Evening star., 1945-06-12
Maryland U. Group
Asks Mass Meetinu
To Air Grievances

The Remember University Of
Maryland student committee which
charged last week that the institu.
tion's administration was "undemo.
cratic and dictatorial," will ask the
student board today to arrange a
mass meeting at 80 pm tomorrow
at which students can air their
grievances and suggest changes in
the university's policies.
The action followed a two-hour
conference yesterday between the
committee and DR.. H. c. Byrd, uni
versity president, during which the
latter pointed out that most of the
things of which, the group com
planned were required by law.
In refusing to speak before the
proposed assembly, DR.. Byrd said
he would prepare a complete state
ment on the committees charges
Proposes Grievance Meeting.
IF you want the university to
consider what you want changed, ,
DR.. Byrd stated, you should get
the Student Board to call a meeting
OF all students to draw up the things
you want the University of Mary
land to do. These recommendations
then will be studied by the faculty
and even by the Board of Regents,
II necessary" E@
Pfmefpal criticisms by the commit
tee OF the university's policies GEN.
tered On these points :
Compulsory military training for
all students, including 4-Fs and
Army and Navy veterans.
A regulation giving DR.. Byrd
authority to dismiss any student at
any time without revealing the
charges against him.
Censorship by university officials
OF the Diamond back, weekly school
publication.
Claim Crippled Forced to Drill.
In discussing the compulsory mil
itary training policy at the institu-
ton, Leslie DAILY, jr., a member of
the committee. said he had seen
students with only one arm forced
to take drill.
DR.. Byrd explained that operation
Of the ROTC at the university is
controlled by law and by the Board
Of Regents and that it has been in
effect at the institution for rs years.
Declaring that he would investigate
the charge that students with only
one arm have to take military drill,
DR.. Byrd said he believed every
physically fit student should par
ticipate in the military training,
even If he is not eligible for the
Army. He added that veterans are
given credit for their training while
in service.
Dismissal Rule Attached.
With reference to the regulation
giving him authority to dismiss stu
dents summarily. DR.. Byrd pointed
out that this also is required by law
and that Il couldn't change 1t even
If I wanted to-" -. 49,.
He said such regulation is in
eneot in several other colleges and
universities In the country, includ-
AAAS AAASCUOli, SOuCIl6I COllcRe,
Penn State, Stanford, the University
OF Virginia and Michigan Uni
versity. ~ , ,..... ...-.-.- --.-...
''In my 10 years as president of
the university" DR.. Byrd declared,
Il have not dismissed a single stu
dent unless requested to do so by the
Student Life Committee. The ques-
ton Is not whether that power ex-
lists, but how it is used"
He denied that the Diamondback
is censored, adding that the only
time issues of the publication failed
to appear was in 1943 when it ex-
hausted its funds.
The university head promised to
hold weekly conferences in the fu-
ture with ofncials of the various
school publications to answer oues-
tions and to acquaint them with
any changes in administration
policy.