Velvel, Litto promotions main issue
Regents concerned with unrest
By DAN OSBORNE Kansan Staff Writer
At the student convocation May 8, the students of the University of Kansas voted in favor of a partial student strike to protest the war in Indochina and the killing of four students at Kent State University.
To many students, the vote represented a manifestation of the University's autonomy. But the fact remains that KU must answer to the state legislature and the Board of Regents and is not really autonomous.
The power held by the Regents was made clear on March 21 when the names of two KU professors were deleted from a list of promotions—recommended by the Chancellor and presented to the Regents.
The two men, Lawrence Velvet, professor of law, and Fredric Litto, associate professor of speech and drama, were temporarily denied promotions because of controversies surrounding them.
Velvel's promotion was allegedly denied because of his speech last February to a group protesting the trial of the Chicago Seven. Litto's promotion was supposedly postponed as a result of his part in producing an allegedly obscene play, "Kaleidoscope, An American Dream," which was to have been shown overseas.
The Regents action caused a wave of reaction at KU. Students and faculty members expressed support for the two faculty members with petitions, editorial support from the Daily Kansan, and letters to the Regents. But the epitome of support was expressed at the April 8 student strike. The strike was attended by 4,000 students and faculty members and was the focal point of the controversy.
The month-old issue finally came to a close April 24 when the Regents granted promotions for Velvel and Litto at a meeting in Kansas City.
Besides revealing the power of the Board of Regents, the Velv-Litto controversy showed that KU students and faculty members would not tolerate infringements on academic freedom.
Two events occurring during this year also showed that individual members of the Board of Regents could become involved in conflicts of interest.
On October 30, Vincent Bogart resigned from the Regents at the request of Governor Robert Docking.
Bogart was charged with a conflict of interest because of his actions with the State Board of Pardon and Parole. Richard Seaton, assistant attorney general, said that Bogart had interceded with the Board in attempting to gain a full pardon for Leon Smitherman. Seaton stated that Bogart had failed to file a petition with the Board informing them of his interest in the case.
Smitherman was convicted in 1959 of grand larceny and in 1963 was discharged from parole. Bogart was an attorney who was handling Smitherman's case.
Paul Wunsch, a former state senator, was appointed by Docking to succeed Bogart Nov. 3. Wunsch was one of two Regents
May 13
1970 KANSAN 9
Another Regent, Henry Bubb, was implicated in another possible conflict of interest case April 14. The case involved a letter written by Bubb in September to a KU professor.
to vote in favor of denying promotions to Velvel and Litto March 21.
The letter was written to Tom Weiss, assistant professor of economics, and concerned his account with Capital Federal Savings and Loan Association of which Bubb is president.
Bubb's letter to Weiss stated in part: "What would you think if I, as a member of the Board of Regents, would keep you from progressing at the University if I did not agree with you?"
Weiss, prior to receiving the letter, had removed his savings account from Capital Federal because of a "right wing" newsletter sent by Bubb to all Capital Federal customers.
Bubb was the other Regent who voted against Velvel and Litto March 21.
The other Regents action concerning KU occurred Nov. 21 when the Board voted to increase student fees beginning in the fall 1970.
The increase was passed because KU fee receipts had fallen below the 25 per cent of operating costs regarded as standard minimum in Kansas, Max Bickford, executive secretary of the Regents reported.
The action meant a yearly increase of $120 for Kansas residents and $250 for non-residents.
Although the Regents have been involved in many controversies surrounding KU students and faculty members, an attempt was made by the Board this year to improve communications.
The Regents retreat April 19 was an attempt to better communications between the Regents and University students, faculty and administrators.
Jess Stewart, Wamego Regent who initiated the idea of the retreat, said it was an attempt to informally discuss issues involving universities and the Regents.
Individual Regents were questioned following the event and expressed favorable reactions.
"Hopefully the retreat will be scheduled again next year," Stewart said.
A new dimension was added to the Board of Regents Jan. 14 when the first Negro was appointed to the Board.
Elmer Jackson, 57, was appointed by Governor Robert Docking to replace C. N. Cushing whose term had expired.
Jackson graduated from KU in 1935 and received a law degree here in 1937. He is presently engaged with a law firm in Kansas City.
When asked if being a Negro would help interpret the needs and feelings of black students, Jackson replied, "I can help when their goals are defined."
He explained that no in-depth structuring of goals and proposals had been done by blacks.
"Blacks are, however, giving a lot of thought to these problems, and that is healthy," Jackson said.
Stewart also commented on the wave of unrest and expressed confidence in students.
He said that today's students are not idealistic and are "more knowledgeable" than in the past.
"My greatest concern is that I hope the people of Kansas don't 'write off' the students," Stewart said.
"The majority are fine people and are trying to attain an education," Stewart said.
This was clearly evidenced Feb. 3 when the legislature proposed a state residence hall tax. The bill would have imposed taxes on previously exempt residence halls and students unions at Kansas colleges and universities.
The views of Jackson, Stewart and other regents are encouraging because it shows that students are not without understanding. It also represents a closing of the much publicized generation gap.
While the University must answer to the Board of Regents for its actions, the state legislature is the body that controls KU's purse strings.
Max Bickford, executive secretary of the Board told the legislature that the bill would represent an additional $3 to $4 million a year to taxpayers. It would also represent an added $7 to $19 per year in student fees and $92 to $183 additional hall rents, Bickford said.
He said it is unfortunate that some people assume the reactionary stance and discredit students.
He added the bill "would put the whole dormitory system in serious trouble."
Fortunately for KU and the other state schools the bill was defeated.
While the legislature as a body can seriously affect KU, individual legislators can also have profound effects. Senator Reynolds Shultz, R-Lawrence is a good example.
As a result of the ROTC demonstration last May, 21 KU students were involved in disciplinary hearings. Shultz attempted to obtain a list of the names during the summer and finally succeeded last October.
As Chairman of the State and Federal Affairs Committee, Shultz subpoenaed William Balfour, dean of student affairs, Sept. 18, to release the names under penalty of fine or imprisonment.
This incident only marked the beginning of KU's long battle with the senator.
Shultz appeared at the October 8 Student Senate meeting to defend his position and later agreed not to release the names of the defendants.
After his speech to a group of demonstrators protesting the trial of the Chicago Seven, Shultz called for an investigation of the content of Velvel's remarks. Shultz charged that Velvel's remarks were responsible for the demonstrators causing damage at the court house following his speech.
More recently, Shultz has criticized the Chancellor and KU administrators for not adequately handling demonstrations such as
It was charged that Shultz was responsible for Velvel's promotion postponement March 21 at the Regents meeting. But he later denied interfering with the affair.
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