Daily hansan
59th Year, No. 106
LAWRENCE, KANSAS
Tuesday, March 20, 1962
Action Discusses Proposed Platform
Discriminatory clauses, the National Student Association (NSA), and a good nickel cup of coffee are three subjects discussed in Action's proposed platform.
- Re-affiliation with the National Student Association.
- The group, which is now applying to the All Student Council for recognition as a third KU political party, will meet at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday in the Kansas Union to discuss, revise, and possibly ratify its first platform. The meeting will be!
- The introduction of a bill to the All Student Council to take recognition from living groups at KU which have clauses in their constitution which discriminate on the basis of race or religion if these clauses are not removed by September, 1965.
Johnson said that the campus needs the combined efforts of many groups in order to take an active position in national affairs. NSA would help greatly in this attempt, he said.
its first platform. The meeting will be open to all students interested in becoming a member of Action, said Harold Johnson, Ft. Leavenworth junior and vice president of the group.
Johnson said that Action is against forced integration at KU but that it does want to see the discriminatory clauses removed.
THE PLANKS in the proposed platform are:
He said forced integration would be as inconsistent with the American ideals as the discriminatory clauses are.
He added, however, that Action fully supports the People-to-People program and the Current Events Committee.
Action wants to look into the possibility of coffee being sold at the Union for 5c.
The group also expressed a desire to find out why the Kansas Union cafeteria's prices are higher than those of other restaurants in the area Since the Kansas Union is supposed to be run for the student's benefit, it should offer the student better service through lower prices on meals Johnson said.
- Investigation of some of the Kansas Union services.
The platform also calls for: a financial statement to be published annually by the Kansas Union.
THE PLATFORM ALSO calls f.
Johnson said the group is not trying to crusade against the Union but wants to investigate some phases it thinks need possible change.
- Support of the ASC Human Rights Committee as long as the HRC continues to investigate racial and religious discrimination at KU.
- Explanation by the ASC of the reasons why the referendum on the student seating plan was never brought up.
- Investigation into the work of the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC).
- Financial and Moral Support for the Student Non-Violent Cooperation Committee (SNCC).
- The broadening of the ASC's outlook by including national and international problems in their scope of discussion.
- A change in the ASC rules governing the ASC representation of cooperative living groups and professional fraternities.
IF NO REASON is given by the ASC, the group will propose that action be taken to get the referendum.
In regard to the student seating plan Johnson said the ASC constitution provides that if 20 per cent of the students sign a petition for a referendum on a subject, the ASC must set an election date not more than three weeks from the time when the petition is submitted.
He said that a petition was signed last spring by 2500 students (more than twice the required number) but the Council failed to present the issue to the student body for a vote.
Action proposes a campaign to be conducted in April to raise funds for the Student Non-Violent Cooperation Committee (SNCC), Johnson said.
(Continued on page 8)
Action Having ASC Trouble
Action has come up against a barrier in its quest for the All Student Council's recognition as a campus political party.
The validity of the proposed party's petition for ASC recognition has been unofficially questioned because the students who signed the petition are not necessarily potential members of the group.
THE ASC CONSTITUTION says that for a group to get official recognition, its "active membership must constitute 10 per cent of the student body."
The petition, which Action is circulating reads, "We, the undersigned, do hereby express the desire that Action be officially recognized as a campus political party at the University of Kansas."
This petition makes no stipulation that the students who sign the petition are potential "active members" of the group, but rather that they simply desire to see Action become recognized as a campus political party.
MEL SAFERSTEIN, St. Joseph, Mo., graduate student and chairman of the ASC elections committee, explained that regardless of the interpretation of the phrase, "active membership," the ASC will have to vote to recognize the group.
Although Action does not have the 1000 signatures (10 per cent of the student body) at this time, Harold Johnson, Ft. Leavenworth junior and vice-president of the group, said the required number of signatures is expected in the near future. The deadline for filing this petition with the ASC is Wednesday, March 28.
Saferstein said that the problem of "active membership" arises from the group's individual membership
(Continued on page 8)
J-School Faculty Answers Charge Of Editor Austin
The faculty of the KU School of Journalism charged that Whitley Austin, a Board of Regents member, was an unfair critic when he called the school a "disgrace."
The faculty issued a statement today proposing that a committee of Kansas journalists make a study of the school to reach an "informed evaluation." The statement deplored Mr. Austin's charges as being made without documentation.
A copy of the complete statement will be sent to each member of the Board of Regents. The statement reads as follows:
At the March 16, 1962, meeting of the Kansas Board of Regents Mr. Whitley Austin, a member of the board, declared that the William Allen White School of Journalism and Public Information is a "disgrace." Mr. Austin said this in support of his motion to reduce the school to department status in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
THE FACULTY of the School of Journalism deplores and resents the assertion that the school operates ineffectively. The record shows otherwise. Faculty members, students, and alumni have achieved stature and have won honors that clearly reflect the high standing of the school. Facts in support of this statement are available for all to see.
For instance, the students last year won first place in the national writing competition sponsored among all accredited schools and departments of journalism by the William Randolph Hearst Foundation. Mr. Austin made his charges against the school and against the faculty without documentation.
We welcome any honest and constructive study and criticism by Mr. Austin or any other person or group interested in making an informed evaluation of our program.
