NOVEMBER 8, 15i THE MICHIGAN DAILY
For
uesday,
Robert -
Wednesday
SGC
lection'
I
Sports Night Editor, Daily;
WCBN announcer; Wolverine
Club; yearbook, newspaper re-
porter, Marquette University.
Charles
Kozoll
1) In all representative groups
the prime criterion for success is
the degree to which the electec
carry out the wishes of the elec-
tors as a whole. Student Govern-
ment Council's effectiveness rests
entirely on how well it ascertains
the needs of the student body anc
interprets them in carrying out a
program of action.
Elected from the entire student
body, a member is duty bound tc
seek out constituent opinion as a
basis for formulating his own
ideas. In the end, his views shoulc
represent a consensus of student
opinion combined with howe he
will interpret it, based upon his
own knowledge and experience.
/, then becomes not only de-
sirable but also imperative that
the elected member be in constant
contact with all segments of the
student body. By visiting all types
of living units - affiliated and
non-affiliated - the member wil.
gain insight into the desires and
wishes of the constituents. Ideal-
ly, a member isn't influenced by
any one group; recognizing that
a compromise always exists be-
tween those groups who always
regard themselves in constant
conflict, a member should work
to effect agreement of opinion.
In some cases, it would be wise
for a member to consult with a
group directly affected in a mat-
ter, but this situation should be
resolved by considering a backlog
of views from all groups.
2) Concerning the problem of
recognition: Under the SGC Plan,
the Council is given the right of
recognition concurrent with the
policies of the University adminis-
tration.
While this is a desirable situa-
tion, it lacks the necessary clarity
to make it an effective tool of
both the student and the admin-
istration. Administration policy
changes from year to year on
certain matters; their views of
certain groups could also change.
SGC could also undergo a re-
vision of its views of certain
groups seeking recognition. The
problem is then affecting a com-
promise when SGC and admin-
istration find themselves holding
opposite opinions.
To resolve this, it would be wise
to place control in this area un-
der a combined administration-
SGC Committee. In this case,
the opinions of the students
would be represented along with
the faculty interpretation of the
feasibility of allowing certain
groups to come on campus. New
interpretations by both sides
would be tempered by opinions
from the two groups.
In many cases, the problem of
recognition will demand balanced
opinion and compromise - stu-
dent-administration compromise
will best make a decision suitable
for all groups concerned,
3) In the area of academics:
The problem of obtaining an edu-
cation is one which can be settled
both inside and outside the class-
room. SGC is In a most advan-
tageous position to aid the stu-
dent body in obtaining a balanced
scope of information.
Working with the faculty in
many areas, SGC could aid the
student body with concrete pro-
grams, evaluations and sugges-
tions. There exist wide areas
where questions of honor systems,
course evaluations, the possibility
of inter-departmental courses
could be examined by SGC.
The greatest benefit here is not
that one answer will be given to
enlarging a student's view of edu-
cation. By stirring up thought and
raising questions, by fomenting
disagreement and d i s c u s s i o n,
SGC would be bringing the realm
of academics out of classroom
regimentation and into a situa-
tion of direct student contact.
For this reason, it is necessary
that SGC seek more academic
Haber
Political Issues Club program
committee chairman, acting
chairman, executive committee.
I urge a new concept of student
government. As the questions pre-
sented are of peripheral import-
ance to this I shall give them only
cursory response. I have dealt
with them and many others in a'
written platform which I will dis-
tribute personally and which I
will seek to have posted in all
living units on campus as well as
the League and Union. In the in-
terest of a better Universify com-
munity I hope that you will give
attention to that platform.
As to the questions:
1) It is necessary that the coun-
cilman be in contact with his con-
stituents.
2) All matters of discipline
should be in the hands of a joint
group of administration and stu-
dents.
3) Academic problems should
be one of the council's chief in-
terests.'
My concern, however, is that the
Council in its occupation with ad-
ministrative matters and special
projects often seems much like a
high school student council exer-
cising some sort of quasipower and
giving a 'home to activity men,
While the Council's work has un-
deniable value it nonetheless falls
far short of my conception of the
task before student government.
In my view the Council should
represent student opinion in the
administration of the University.
According, it should express the
concerns of students in all phases
of University activity. I oppose the
notion that students should be
given "absolute" authority over a
certain set of activities while the
administration takes care of the,
rest. Such a division leads on the
one hand to unfortunate conflicts
of jurisdiction and on the other
to exclusion of student voice from
areas which are properly their
concern.
Bicycles, the status of sororities,
the calendaring and coordination
of student activities are all im-
portant, but there are many much
Roger Levy
WCBN assistant station man-
ager; Academic Chairman, Hins-
dale House- Engineering Coun-
cil; President, Class of '6WE
executive board; decorations
chairman. Playboy's Prance;
Soccer Club; Chairman, Home-
coming alumni relations sub-
committee; Theta Xi fraternity,
assistant treasurer.
