Evening star., 1951-09-20
W. & N. Faculty Blast
AT Football May Mean
End 10 Scholarships
BY the Assoeiaied Press

WILLIAMSBURG, Va. Sept. 20 !
William and Mary faculty mem
bers, reacting bitterly to a sports
scandal which stunned the cam
pus, have moved to take the col
lege off the big time football map.
Sweeping reforms in the ath-
letic program at w. & M. wereI
deemed "a solemn duty" by the
faculty last night in a statement
which condemned the colleges
am tious sports policy as a cor
III ting influence.
The exaggerated athleticI
policy" is wrecking the academic
standards of the college. theI
faculty charged, has undermined
the morale of the student body
including athletes-and "has viti-I
ated the most elementary stand
ards of honesty and right con-
duct"
Faculty Control Planned.
To curb this, the faculty said in
its unprecedented assault, a sys-
tenn of complete faculty control"
must be instituted.
DR.. Nelson Marshall, dean OF
the college. said faculty control
would, in effect, eliminate athletic
scholarships at William and Mary
This, to all intents, would mean
a sudden end to an era OF foot
ball prosperity and two post-sea-
son bowl bids.
The faculty's statement came
a week after a new football hand
book issued at the college had
predicted the current scandal
would mean a "de-emphasis" OF
athletics at the institution.
The statement was met with
silence by all officials Of the
department of athletics.
Coach Refuses Comment.
"I am sorry. I have nothing
to say" Marvin Bass, the new
head football coach, said.
II think it best not to- say
anything" DR.. George Oliver, who
recently took over as director OF
athletics. said. |,
Neither Bass nor Oliver signed
the faculty statement. adopted
unanimously by 8S members who
attended a meeting here Septem-
Der II. The complete faculty
numbers 112.
Oscar L. Shewmake. rector OF
the w. and M. Board Of Visitors,
said the board would consider the
faculty. recommendations at an
October 6 session in Williamsburg.
The faculty blast made it clear
the professors plan to put
stopper on the rise of William and
Mary football teams. The athletic
program must. it said, become "a
distinctly subordinate activity"
Commercialism Charged.
At present. the statement added.
the athletic program "has usurped
a dominating position in the COL
Iege" and has become "a CONNER
cial enterprise demanding winning
teams at any cost. even at the cost
of dishonest academic practice"
This was a direct reference to
the scandal in the Department OF
Athletics which already has re-
suited in the resignation Of the
college president, DR.. John E.
Pomfret; r. N. McCray. athletic
director and head football coach,
and Barney Wilson, basketball
coach.
The Board of Visitors found
September 8 that the Athletic De-
partment under McCray had
altered the scholastic records OF
certain high school athletes to
make them eligible for entry at
William and Mary and had given
pther athletes passing grades in
physical education classes they did
not even attend.
Statement Sent to Governor.
The faculty statement was
malleQ 10 \1UN. OOIll1 Os 6oVSAS'
but the Governor, currently on a
budget tour of the State, said to-
day he had not yet read it. He
withheld comment.
Among those who signed the
statement was DR.. James WI
Miller, 49-year-old philosophy
professor, who yesterday was
named acting president OF the
258-year-old college.
Under the faculty proposals,
four committees-on admissions.
athletics, scholarship and student
aid, and academic status-would
be elected yearly by the faculty
to govern those fields.
The committees already exist,
but at present are appointed by
the college president. Shewmake,