Easton Removal Sparks Uproar
By Jacke Thayer
To cries of "We want Easton!" more than 200 KU students burned an effigy of Wade Stinson, director of athletics, last night at 11 p.m. in front of Strong Hall.
Easton, 61, was officially released by Stinson after a long conflict between the two concerning the cost and administration of KU's track program.
Charles Oldfather, professor of law and chairman of the Athletic Board, said, "The situation leading up to the termination of Easton's service has existed for some long time."
Prof. Oldfather said he had no comment on the charges against Easton other than what appeared in Stinson's statement.
"MR. STINSON, the chief executive officer of the athletic program, has the general authority for hiring and firing personnel," Prof. Oldfather said. "He consulted with the Athletic Board and informed us on what he thought would be best to do. The Athletic Board was involved in the process to that extent."
Chancellor W. Clarke Wescoe was out of town on vacation, but vice chancellor James Surface said Wescoe would be available for questions Friday during a Board of Regents meeting in Hays.
"Easton has tenure as assistant professor in the Education School." Surface added. "If he chooses to accept a full-time position as assistant professor in this school, his responsibilities and salary will be worked out in discussions with Dean Kenneth Anderson, dean of the school of education, and myself."
ACCORDING TO Henry Bubb, chairman of the Board of Regents, the regents have no authority in the employment of athletic personnel.
"This is strictly an administrative matter," Bubb said.
Bubb also said the board was not notified in advance of the announcement, nor were any complaints concerning Easton's work brought before the board.
Statements from the Board of Regents are not normal in a situation of this type, Bubb said, and one probably would not be forthcoming in the Easton case.
Easton told a reporter of the Lawrence Journal-World yesterday he didn't "know what to say."
"I've given the best I had for 18 years and then all of a sudden in one year's time I'm the culprit who can't do a good job in the Athletic Department," Easton said.
"WHY DIDN'T TROUBLE arise four, or eight or ten years ago?" Easton continued. "We run the track program now like we did all those years."
"He had a chip on his shoulder against me when he arrived here," Easton said. (Stinson has been here since February, 1964.) "He wants an intramural program here, with him running it. I suppose the next move will be elimination of the KU Relays."
In referring to what has been called the "Easton Era," Easton said, "During my time here, I have tried to maintain a high-level program, for general track and the Relays, that would reflect on the university. I have tried to have my team members conduct themselves in a way to make the university proud and I have tried to conduct myself the same way.
"It is strange that all this has deteriorated to the point that I was given the choice of either resigning or being fired," Easton continued. "I chose to be fire. I've given my best to build this program to its present level of excellence and I'd do the same thing over again."
Stinson's decision to fire Easton apparently came after the two had held a second meeting in two days to discuss the track situation. Now in his 18th year, Easton gets $12,900 as coach and an additional $1,500 a year as Relays' director.
THE ATHLETIC DIRECTOR and Easton met in Stinson's office Monday morning after the completion of the Relays' weekend. After Monday's meeting Easton reportedly told several persons that he had been fired as coach and Relays director.
The second meeting between the two was held Tuesday morning, again in Stinson's office.
The latest difference arose when Easton purchased two pole vaulting boxes costing $30 to meet the latest NCAA specifications.
"The KU Relays is an NCAA meet," Easton explained, "and had to meet specifications."
STINSON DECLINED to comment to the Kansan this morning beyond his original statement, but told the Lawrence Journal-World yesterday.
"We are trying to be as fair to all the sports as we can be." Stinson said, "but we have to be realistic about what we can and cannot spend, and this means passing up some of the frills a lot of us would like to have."
Scholarship and administrative costs have risen, Easton said, to where maintenance of the same budgetary level amounts to a cut.
WES SANTEE, former KU distance star, said, "I find it a little inconceivable that we could have such a poor and uninformed director as Stinson. It's very unfortunate that the university hired a man with no experience, particularly none in administration and none in athletics.
"Easton, a graduate of Indiana, has contributed much to Kansas for 18 years." Santee added.
