St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1951-12-21

university.-(ANP)
on Dec. IL.
milford q. Sibley, associate
professor of political science
wrote a letter to McDairmid in be-
half of Virgins dated Dec. 3,
which stated:
The sole problem it seems to
me is one of competence and of
that a mans own department
should be the paramount judge.
The department is the entity best
to assess ability as a scholor and
teacher"
Three students from the uni
versity appeared before the re-
gents last Friday to protest the
dismissal of Virgins.
Each student made a brief talk
in behalf of Virgins. Regain
Bracket, graduate student, said
that because this is final week the
University Daily is not being pub
lished, thus depriving the students
from being able to let their side of
the controversy being heard.
Dave Herreshoff, graduate stu
dent, said that he represented
petitioners who are asking for re-
consideration of the matter and
retention of Virgins on the fac
ulty.
Rosemary Mamie, senior. said
that she wishes for delay in the
regents decision to allow for a
fuller expression and opinion from
both students and the public to
reach the public.
Last Saturday about $50 stu
dents met at the Coffman Memoir
ial Union to protest the dismissal
of Virgins, and formed an off
campus organization with a three
point program.
l. To defend academic free
dom.
2. To support the autonomy
of the various departments at
the university, with emphasis on
the right of each department 10
Judge the competence Of Its own
members.
8. To fight for DIR. Virgins
retention on the staff
The meeting was called by the
Tri-U, University Unitarian Uni
versalists and extended invitations
to all other campus groups. The
students attended as individuals
but most We're mambers Of other
campus organizations.
A committee of "a elected to
carry on the organizational work.
DR.. Paul L. Homer, associate
professor Of philosophy, stated on
behalf of the philosophy depart
| ment. that II continues TO be uni
ted in its support of DR.. Virgins.
Sibley said that as always in
cases like these, the administra-
ton always makes certain that il
is on safe, legal grounds and that
legally there was nothing the
group could do 10 prevent Virgins
dismissal
Siblcy said that protests must
be based on moral principles,
principally the violation Of the
departments autonomy.
He said that while the admin
stration didn't raise the question,
il is pertinent at to whether or
not if Virgins would have been
terminated if his political views
had been orthodox?
This case shows that the stu
dents and the faculty both should
have a voice on the board of re-
gents, ne declared.
The committee met last Satur-
day and Monday and made plans
to carry the program over the
holiday vacation. They plan to
have a statement prepared and
distributed to all students before
the end of final week.
Professor Donald w. Calhoun,
assistant professor in the general
studnes department, was the sec
ond professor outside of the phil
osophy department to speak out
in behalf Of Virgins.
This past Tuesday he issued a
statement in which he charged
the university administration
capitulated ito political and pub
lie hysteria and has created set
Of extremely differentiated aca-
demic grounds in order to dis
gIise from itself and others the
real motives for its action.
Il do not know DR.. Virgins
personally, nor am I trained
technically as a philosopher and
therefore do not consider myself
fitted to pass judgement upon
his professional competence or his
scholarship. In this respect, I
feel myself TO be neither more or
laas np,alifinA than the nfffciala NJ