AY, SEPTEMBE 15, 1981 T HE MICHIGAN DAILY
FOURTEENTH ANNUAL CONGRESS:
NSA Opposes HUAC, Doctrine of In Loco Parentis
(Continued from Page 13)
minority resolution proposed by a
conservative minority.
It stated that "the Communist
menace both militarily and inter-
nally is an ever-increasing threat
which demands constant and in-
creasing vigilance." While urging
member campuses to protest any
abuses which arose, it would not
"join our voice with those demand-
ing abolition."
Plenary Debate
For the most part, however,
conservatives did not join in the
plenary debate, which was primar-
ily a confrontation of liberals and
moderates, The latter backed the
minority 'resolution, promising to
amend it to demand "reform or
abolition."
Arguing for the majority resolu-
tion, Paul Potter of Oberlin Col-
lege said that HUAC was no longer
a mere investigatorybody but had
become an independent institution
within the government, advocating
a particular political position.
By probing Southern Integra-
tionists and the West Coast rad-
icalism, Potter said, HUAC seeks!
to blur the distinction between
leftist stands and un-Americanism
at a time when such distinctions
are necessary.
Leading the moderate opposi-
tion, James Dannebaum of Texas
University quoted Adlai Stevenson
to the effect that "you shouldn't
burn down a haystack to get one
rat." Pointing out that the com-
mittee had already made sonme re-
forms, he questioned how seriously
the United States Congress would
take other NSA resolutions if this
one were adopted.
Rejects Report
By a vote of 216 to 236, the
congress rejected the minority re-
port and proposed amendments
and went on to pass the majority
resolution substantially without
change. A later resolution con-
demning "Operation Abolition"
was also passed.
After little debate and with
practically no dissent, the congress
also passed a far-reaching and im-
portant Basic Policy Declaration
on the doctrine of "in loco paren-
tis." Authored by former Daily
Editor Thomas Hayden, '61, it de-
clared that "the unexamined ac-
ceptance of authority which is
often appropriate to the child-par-
ent relationship must be replaced
in the universities by the encour-
agement of a critical and dialecti-
cal relationship between the stu-
dent and his community."
"In loco parentis" (in the place
of parents) is the "traditional re-
lationship" between the student
and the university, according to
the Basic Policy Declaration. "The
theory establishes the university
as paternal, guardian over the
moral, intellectual, and social ac-
tivities of the student.
"From the tradition of 'in loco
parentis' come these conceptions:.
the student need not be directly
involved in the formation of gen-
eral university policies and the ad-
ministration may circumscribe the
perimeter of a student's interests,
speech and thought, personal and
group associations, and actions."
Educational Habits
The Basic Policy , Declaration
condemned "the tradition of 'in
loco parentis' and the educational
habits and practices it justifies,"
and called for an examination of
"the ways in which 'in loco paren-
tis,' as a theory, determines the at-
titudes of administrations toward
students and the ways in which it
conditions the response of the in-
dividual student in asserting his
own social and academic free-
doms."
The internal developments with-
in Cuba and the state of Ameri-
can-Cuban relations was a contin-
uing focal point at the congress.
On the opening day, word was
received that 44 persons, most of
them students, were scheduled to
go on trial in Havana for "coun-
terrevolutionary activity," with
death sentences as the probable
outcome. After much partisan ma-
neuvering by special interest -blocs,
the congress voted to send tele-
grams to the heads of Latin
American student unions, asking
them to intercede on behalf of the
jailed students.
Was Invited
The leader of the Cuban Na-
tional Student Revolutionary Di-
rectory, Juan Manuel Salvat, was
invited to fly from Miami to ad-
dress the plenary.
Last year, when the Cuban sit-
uation was in rapid flux, the con-
gress had declared, somewhat un-
certainly, that there was "a lack
of sufficient information for a full
evaluation .of the status of Cuban
universities with regard to the
principles of university reform and
academic freedom."
This year, however, with more
information available and the
trends clearly apparent, the con-
gress took a more vigorous stand.
It condemned, in no particular or-
der, all actions which abridged or
complicated the freedom of Cuban
students: the Batista oppression,
the Castro violations of university
autonomy, the Soviet arms ship-
ment, the American invasion.
'Moderate Tone'
Characterized as "moderate in
tone" by NSA Vice-President for
International Affairs James Scott,
it was passed in preference to a
substitute resolution which declar-
ed, among other things, "that the
life of one student willing to fight
for freedom is as worthy as 1,000
lives who, saturated in freedom,
would condemn the only means
that student had to gain dignity,
liberty and the peaceful pursuit of
happiness."
The controversy which swirled
about issues and resolutions was
only part, though the most signifi-
cant part, of the debate and argu-
mentation at the congress. Accen-
I;)
tuated by the resignations of sev-
eral member schools, criticism of a
most fundamental nature was lev-
eled against the National Student
Association. Its injection into this
year's proceedings was more not-
able for the passion generated
than for the change produced.
Nominal Leader
Nominal leader and original ar-
chitect of the reform movement
was Kay Wonderlic, a Northwest-
ern senior who had organized Stu-
dents Committed to Accurate Na-
tional Representation. She charg-
ed that NSA was not representa-
tive of American student opinion,
that no provisions were made for
the publication of minority view-
points, and that vast numbers of
policy - determining resolutions
were approved without adequate
consideration.
Miss Wonderlic made the fol-
lowing specific proposals: change
the preamble of NSA's constitution
to read, "We as students," instead
of "We, the students"; include
vote tallies in the official codifi-
cation and publish minority reso-
lutions in a separate booklet; stif-
fen the procegs by which resolu-
tions not considered by the con-
gress could be yeferred for action
to an interim body.
Non-Partisan
Although Miss Wonderlic was an
avowed non-partisan, she found
herself being seconded by conserv-
ative groups who protested the libr
eral flavor of the association. Prin-
cipal among these was Young
Americans for Freedom, a campus
movement claiming a membership
of 30,000.
YAF, whose initial foray into
NSA proceedings cane last March
at the Peace Corps conference in
Washington, demanded institu-
tional changes to insure what 'it
thought to, be more accurate'rep-
resentation of campus opinion and
vigorously opposed the anti-HUAC
sentiment of the majority of the
delegates.
Also proposed, but this time by
liberals, was a constitutional
amendment requiring the direct
election of delegates to the con-
gress. Delegates at present may be
either directly elected or chosen
by the member student govern-
ments.
Most of the proposed changes
were defeated or diluted beyond
recognition. A large majority of
the delegates were plainly satisfied
that NSA was structurally fair and
sound.
The annual congress, through,
the resolutions and mandates it
approves, determines the associa-
tion's policy for the following year.
That policy is executed by a full-
time staff of national officers,
elected annually at the'congress.
The University delegation, nam-
ed last spring by Student Govern-
ment Council, consisted of seven
delegates; seven alternates and
two paid observers.
WELCOME
STUDENTS
I
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