I would like to answer the three
questions posed by The Daily and
then mention a few areas for im-
provement within the Council.
1) A Student Government Coun-
cil member should consult with
the student body only in gathering
information concerning an issue.
The reason is that by consulting a
small number of people a false
impression might be gathered and
a random opinion can not be
obtained. An exception would be a
small group whose ideas would, be
pertinent to the issue.
2) SGC should be able to make
all decisions concerning recogni-
tion and withdrawal of recogni-;
tions of student organizations. If
the Council does truly represent
the students it must have the
power to back up decisions which
are made concerning student or-
ganizations. The Council should
not and can not have sole au-
thority, however, because there
must be a check on any organiza-
tion having judiciary and adminis-
trative power. This is why a com-
mittee of the administration and
members from the Council are
meeting to determine the areas of
jurisdiction of the Council and the
administration. These two groups
will have to work together in order
to have an effective Council.
3) SGC should not further
concern itself in academic areas.
It should concentrate on fewer
projects for greater efficiency and
effectiveness. There are enough
COUNT NIGHT-A scene of furious activity from 7:30 p.m. until way into the night on Wednesday or the wee hours of Thursday
morning will be the Union Ballroom where SGC candidates' ballots will be tabulated and examined for validity. Utilizing the Hare
system, voters will have indicated their preferences by the numerical order in which they list the candidates; the top five candidates
will win seats on SGC. Although the Joint Judiciary Council has ultimate authority to disqualify candidates, the Council Credentials
Committee will be on hand to void any illegal ballots.
issues to concern the Council with-
out looking for problems to settle.
Academic projects should be ini-
tiated by the students and brought
to the Council if any problems
arise.
Briefly, there are two fields in
which the Council should concen-
trate. The first is the parking
'problem. Any student having a
car on campus pays $7.OQ for any
kind of permit. Unless the student
receives more benefits from the
money, he should not have to pay
to drive on a state road or to
store a car. To settle the acute
parking problem, 60 per cent of
the driving funds go into a "park-
ing reserve" to be used for lots,
but the only new one is poorly
situated on North Campus.
Second, a student course evalua-
tion booklet should be published
in the near future to benefit the
students. I am also against de-
ferred fraternity rushing.
I would like to congratulate the
Council in their work concerning
the academic calendar, the Health
Insurance program, and human
relations. This work should defi-
nitely be continued.
Brian
Higins
1) The Council is a sounding
board of student opinion. There-
fore it is effective only as long as
the delegates are aware of stu-
dent opinion. If elected, I would
talk with house presidents, organ-
izations, and students concerning
major issues to insure that I
would be reflecting campus
opinion.
2) Recognition and withdrawal
of recognition from students or-
ganizations is a joint responsibili-
ty of the administration and the
Council. Ultimately, the adminis-
tration has the power and there-
fore, ultimate responsibility. The
administration shouldrconsider
the Council's opinion seriously in
its decisions. The present debate
in this area is a result of ambigu-
ous definitions of the Council's
powers, and this should be clari-
fied immediately.
3) Yes. Action should be taken
toward improving academic coun-
seling. The course evaluation
booklet should be published so
that the student could get a pros-
pectus of a course and instructors
before signing up for a course, A
revision of the grading system is
needed. Top scholars should have
a special opportunity to meet with
visiting dignitaries in small
groups.
I am against the present en-
couragement of segregation in the
dormitories. The new dormitory
applications in effect, force both
the student and the parent to ap-
prove of living with someone of:
another race or creed. A student
violently opposed to being inte-
grated could state so on his ap-
plication.
Segregation would not been-
couraged, yet an individual could
pick his roommate if he wished
to. Information regarding inten-
tions to rush and whether or not
their parents are separated or di-
vorced is also included in this ap-
plication. This information is
even made available to sophomore
staff in the dormitories. This in-
formation is none of their busi-
ness. A complete change in this
application is necessary.
Union Personnel Manager;
Alpha Phi Omega pledge presi-
dent; Student Government
Council Coordinating and Coun-
seling subcommittee Chairman;
general chairman, West Quad-
rangle Christmas Dance; Mich-
igan Union Staff; Co-chairman,
Prizes Committee, Spring Week-
end; SGC Student Activities
Scholarship Board of Directors;
General Co-Chairman, Home-
coming Central Committee; Un-
ion Executive Council and Social
Chairman; Student Relations
Committee, Development Coun-
cil; Theta Xi Fraternity, social
chairman.
I am against deferred rushing.
Freshmen should have an oppor-
tunity to pledge either in-the fall
or spring. This allows the fresh-
men to (a) see many houses, (b)
have several opportunities to
pledge, and (c) pledge later during
the year. ~I
An efficient Student-Alumni
Board is needed to coordinate
ideas and actions of the students
and alumni for the improvement
of the University.
