Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-08-15
WO Educators
|AtU. Of Virginia
Defended
FocuIty Group
Decries Attacks on
Dorden, Fletcher

1.-THE faculty Of the Uni.
versity Of Virginia School of Ed
ucation has called upon the
Schools Board of Visitors to
"take prompt. decisive and posi-
tive action In support" of Pres
ident Colgate w. Darden, jr.,
and Richard r. Fletcher, direc-
tor of student affairs.
The faculty acted at a meeting
on Thursday because some stu
dents are now bringing upon the
university damaging publicity
through what we believe to be an
unjustified assault upon a man
(Fletcher) whom we consider to
be a devoted. able, and loyal
member of the university admin
istration."
Lindley J. Stiles, dean of the
school Of education, today re-
leased a statement adopted by
the faculty after he had sent
copies Of University Rector Bar
ron F. Black of Norfolk, and
Federal Judge A. D. Barksdale of
Lynchburg. Mr.. Barksdale was
named permanent chairman of q
committee on student-adminis-
tration relations.
Letters Made Public.
Mr.. stiles also made public q
letter he sent to Mr.. Black and
Mr.. Barksdale with the faculty
statement.
The action by the faculty was
an obvious reference to the uni
versity's spring lawn incident"
in which IL students were dis
ciplined in the wake of an April
sex affair on the campus with q
19-year-old girl.
Eight Of the students were
suspended for one semester to
one year. three were expelled,
the degree of another held up for
a year, and three others sternly
reprimanded.
DR.. Darden, upon the recon-
mendation of Mr.. Fletcher, took
the action and then the board
Of visitors, in special session,
upheld his directives. Five Of
the students appealed their cases
to the board but DR.. Darden's
action, in essence, was supported.
The spring sex scandal broke
amid growing student discon-
tent with the administration.
In fact. a student mass meeting
concerning student administra-
ton relations was held the same
night the board acted to sup
port DR.. Darden's discipline.
A special student committee
since has met with members Of
the board in an attempt to iron
out differences.
1.-THE attacks upon Mr.. OAR
den." wrote Mr.. Stiles, II would
suggest, are for the most part
only a symptom of the mis-
understanding, misinterpreta-
| ton, and resistance that some
are inclined to accord to the
goals which President Darden
indorses and pursues for this
university"
Backs Darden's Aims.
Mr.. Stiles wrote that some
critics of the presidents have
charged that the university pres
ident's aims for the school are
"nebulous and obscure. I have
found that (Darden's) :.
ambitions and detectives for
this institution, to the achieve
ment of which he is giving I'M
stintingly Of himself, to be
clearly evident"
He added:
1--WE are persuaded that the
current efforts to organize senti-
ment against the director Of
student affairs (Mr. Fletche)
spring largely from his forth
right and firm action taken in
recommending discipline for the
students who were involved in
an unfortunate incident of last
April"
Asks Limited Responsibility.
The statement said the faculty
was in sympathy with President
Darden and Mr.. Fletcher in
attempting to develop student
government within the univer-
sity.
But. added the statement, I'VE
would point out that in an
educational institution, just as
in the home itself, young people
can be given responsibility only
to the extent that they demon
strate the capacity to use it
wisely and in the interest of
the total group.
"For this reason, the faculty
strongly opposes as unavoidable
and dangerous the proposal that
all authority for the manage
ment of student activities be
placed in the hands of the Stu
dent Council without regard to
the Office and function of the
director of student affairs. We
believe that such course Of
action would result in the uni
versity opening the door for pos
sible student abuses and excuses,
which the administration and
faculty might the nbe powerless
to resist and that might seriously
weaken the institution itself"
The proposal referred to was
apparently a reference to an
editorial which appeared in the
university summer school news
paper, The Virginia Gazette and
Journal. The article called for
decentralization of the Office of
student affairs and urged action
by the Board of Visitors on the
student leaders recommended
tons for improving STUDENT
administration relations.
I Washington Teachers
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