Page Two THE MICHIGAN DAILY Monday, September 29, 1969 Page Two THE MICHIGAN DAILY Monday, September 29, 1969 r Decision-making issues loom as strike By RICK PERLOFF Daily News Analysis Harvard erupted over ROTC. Berkeley exploded over a park. Now this University is on the brink of disruption concerning student control of a bookstore. But to many involved, the student drive is much more than just a struggle for a discount bookstore. It is the start of a movement for greater student participation in the University decision-making process. "The focal point for the strike is the bookstore," admits Student Government Council Administrative Vice President Bob Hirshon. "But the real issue is whether or not students can control their lives." Strike supporters like Hirshon-and they range from Radical Caccus members to so- rority women-view the strike as an attack on a University that they feel makes de- cisions which are unresponsive to the stu- dent constituents. The students are, in general, frustrated by their lack of control in such matters as curriculum, faculty tenure and allocation of student funds. They cite several examples of student im- potence in making University decisions: -the University's decision to, build the Intramural and Special Events Bldgs. from student funds, without taking a referen- dum to see if students actually wanted to use the buildings; -students annual allocation through tu- ition fees to support the Michigan Union and League, again without prior consulta- tion with students: -and students lack of control over their curriculum, admissions or faculty tenure. Although there are few concrete plans among students on all these issues yet, there is a general feeling that students should have a greater share of the deci- sion-making power. There are differences as well concerning what issues to concentrate on, but there seems to be agreement that student con- trol of the bookstore will serve as a spring board for organizing successful student movements in the future. "The bookstore issue is awakening peo- ple to the fact that they, as students, are being oppressed," says Radical Caucus member Daniel Halloran, who has been ac- tive in organizing strike support. Halloran says he plans to look into the question of open University admissions, but adds that plans are currently afoot in the Tenants' Union to press the University to build mre low-cost housing. At the same time, there is talk about de- manding a greater role in academic deci- sions. Former SGC member Mark Rosen- baum expresses interest in exploring a re- port being prepared by the Senate Assem- bly Academic Affairs Committee which calls for a greater student role in depart- mental admissions curriculum and tenure policies. At the same time, other students want to pursue a campaign to abolish all Uni- versity ties with Reserve Officer Training Corps programs. "This campus is open to student power right now," Halloran points out, but stu- dent power seems to be one of the few things the students can agree upon. "Of course there are different viewpoints among members of the group," admits SGC Executive Vice President Marc Van Der Hout. "There are a lot of different people with a lot of different politics." The group, in fact, includes Young Dem- ocrats, members of the Tenants' Union, In- ternational Socialists, Student Govern- ment Council members, SDS people and a smattering of fraternity and sorority members. Despite their differing politics and goals, the students involved are united behind working for the success of a student-con- trolled bookstore. One girl working on leaflets yesterday in the Student Activities Bldg. attributed the unity and the widespread support to the clear-cut nature of the issue. "It's almost a perfect issue to mobilize students behind. It is so easy: student control over student money." This may explain why so many previous- ly uninvolved persons are working. "The single largest group of people working are dormitory freshmen," says SGC) resident N4arty McLaughlin. This is in sharp contrast to last year's drive to abolish language and distribution requirements. At that time, attracting 200 -not 2000-students to a. Diag rally was an achievement. And despite a prolonged sit-in in the LSA Bldg., there were no mass arrests or police on campus to rally students around the cause. More importantly, the language fight was waged against some literary college faculty members who tend to be viewed by students as liberals. The bookstore issue, on the other hand, has been directed against the administration, who, Hirshon says, are begins seen by students as a manipulative and unresponsive force. "One of the real problems in the book- store issue was just how it was handled. If the Regents submitted their plan for re- actions and given all groups a chance to react to it, the situation might have been improved," he says. A good way to give students decision- making power, says Acting Vice President for Student Affairs Barbara Newell, lies in the upcoming considerations of regental bylaws. But from the bylaws to new proposed structures and student control of the book- store, student participation in decision- making seems open to question at this point. Where students, faculty and administra- tors will go from here depends to a large degree on the outcome of the bookstore crisis and on the ability of all three groups to communicate with each other. I OVER 400 STUDENTS interrupted the Sept. 20 Regents meeting to show support for a student-run discount bookstore. . 