Changes which should be made
in the Administrative Wing are:
a) Cut out busy work commit-
Gerald
Manning
Gilbert and Sullivan; Michi-
ganensian copy staff;: Choral
Union chorus; Block M game
displays; Young Democrats.
A ray of hope. All is not apathy
and despair. The other day on the
Diag students actuallyggot up and
expressed themselves, about the
drinking regulations, the parking
facilities, the dorm food and SGC.
Students do have opinions on Uni-
versity life. They do have com-
plaints. They do want things
changed.
If SGC is to be an effective or-
ganization, the membership must
not only provide unilateral leader-
ship on such things as Student
Health Insurance, it must get out
and find' out what the students
want. It must mix with the stu-
dents and make them aware of the
fact that this is the student or-
ganization.
It can be similar to the great
phenomenon of our day, the union.
Each individual faction working
by itself gets nothing done, but
combined into one large group
cognizant of the wants of the
other groups and willing to work
toward compromise so that every-
one may be, to a measure satis-
fied, a great deal can be ac-
complished.
So the issue is not Sigma Kappa
but it is SGC itself. It must go
out to the student body and win
its support by personal contact.
This would involve pushing the
speaking program they already
have set up. It would involve set-
ting up machinery to make it less
time consuming to be a candidate.
It would involve setting up a
freshman orientation program
that would last a semester and
whose purpose would be to ac-
quaint the incoming student with
just what the University is and
what it had to offer him in the
line of activities, academic pro-
grams, services.
The Administration has placed,
a great deal of faith in the stu-
dent. Before it will be willing to
delegate SGC any more power of
expression in academic fields, it
will undoubtedly want to see that
its faith has not been misplaced.
This will entail getting at least
some segment, of the student body
behind it. The programs they are
interested in-student evaluation
booklet, counseling program, fo-
rum program-should be sufficient
to occupy their time for the pres-
ent. It's prime concern now must
be to win student support.'
Should I be elected this is what
I will strive for SGC as the stu-
dents' organization.
Paul Liehier
1) Since he is elected by the
student body as a whole, the
SGC member is responsible to
it. Certainly the Council mei-
ber should consult with this body
whenever possible. He must give,
as well as take suggestions. The
Council was established to benefit
the entire student body and they
should have the greatest say in
what their organization does.
The second part of this question
can be answered in light of the
first. Indeed, if an issue primarily
concerns one segment of the stu-
dent body the Council member
must direct his efforts toward get-
ting this group's ideas.
2) In the SGC Plan, there is
provision for recognition of stu-
dent organizations. In accordance
with regental and administrative
policy, SGC can recognize as well
as withdraw recognition from stu-
dent organizations. I do think
that this is good policy. However,
these student organizations must
be more clearly defined. Do fra-
ternities and sororities fall into
this category? I don't think so!
Fraternities and sororities cannot
be classed as such and should be
dealt with differently. Being a
private group, the fraternity or
sorority is distinctly secretive.
Thus, its affairs are all internal.
SGC °cannot concern itself with
such matters. The administration
can and should establish the cri-
teria for such dealings.
3) There is certainly a need for
SGC concentration in the aca-
demic area. Along with the sched-
uling of final exams prior to regis-
tration and a more significant
grading system, SGC can anda
should help the student to achieve
more crucial problems: combining
liberal education with the need for
specialized training; inculcating
the habit of the critical and in-
dependent thought; producing
graduates who are not only socially
adjusted and economically pre-
pared but who can play the role
of responsible citizens in a demo-
cratic society.
Such are the goals of the Uni-
versity, and such should be the
concerns of SGC. It is my aim
to direct the Council's attention
to these matters and to make its
voice felt.
Soph Show, program commit-
tee; Musket, program commit-
tee; Chairman, Student Gov-
ernment Council calendaring
subcommittee; Sigma Alpha Mu
fraternity.
the best academic advice possible.
This can be done through better
faculty counseling. Another meth-
od along this line is the Course
Evaluation Booklet.
This booklet has received much
criticism, but must not be over-
looked due to discontent or lack
of interest. The booklet would
serve to better acquaint the stu-
dent with the courses offered by
the University and would contain
explanations as to content of the
course and student feeling toward
it.
The new. Hyde Park idea is one
which permits students to ex-
press themselves freely to all those
interested. This type of informal
discussion is what is strongly
needed at the University.
tees.
b) Select an
Wing member to
an incentive to,1
supply a member
with a thorough
of the Wing.
Administrative
the Council as
the Wing and
to the Council
understanding
Elected, Ex-Officio Members,
Ad Wing Comprise Council
Student Government Council is composed of 18 members, who sit
on the Council itself plus the Administrative Wing.
