The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1906-03-08

lstic rules that shall govern the play
ine of the various team from this time
on The discussion OF the athletic con
d,,ions has been going on for some TINE
At the various meetings OF the tacultE'
and various rules have been plahheu 80
as to cover the conditions under whicl
athletics have been managed IN the past
The trouble came 20 settlement thls
morning Wen the following was ie"u ~
the students az chapel;
TO the Students of Brown University
The corporat ton OF the university by
vote communicated 10 the faculty on the
18th of april 1905, requested the fhcuitS
10 assume control of athletics. in uls
charge OF the duty, which IT then as
sumed, the faculty voted TO present TO 'he
students the following statements
y That inter collegiate athletic contests as
at present conducted are attended ny eViIs
demanding immediate remedy. is con
vict;on that has forced itself recently on
all our education-all institutions ENhB
Serntion OF the importance or athleuc'
systematic EVASION OF rules or enslolhtS'
secret I'm ucements in money or its equiv,
aient. excessive luxury, extravaganza, ana
often mismanagement I'm the use OF funds
frequent discourtesy, unfairness, and bru-
tality in the conduct OF games-these are
evils apparently characteristic or inter
collegiate athletics everywhere. unless
they can be eliminated. IL is evident that
these contests cannot he allowed 10 con-
tinue.
For several years this faculty has
sought through the intercollegiate CON
ference on athletics and otherwise. 10 de-
,ise by intercollegiate agreement sonle
effective plan for dealing with these evils.
Having failed I'm this endeavor. and earn
estly desiring To make possible the CON
tinuance OF these contests for the souo
there is in them. II has decided TO take IN
dependent action along lines In some re-
spects radically different from those In
favor elsewhere. IL believes that In deal
ing with this situation. a sharper separa-
tion should be made than heretofore be-
tween those matters with which faculties
OF ght 10 and can deal successfully ana
those with which thep cannot. and that
the responsibility for the latter should pe
placed in the hands OF the students them
selves The faculty should endea%or TO
subordinate athletic interests TO the intel
lectual aims OF the college and put them
in their proper place In college hie'
should determine under what rules as TO
scholarship and attendance participation
in athletics should be allowed: and shouh
insist by means OF such regulations az
can be practically enforced that the
games be made clean, honorable and gen
tlemanly In so far as IL is impossible 10
eradicate evils by means or legislation,
and In so far as matters are by their very
nature OF particular concern TO the stun
dents themselves. the students should be
made responsible for them. Thus TO stu
dents should be entrusted the choice OF
concerning organization. rules
OF play, and eligibility apart from matters
of scholarship and attendance; and or
them must be demanded that they con.
duct their games and affairs honestly
and fairly.
In accordance with this principle. the
IL Guilty has decided To adopt a set OF reg
ulations subject TO much additions ana
revisions In the future as circumstances
may seem TO require The main features
OF these regulations, SO far as thep differ
from those now in Z, ca are as follows:
/. The appointment, subject to the APP
provai OF the corporation, OF a supervisor
os Athletics, among whose duties shall be
the exclusion from teams OF men who are
physically unft; control OF finances: SUI
pervision OF the work OF managers: SUI
pervision OF coaching and training; and
so far as he can accomplish IL, the main
tenance OF proper standards OF play and
conduct.
2. Limitation of the absences allowed for
athletic purposes to a number not ex-
ceeding that which any student may take
without being required TO account for
them.
g. The exclusion OF all students who
have entrance conditions; and Of all who
have deficiencies amounting to more than
four hours for the preceding term. or
more than nine hours for all previous
terms.
4. The exclusion Of all students in
their first year OF residence and OF grad
uate students.
s. The retention in the hands OF the
faculty Of the power and obligations i'm
posed upon II by the corporation to make
such notifications in the future the
interests OF the university may seem 10
require.
The faculty realizes that these provis-
ions do not provide complete remedy for
the evils I'm the present situation. and be-
lieves that IL cannot devise any set of
regulations capable OF enforcement that
can fully accomplish the desired end. The
final responsibility for clean and sensible
sport must rest with the students them
selves. The faculty sincerely trusts that
the students will accept the responsibility
and will frame such regulations as may
do away woith existing evils so far as
lies In their power and Will heartily CO.
operate in enforcing them.
Subjected TO the restrictions enumera led
above. the faculty hereby entrlists 20 the
students the power to determine and the
obligation TO enforce the rules Of or
garization. II eligibility and Of play. under
which their contests shall be conducted.
The only further conditions n imposes
are tho tho first set OF rules passed by
them shall be submitted 20 the faculty
tor approval; that no change in existing
rules or I'm rules subsequently adopted
shall go into effect until the beginning
OF the academic year following their adop-
tion. that such changes shall not be in
consistent with the ends which the plan
hereby announced has in view: and that
n copy Of every change In these rules
shall be filed with the secretary OF the
faculty as soon as IL Is adopted.
IL Is evident that by this plan larger
restrictions that heretofore are imposed
upon the students and larger responsi-
biiities entrusted 20 them. The faculty
can see no other way I'm which the situa-
tion now existing can be fairly dealt with
and Is convinced that upon the success or
failure of this plan I'm providing a remedy
fr e,lstoing evils must depend the con-
tinuancc or the abolition OF intercollegiate
athletics.
n will lie seen from this that the matter
~ the eligibility Of the students 50 far as
profcssfonallsm and summer ball are con
rerned are left 10 the students tlpmretye