Three times since 1947—at the prescribed five-year intervals—the William Allen White School has been accredited by the American Council on Education for Journalism, ACEJ consists half of educators
SPECIFICALLY, we propose that a committee of Kansas journalists visit the School of Journalism and make such a study.
(Continued on page 8)
By Bill Sheldon
The KU-Y Cabinet voted last night not to penalize the winning skit in the recent Rock Chalk Revue.
KU-Y Declares Revue Skit 'OK'
The originality of the Kappa Sigma-Delta Delta Delta skit had been questioned by students and faculty members and had been under investigation by the Cabinet. Although the board felt the skit was not entirely original, they decided not to penalize the fraternity and sorority.
The Cabinet, the governing body of the production, "decided that the Kappa Sigma-Delta Delta Delta skit should not be disqualified from Rock Chalk and that they should be allowed to keep the trophies." The vote of the Cabinet was 11-4.
兰妮 Childers, Kansas City senior, who played Medea in the Rock Chalk skit explained that she had gotten the idea for the skit from a show at Southern Methodist University.
MISS CHILDERS SAID during a hearing before the Cabinet that at SMU only eight minutes were allowed for the skit. Thus the Cabinet explained its decision saying, "The expansion of the show here to 15 minutes would mean that more than half of the material was by Kappa Sigma and Delta Delta.
The announcement of the decision came in a two and one-half page statement from the Cabinet which was released following a one and one-half hour meeting in the Kansas Union.
The originality of the skit, "Medea," was first challenged by the Rock Chalk committee of the Cabinet at a special meeting March 5.
Information leading to the conducting of the investigation came from a statement by a KU faculty member who said she had seen a similar skit in Chicago.
THE FACULTY MEMBER, MRS. Nancy Scott, assistant instructor of English, said she saw the complete play, "Medium Rare," of which "Medea" is a part, at the Happy Medium Cabaret in Chicago in August, 1961.
The KU-Y statement also said Bill Charles, Oak Park, Ill., graduate student, "claimed that the 'Medea' skil was similar to that presented at the Happy Medium."
Miss Childers told the Cabinet the skit at SMU was presented on April 9,1960, almost three months before the opening of the show in Chicago
Miss Childers said she was not aware of the origin of the skit until after Rock Chalk.
"CONSIDERING THE FACTS, members of the Cabinet pointed out that the 'Medea' skit differed from
other and previous skits not so much in kind but in degree," the statement said.
Bill McCollum, Leavenwortn senior and co-chairman of KU-Y, said there was no specific proof that the Chicago and KU skits had identical lines.
McCollum, who prepared the statement, said the lines being identical was nothing more than "hearsay."
"Unfortunately there has been increasingly more unoriginal material used in Rock Chalk in recent years," the statement said, "and while this has been the most flagrant violation brought to the attention of the KU-Y, there seems to be not enough justification to disqualify them (the winners) in view of previous infractions."
McCOLLUM EXPLAINED THERE has not been a clarification in the Rock Chalk rules of the originality of the skits.
"Because of the misunderstanding in the 'Medea' skit the cabinet recommended that the Rock Chalk Revue staff prepare specific rules describing the nature of next year's Revue for the participating houses," the Cabinet statement said.
"We feel the action to be taken because of the preceding statement will clarify the rules and regulations for next year and that this will not happen again," McCollum said.
"IT IS OBVIOUS THAT KAPPA Sigma and Delta Delta Delta, not having been in Rock Chalk in recent years, did not understand the show as being principally a KU student work," the statement said.
"The Rock Chalk staff assumed that all the participating houses were aware of this tradition and rules concerning originality in the director's guide seemed unnecessary," the statement continued.
Keith Jochim, Birmingham, Mich., junior and previous spokesman for the houses involved, said:
"I am pleased with the KU-Y decision and, of course, agree with it. I am glad it was finally decided and out of the way because it has been putting a lot of people on the spot for a long time."
Jochim added that he felt there was a need for a change in the rules regarding originality. He said more specific rules would be a great help o the houses.
Weather
Considerable cloudiness today and tonight. Not quite so warm today. Scattered thunderstorms developing this afternoon and evening continuing tonight. Wednesday partly cloudy and cooler. Highs this afternoon middle to lower 60s. Lows tonight upper 40s. Highs Wednesday 50s.
Book Drive Going Well
The first day of the People-to-People book drive for a foreign student lending library took in between 800 and 900 books.
A goal of 5,000 has been set for the drive which will extend through this week. Books from individual students are being collected at the information booth on Jayhawk Blvd.
Tonight, members of the Interfriaternity Pledge Council will drive representatives from the sororites and the Panhellenic Council to the various organized houses to pick up books collected by those groups.
THE BOOKS are being stored in a temporary headquarters at 776 North 2nd St. They will be catalogued there and then moved into a permanent library in time to be in circulation for the fall semester.
The library which will be in operation next fall, will provide boots on a loan basis, for foreign students who are on a limited budget.
All kinds of books are being collected, but those most needed are the ones still used in classroom instruction. Books which are no longer used at KU will be sent overseas through the KU-Y overseas books program.
BOOKS ARE FOR PEOPLE—James Alsbrook, Lawrence sophomore, gives books at the campus collection point in the information booth on Jayhawk Blvd. Robert Crosier, Lawrence freshman.
representing the Interfraternity Pledge Council, inside the booth, accepts the books for the People-to-People foreign student library. The drive will continue until Thursday.