BIG BROTHER WATCHING
Panel clashes on 'confidential' files
By Jack Harrington
The administration's policy of keeping confidential personal records on students was called everything from "a police state tactic" to "a major service to students" during yesterday's seminar on student rights as students, faculty, administration and guests of the University voiced their views on the subject.
The panel, entitled "Student Rights in a Changing University," included James Surface, Provost of the University; Erroll Harris, professor of philosophy; Al Martin, Student Body President; Jim Masters, Mission graduate student; Ashley Montagu, author, anthropologist, and social critic, who participated in several of the week's earlier activities, and Dean of Women Emily Taylor.
BEFORE AN AUDIENCE of approximately 500, mostly students, each panelist spoke for five minutes about his views on student rights and a changing university. Discussion then was
thrown open to questions and answers from the audience.
Harris said that he was not particularly concerned about closing hours or liquor regulations, but with the right to develop the intellect. He said the process involves a freedom to discuss everything and anything a student can think of.
"If they are free to discuss, then they are free to organize groups for discussion and even to demonstrate for their beliefs," Prof. Harris said. "If they are penalized in any way for these actions, it would be an infringement on student rights.
"IF IT IS to be recorded as possible evidence to be held against him in the future, it is, in my mind, outrageous," Harris said.
Dean Taylor discussed the basic rights issue as the relationship between the student and the institution. She said the problem is to define the relationship and then to create an environment in
which to learn and grow rather than be overwhelmed.
"Educators should be concerned with the students," she said. "If they take on a laissez-faire attitude, they are neglecting their duty."
"STUDENTS CAN accept responsibility only when responsibility is given," he said. "The University should offer no wall of protection for them. They should be tried for offenses by the law of the land, not the law of the University."
Masters, on the other hand, said he felt that students have no voice in the decisions that affect their lives, and many students feel they are being manipulated.
In reference to "in loco parentis," Masters said the University acts not only in place of, but in spite of, the parents. He said the state has processes for judging parents incompetent.
"Then the University, in my interpretation," he said, "assumes that students and parents are ipso facto incompetent.
Professor gets Notre Dame honor
Albert W. Burgstahler, professor of chemistry, received a Centennial of Science Award from the University of Notre Dame Monday night in Kansas City, Mo., as part of the Universal Notre Dame Night celebration.
The award, a lucite pyramid embedded with the University's seal and Centennial medallion, will be presented to outstanding Notre Dame alumni and former faculty members for "great distinction in the fields of scientific research, education, management and technology."
Notre Dame celebrated a century of science instruction and research during 1965.
Burgstahler received the B.S. degree from Notre Dame in 1949 and was an instructor in chemistry there during 1953-54. He received the A.M. and Ph.D. degrees from Harvard and was a postdoctoral fellow at the University of
London. He served as a research associate at the University of Wisconsin before joining the KU faculty in 1956.
Both Dean Taylor and Provost Surface said the records were beneficial to the students, and that they were not used as evidence against anyone.
During 1963-64, Dr. Burgstahler held an appointment as an Alfred P. Sloan research fellow. A member of the American Chemical Society and the Chemical Society of London, he has achieved brilliant success in the synthesis of complex natural products through the application of modern principles of structure and reaction mechanisms.
for interpretation to future employers.
France bans U.S. rites
"If the University will not give us these rights, we will take them. As Thomas Jefferson said, 'It is our duty.'"
PARIS — (UPI) — The French government has refused for the first time for 20 years to permit a ceremony in Paris this year in memory of American soldiers killed in the city's liberation in 1944.
MONTAGU INCLUDED in his ideas on student rights the right to participate in education, including the education of the educators; the right to criticize the education with which they are presented, and the right to be fully represented in the University community.
The audience question-and-answer period moved from rights in general to due process of law and through such questions as the use of contraceptive devices by students. The most controversial of the topics covered was the confidential dossiers which are kept on each student by the personnel deans, and which are available
8 Daily Kansan Thursday, April 14, 1966
"SUCH FACTUAL information is valuable," said Dean Taylor. "In fact, it is much more valuable than mere memory recall as to what a student did while at the University."
THRILLING CANOE TRIPS
"Who can guarantee that the news is good, and whose interpretation can be accepted as right?" Harris asked. "I think it is dangerous to keep nonacademic records. It is characteristic of a police state, and ought to be done away with at the first opportunity."
into the Quintec-Superior wilderness,
Only $7.00 per day. For informa-
tion, call COUNTRY OUTFITTERS, Ely,
Minnesota.
April 14,9 p.m., informal
"No one has a right to ask University authorities for a record of a student's activities during his college career," Montagu said, "especially since it doesn't apply to his life outside the University. I am in favor of humanities, not J. Edgar Hoover or the FBI, and I don't think any such FBI-type records should be kept."
Chi Omega House
College Life
"God is Dead—So What?"
Guest Speaker: John Gottuso, B.A. Sociology, M.A. Psychology, Ph.D. Candidate Los Angeles, California
Both Harris and Montagu disagreed with the idea of the dossiers. Harris said there are plenty of ways to find out about a student's activities without a "snooping" record.
Remember: College Life Conference April 15 to 17. Rock Springs Ranch
TOP 45's NOW ON NEW ALBUMS AT
THE'
SOUND INC.
Hillcrest Shopping Center
Featuring
19th Nervous Breakdown — Rolling Stones
MONDAY, MONDAY
—Mammas & Papas
BANG, BANG
—Cher
ELUSIVE BUTTERFLY Bob Lind
Bowl For Free At Hillcrest Bowl! One Free Line of Bowling with each $5.00 purchase at The Sound
When they feel so good,look so good,fit so good-they're
His and Her Monk Sandals by Mort
Women's $11.00 — Men's $12.00
Royal College Shop
837 Mass.
VI 3-4255