... a year of change
... but significant change
Photos by Steve Fritz
... and more ahead
Reflections on his first year
By STEVE FRITZ
Kansan Staff Writer
Chancellor E. Laurence Chalmers Jr. broke into hearty laughter when he was asked what his overall reactions to his first year at the University of Kansas were.
"That's a tall order at this particular stage of the game." he said.
"It does seem to the members of the public at large that the major events on this and many other
university campuses have been negative-toned events." Chalmers said.
However, looking at the year in a positive sense, Chalmers said, "I would have to say that this year has been a year of change."
Chalmers indicated that some of the change was a little more rapid than had been expected, but most of it was significant change.
During this year the Student Senate passed its code of student conduct.
"This code was both developed and passed by students," Chalmers said, "and is one of the finest statements of both student rights and privileges and sanctions for any type of disruptive activity ever passed."
"I would have to say that in a sense there has been no disruptive activity at KU," Chalmers said. "As far as I know there have been no mobs or riots. There have been peaceful demonstrations."
"There has been destruction of property and this (Continued to page 22)
Special Edition
The past school year has been almost incomprehensible. Fires, marches, moratoriums, a new Senate Code being put to use, a new chancellor, Nixon, Hoffman—all have provided a myriad of events unparalleled in the history of the University. Throughout this issue of the Kansan are summary stories of the major events of this school year.
80th Year, No.134
The University of Kansas—Lawrence, Kansas Wednesday, May 13, 1970
BSU charges apathy over death of blacks
The Black Student Union (BSU) held an open forum for black and white students in front of Strong Hall 8 p.m. Tuesday.
John Spearman, Lawrence sophomore, said the main idea of the forum was to give white students at KU a chance to know what the direction of the BSU was in University policy. Spearman
named a list of 13 black students who were "Mistreated by white judiciary within the last four weeks."
Spearman said that blacks have been continually denied the freedom to express their wishes at KU, as was demonstrated by the "political censorship of the BSU's newspaper Harambee" and last Friday's "denial of their right to
Curfew tense in Augusta
Augusta, Ga. (UPI)—Hundreds of blacks gathered in eerie silence in their doorsteps in the riot scarred section of Augusta Tuesday night, sealed off from the rest of the town by National Guard roadblocks.
Darkness brought massive tension and unnatural silence to the 130 block area where six blacks were slain by police, 60 blacks and whites were injured and 50 buildings damaged or destroyed Monday night. A total of 217 were arrested.
Residents were carefully obeying the letter of the curfew—staying off the streets, but sitting watchfully on porches and door-steps.
Troops blocking intersections with bayonet - affixed riffles stopped each car coming in and carefully inspected it—including the trunk.
Black leaders waited in a church where they had set up a "rumor center" for residents to call in reports of trouble. Men in black armbands—to identify them to police and troops—were ready to move into trouble spots and plead for peace.
Gov. Lester Maddox flew into this east Georgia city and said the rioting was the result of a "Communist conspiracy."
Augusta-born soul singer James Brown flew into Augusta and met with Maddox at his radio station. Brown said black youths have gotten "promises, promises, but no results."
Brown's station began broadcasting a 20-minute tape hurriedly made by the singer in an effort to calm the situation.
Black leaders met with city officials earlier Monday and refused to go into the streets to try to prevent further disorders.
speak at the convocation by Chancellor Chalmers."
The BSU, he said, is just trying to meet the ethical needs of blacks.
He said that the BSU is also seeking the ability to control the black community "academically and power-wise."
"The University has stood in its path in trying to do this," he said.
Hopefully, Spearman said, the BSU can alleviate the growing alienation of blacks by the University institution, create new values and build a new sense of belonging and build an institution to make blacks participants in this society.
Also, the BSU wants an equal distribution of decision making power, and the whites, he said, must be pressured into adapting sound policies in this area.
Later about 300 people gathered at Dyche Hall at about 10:30 p.m. to hear blacks denounce whites for attending a rock festival at Allen Field House after the deaths Tuesday night of nine blacks in Augusta, Ga.
Greg Thomas, Kansas City sophomore and student body vice-president, Monte Beckwith, Chicago freshman, and others alleged that whites were unconcerned and apathetic over the deaths of blacks after blacks had joined with whites this week to protest the killings of Kent State students.
"Last night nine brothers were killed and a 16-year-old boy was
(Continued to page 24]
UDK News Roundup
By United Press International
Troops pulled back
SAIGON—The U.S. Command today announced the first withdrawal of American troops from Cambodia, fulfilling President Nixon's promise to have some GIs pulled out by midweek.
Official sources said 1,000 to 1,500 men of the 3rd Brigade U.S. 9th Infantry Division withdrew Tuesday from the Parrot's Beak of Cambodia west of Saigon, leaving an estimated 17,000 Americans and 23,000 South Vietnamese still involved in the cross border campaign.
Montreal to host Olympics
AMSTERDAM—The North American cities of Montreal and Denver won the war Tuesday when nominated by the International Olympic Committee to host the 1976 summer and winter games.
Both victories were in the nature of an upset. In unofficial betting Moscow was favored for the summer site while Vancouver on Canada's West Coast figured prominently as the winter choice.
SIU closes
CARBONDALE Ill. — Southern Illinois University was closed Tuesday night after 4,000 antiwar protesters marched to the home of President Delyte Morris to underscore their demands for the school's closing to protest the Southeast Asian War.
Chancellor Robert W. Mac Vickars made the announcement as the students waited outside Morris' home.
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