Of the 18 Council body members, 11 are elected members while
seven have the status of ex-officio, each the head of a major organi-
zation on campus.
Seated on this year's SGC are Robert Ashton, '59, Interhouse
Council president, John Gerber, '59, Interfraternity Council president,
#Bobbie Maier, '59, president of the
League and Pat Marthenke, '59,
Assembly Association president.
Union President Barry Shapiro,
'59, Daily Editor Richard Taub,
f Issu es '59, and Panhellenic Association
President Mary Tower, '59, are the
other ex-officio members.
JURISDICTION DISPUTED:
'SigmaKappa' Heads List o:
David
Carpenter
By SUSAN HOLTZER in Review of SGC. At the meeting, ministrative, and Joint Judiciary TEls heaerse
The issue that has come to be called simply ".Sigma Kappa" has Miss Bacon denied claims that the policies, to withdraw recognition The Council is headed by an ex-
been perhaps the prime topic of campaign discussion for Student letter was a demonstration of per- (from) campus organizations." ecutive committee elected by the
Government Council candidates. sonal opinion, saying instead that Administrative officials point out body members. The committee
But "Sigma Kappa" has become no longer merely a question of it represented Administration pol- that the Committee on Student consists of the SGC president, ex-
Afarsws nlue mmer fecutiv viepsdntadminis-
recognition. Number one problem now is the status of Student Gov- icy. Affairs was included members of ecutive vice-president,admins-
enent Council itself, what pow- Question Remains the Administration as well as stu- trative vice-president and treasur-
S h ntsThe Board decision was to place dents, and that SGC cannot take er and is set up at the first meet-
ers it has and what its relationship abide by the University or college the Sigma Kappa issue under a over all its authority. ing following the semi-annual
The current problem, primarily rules and regulations now govern- joint decision of SOC and the Council members have declared SGC elections.
Te currentpob, prarly ing the respective campuses on Administration, but the question the Administration's stand leaves The Council Administrative
one of jurisdiction, actually must which it has a chapter . . . in of jurisdiction remained. Still un- them powerless to make any deci- Wing includes the standing and
be traced back to 1949. In that accordance with university or col- solved is the problem of where sion at all. They claim that under special committees as well as the
yathe Uivesity asa rgn- lege rules and regulations, pro- the final decision lies-with SGC, the situation as described by the office and personnel staffs. The
lation forbidding campus organi- vided that such rules and regula- or with the Administration, administration, SGC can merely administrative vice-president has
ionst d dermntryineimeThberi tions must not be in violation of Ultimate responsibility for rec- approve decisons already laid charge of the four standing com-
oin apdiscriminatory basis. The r- the Constitution and By-laws of ognition of student groups, ac- down by the administration itself. mittees of the Council. These are
gaiable onlyed ather- Sigma Kappa. cording to opinion voiced by Miss Action Stay Lifted the Student Activities, Education'
ganizations recognized after 1949,'an StdtWefr.Niol
hit Sigma Kappa sorority, which Letter from Lewis Bacon at the Board meeting, rests Meanwhile, the stay of action and Student Welfare, National
was accepted on campus in 1954. In a letter to the Council, how- with the offices of the Deans and passed by the Board at their origi- and International and the Public
ever, Vice-President for Student the Vice-President of Student Af- nal meeting has been lifted after Relations committees.
Found in Violation Affairs James A. Lewis had de- ' fairs. SGC contends the responsi- the joint SGC-Administration re- Create Special Committees
In 1956, when national Sigma clared the resolution acceptable to bility is theirs. quest for its removal. The move Under the jurisdiction of the
Kappa suspended chapters at Cor- the Administration. In the University Regulations presumably leaves the Council free executive vice-president are the
nell and Tufts after pledging "The office of the Dean of Wom- Booklet, the Committee on Student to take action. snerial nmmittees which are e-
the principles for which he stan(
and therefore he has the right
exercise these principles.
2) Before answering where
believe the responsibility for recc
nition and withdrawal of su
should rest, I believe it necessa
to state where the authority to
so lies at present.
The authority rests with t
administration, and in this ca
it is doubtful that it will ever
elsewhere. Therefore, it may
the responsibility for SGC to pe
form such actions, but this is
puppet performance. The plan
SGC states that in performing tY
function, the Council will act '
accordance with regental and a
ministrative policy;" therefore
it does not, the Board In Revi(
will intervene.
The Student Government Cou
cil would be better off if it d
pensed with these puppet fun
tions and handled only matte
that it has the authority to hand
In this way, it could accompli
more and also gain greater presti
campus-wise.
3) SGC should concern itself
much as possible with the ac
demic area. After all is said a:
done, it still remains that we a
Lambda Chi Alpha social fra-
ternity; Junior Inter-fraternity