN ON CAMPUS
IT'S AFTER DARK — I WOULDN'T RECOMMEND YOU GO TOO FAR
BACK — UNESCORTED."
Alliance airs views
Students of the University of Kansas,
Student government at the University of Kansas is at the lowest point in a pathetic history.
The hope of an effective student voice in the university community is subordinated to the warring of amateur politicians. Voters are asked to endorse and perpetuate an irresponsible system in elections permeated with empty promises and excessive display. The resulting void prevents a greater student responsibility in university affairs.
THE KANSAS UNIVERSITY Progressive Alliance is an organization founded to seek a solution to these and other problems of student government. The philosophy of the Alliance is the elimination of political parties as the dominant force in campus government, and their replacement with responsible student leaders chosen on ability rather than as political favors. We seek to implement this philosophy through reform on the All Student Council designed to make that body the force it should be in campus affairs.
As our part, those of us who have signed below request that the Chairman of the All Student Council change our political affiliation from Vox Populi and University Party to the Kansas University Progressive Alliance. We appeal to you the student body to consider the Alliance's proposals, watch its accomplishments, and endorse it if you agree with its philosophy and wish student government to have its place as the dynamic voice of the students of the University of Kansas.
Bill Sampson Dick Darville
Pres., Kansas University Men's Large Halls
Progressive Alliance John Hill
Jerry Bean College Men
Men's Large Halls Rosie Burns
Becky Buckaloo Sorority
Women's Large Halls Rachel Hall
Bob McAdoo Women's Small Halls
Business Joyce Snapp
Kay Orth College Women
Sorority Candy Williams
Jackie VanEman Freshman Women
Education Martie Mullen
Bruce Warren Fine Arts
Fraternity Chuck Loveland
Gregg Gleason Men's Small Halls
Men's Small Halls Tom McCrackin
Bill Radford Unmarried-Unorganized Men's Large Halls
Phil Fredrichs Barbara Renz
Men's Large Halls Women's Large Halls
Jim Prager Lee Peakes
Chr.. All Student Council Men's Large Halls
Serving KU for 76 of its 100 Years
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