Daily hansan
62nd Year, No.119
LAWRENCE, KANSAS
Wednesday, April 21, 1965
Weather
D-DAY—Decision day—actually two days—for the new student body president, vice-president and 10 ASC members began this morning. Students in Strong Hall rotunda present their ID's as part of the rigamajig of voting.
Skies will be partly cloudy tonight and tomorrow with cooler temperatures tomorrow, according to the weather bureau. Winds will be northwesterly between 15 and 25 miles per hour. The low tonight will be near 50, and tomorrow's high will be in the lower 70's.
—Photo by Harry Krause
If any race comes within six votes or less of a tie, a recount will follow.
Spring Voting Offand Running; Today's Total May Reach 2,500
In last spring's election, Bob
By Jim Sullinger
Voting started at 8 a.m. today in the All Student Council spring elections. The voting for the first two hours was reported fairly heavy. Approximately 400 students voted.
Mike McNally, Bartlesville, Okla., sophomore and chairman of the ASC elections committee, said he expected about 2,500 students to vote today.
Last year the total vote cast during the first day was 2,256.
MIKE MCNALLY, chairman of the ASC elections committee, said if the ballot is marked clearly it will be counted.
Students may vote today until 6 p.m. or between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. tomorrow. Polls are located in Murphy Hall, Strong Hall, and the Kansas Union.
"THERE IS LESS enthusiasm this spring, but more grass roots work has been done on a personal basis," McNally said. "The vote will come out."
After the polls close Thursday, the ballot boxes will be taken to the Statistical Service Center in summerfield Hall where ballots will be counted. As the results are tabulated, they will be posted in the Hawklet at Summerfield. The counting should be completed by 4 or 5 a.m. Friday.
Candidates for student body president and vice-president, 10 ASC representatives from the nine academic schools, and sophomore, junior, and senior class officers are on the ballot. A referendum to change the word "dormitories" in the ASC constitution to "residence halls" is also on the ballot.
Stewart and Kaye Whitaker led the University Party (UP) to the biggest victory in the party's four year history.
DURING THAT ELECTION, 4855 votes were cast electing eight UP candidates to the ASC and three Vox Populi candidates.
Students voting this spring, will not only decide who will be student body president, but will also determine which party will control the ASC.
The council now is split 20 to 20 between the two parties.
The ASC representation from the academic schools has been six from UP and four from Vox.
NONE OF THESE representatives are running for re-election this spring.
The history of KU spring elections has often been quite turbulent sometimes nearing riot proportions.
In the 1930's party disputes became so inflammatory that the leader of one party took 10 body
guards with him to a rally of the opposing party.
Mud-slinging became eggthrowing in the 1934 election.
ONE CAMPUS POLITICAL party considered asking the governor for national guardsmen to patrol the campus and polling places.
However, the present election is not without its disturbances. For example, a UP sign was burned in front of the Alpha Chi Omega house. Vox officials charged that two of their signs were burned and one was torn. No party blames the other though. The two top runners of each party expressed the opinion that vandals were responsible.
Looking at the brighter side of political campaigning, a usually peaceful campus hummed with excitement and political enthusiasm last night as car parades rolled down Jayhawk Blvd. and rallies chanted the name of their favorite candidates.
Navy Fighter Planes Strike Red Convoys
SAIGON—(UPI)—U.S. Navy fighter planes prowled the skies over North Viet Nam before dawn today, raking two Communist truck convvoys with a barrage of rocket and cannon fire.
It was the seventh consecutive day of around-the-clock raids on North Vietnamese territory.
A NAVY SPOKESMAN said two missions were flown along Highway 101 in the southern part of North Viet Nam between 2 a.m. and 4:40 a.m.
Pilots were unable to assess the damage.
In South Viet Nam, two battalions of fresh Vietnamese soldiers were thrown into a major battle with 3,000 Communist guerrillas less than 30 miles from the U.S. air base at Da Nang.
THE REINFORCEMENTS were ordered after Viet Cong troops outflanked a battalion of Vietnamese rangers and almost trapped the unit's American officer-adviser.
The Vietnamese fled but the American stood his ground until he realized that his position was hopeless and escaped just as the Viet Cong closed the net.
The battle started three days ago. Losses on both sides have been heavy.