'tudents (Continued from Page 1) ver, that any action to be n following today's strike will ecided by today's mass rally p.m. on Regents Plaza. udent proponents of t h e e also met last night w i t h ested faculty members to iss the bookstore issue a n d y's strike. Close to thirty fa- members, half of which were ing fellows, attended t h e ing called by the coordinating nittee. e faculty member blasted the P as a "coercive measure" h would serve only to alien- - he Regents. response to this, McLaugh- aid, "We have given up on g to convince the Regents to to support a student-faculty bookstore-what we have to ow is make them support it ay. fter the Regents' meeting last Ly they said the bookstore is- was closed. Only after what ened Thursday night did .ing say he would talk about me more," he added. MORE TH response to a faculty sug- last night on. SGC member M a r y Liv- Court, on said the strike committee d print leaflets to be distrib- to faculty members advising of alternative actions they l take to support the strike. ssibilities brought up at the ing included professors in- ng students in their classes would not be penalized If S . chose to leave, professors g a vote in their classes as to By LIN her or not to hold cl a s s Mike Farre , and professors encouraging MeyFre nts to strike but remaining lnewly-formd id class for students who morning pres not to. Robben Flem 2:15 the focus of the strike bookstore p shift to the Senate Assem- hopes will b meeting in the Rackham Regents at a nbly Hall. The Assembly will Fleming in >nsidering three separate Farrell, that sals related to the bookstore urge the Rege and possibly a fourth. session to disc CUA has made a proposal sue in genera irting Fleming in his actions proposals, and sday night and condemning from students strike, and Prof. Robert Fleming a] Iss will introduce a motion clear. Farrell g the faculty to take im- gents wouldr te action "to develop better as a result o entation and communication fact would n cision-making" and to say it appear that s ores t h e circumstances result of stud z resulted in police on cam- Regent Lawi Stockbridge)t ilar view, sa would not m sure of a stu Farrell pre three suggest lieved could alternate boo journalism, Capp said he * The stu read the Argus and called plete control great lessons of an affluent bookstore w ty in which children can assessment w publish what they once.had on all student crawl on bathroom walls." ation out of d What compulsive mastur- This alter rs need is something to keep the proposal r hands busy," he said, re- Central Coor ng to the Argus staff. which calls f e was likewise familiar with Daily. "Anyone of that edi- .l staff can be positive of a re position on a big city} spaper-cities like Peking or S cow," laughed Capp. app could usually sum up his 1. Studer ions in one-sentence cap- control ove s: count Boo On Students for a Demo- financial r ic Society, "birth control potential lo weren't invented soon having be gh." mechanics On a volunteer army, "yes, can be nego volunteer tax paying to Several c >ort it." tives are av -On free love, "the price is referendum t " could auth -On "global affairs," "I draw review solve s with big bosoms because I ter the book 'em " r ifrito set for strike AN 80 of the 107 defendants charged with creating a contention in the LSA Bldg. met to plan court strategy. Their arraignments begin at 10:30 this morning in District .dera te grou p offer vplans on bookstor*e DSAY CHANEY dent referendum which if passed ell, a leader of the would allow the Regents to col- Coalition for Ra- lect student fees to cover a n y nt Power, yesterday store debt after three years. ented to President According to this proposal, an ing several alternate administration r e p r e s e n t ative 'oposals which he would act ex-officio without vote e considered by the on a student-faculty bookstore future session. committee. dicated, according to * The bookstore would begin he was willing to operation under a student-faculty ents to hold an open control with the provision th a t uss the bookstore is- if the store fell into the red by l and any alternate a certain amount, perhaps $40,000 to answer questions dollars, an outside force - either s. an administrator or an account- [so made it v e r y ing firm - be employed to advise said, that the Re the student-faculty committee. not hold a meeting tf the strike, and in New prop1 iuch a meeting was a dent coercion. vrence Lindemer (R- earlier took a sim- p o de e Lying the Regents eet under the pres- dent strike. Contnued from Page 1 tented the following University Affairs) and the Cen- I ions which he be- tral Coordinating Committee want be incorporated into to explore reasonable alternatives kstore proposals: to present bookstore proposals,"; dents assume com- Fleming said.; of the store. If the In a special meeting Saturday, ent into debt, an SACUA, the top faculty body, vot- ould then be levied ed to recommend to Senate As- ts to bring the oper- sembly today that a joint student- ebt. SACUA study be undertaken to dative is similar to determine ways of operating a on the s t r i k e bookstore." dinating Committee "Though the Regents have or a SGC-run stu- thoroughly explored present plans, 0 A student-faculty-adminis- trator board of control would have the final say in all decisions relating to the bookstore. The present Regent4' proposal is that Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Wilbur Pierpont would have ultimate control over a bookstore, Immediately following Farrell's meeting with Fleming, three stu- dents from the coalition, Dale Jur- cisin, Ellen Leschen, and Roger Keats, presented to the president a petition signed by 3,000 students which asked the Regents to reopen the bookstore issue and consider alternate proposals. BUT THEIR EFFORTS led only to the Thursday night takeover of the LSA Bldg. and the subsequent arrests of 107 demon- strators as President Fleming refused to reconsider the student proposal. A l Capp: Agitating By CAROL HILDEBRAND "Al Capp is an authority on nothing, but has an opinion on everything" said signs an- nouncing yesterday's Controver- sy '69. And Li'l Abner's creator came across as advertised. What Capp said to over 2,000 people at Hill Auditorium pleas- ed some, enraged others, and agitated everybody. Capp s:eemingly reveled i n whatever kind of attention he gained. In his talk he regularly incorporated name-calling, in MeLau 1Goult nud I rum PIgt'1) 'Quiet discussion' between Re- gents and students cannot pro- duce solutions when the Regents reach their decision in secret, when they feel that they can de- cide all questions of policy them- sehes and ignore the desires of students with impunity," he wrote., riio ii,