04r mlrhtgatt Haag
Seventy-Fi fth Year'
EDITrD AND MANAGED BY STUDENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
UNDER AUTHORITY OF BOARD IN CONTROL OF STUDENT PUBLICATIONS
Each Time I Chanced To See Franklin D.
Whither the Road to Effective Student Action?
by H. Nel Berkson
Opinions Are Free, 420 MAYNARD ST., ANN ARBOR, Mic".
"Uth Will Prevail
NEWs P ONE: 764-0552
Editorials printed in The Michigan Daily ex Press the individual opinions of staff writers
or the editors. This must be noted in all reprints.
SUNDAY, 28 FEBRUARY 1965 NIGHT EDITOR: JEFFREY GOODMAN
Want an Active SGC?
Elect GROUP Tomorrow
(Shortly before this editorial was
completed, the Student Government
Council Credentials and Rules Com-
mittee disqualified seven of the nine
members of GROUP (Governmental
Reform of University Policy) political
party for an alleged minor, and at
this point irrelevant campaign rules
infraction. GROUP will appeal the
decision to S t u d e n t Government
Council this morning. Two of the nine
GROUP candidates will remain on
the ballot if the appeal is denied;
the other seven can be written in.)
ONE CANNOT succeed in debating and
reaching a conclusion on the best
method of student participation without
mentioning symptoms of the more serious
problems of the University:
-A Regents ruling prohibits the Uni-
versity from entering into competition
wth private merchants; thus bookstores
are allowed to alter and fix prices freely;
-A student goes to his counselor, finds
available no advice on the courses in
which he is interested, and is or is not
allowed to drop a course seven weeks
later-depending solely on his counselor;
--Student activities undergo a jarring
and disorderly process of change as the
University's new calendar abruptly forces
changes in their mode of operation.
HOW CAN STUDENTS best move to
alleviate problems such as these?
They can choose to work through either
student government - an elected body
with structured meetings and activities
(like SGC)-or an ad hoc student group
or groups formed to attack specific Uni-
versity maladies with minimal structured
operations.
Both alternatives have been tested on
this campus. During the period of furious
student protests at Berkeley last fall,
local students here formed an ad hoc
group to tackle student problems. It was
called the Student Action League.
TEE SAL HAD certain advantages: it
was novel, it attracted many disen-
chanted by SGC, and it gave wide pub-
licity to student discontent over Univer-
sity problems through direct action tac-
tics. But it failed to engage in direct and
thorough consultations with adminis-
trators, to produce a definitely outlined
plan of actioi, to gain respect outside
the University, or to produce enough
members willing enough to do some
spadework after the initial shouting.
What did it gain?
True, the University announced plans
for a' gradual increase in student wages,
but such increases had been planned and
anticipated for years. In reality, the SAL
accomplished little except to add to the
already staggering proliferation of study
committees in Ann Arbor. Its active mem-
bership is now a fraction of what it was at
the height of protest.
SO AD HOC group action did poorly on
this campus. So what? the reader may
ask. After all, SGC is no alternative; its
disadvantages outweigh the advantages.
What's it ever done?
It can be demonstrated that SGC does
have several advantages over ad hoc
groups. SGC statements have the weight
of "legitimacy"-the student body elects
SGC members. They can, and often do,
claim to speak for the student body.
SGC members also have constant con-
tact with administrators who actually
feel it their duty to give time to the duly-
elected representatives of the students.
SGC lobbying has in fact been influential
in several changes in women's hours and
apartment permissions. SGC members
also have their own publicity bulletin
(paid for by University students) plus
regular newspaper coverage for every
meeting. And they have some power-for
example, the authority to deal with af-
filiate discrimination within the reason-
ably liberal veto of Vice-President for
Student Affairs Richard L. Cutler.
SO BOTH AD hoc political action and
structured student government have
some advantages. Ideally, the best form
of student action would seem that which
combines the advantages of both while
eliminating as many disadvantages as
possible.
This is what GROUP political party is
trying to do. GROUP is pressing for im-
provement in the counseling system, clar-
ification of course-dropping procedures,
and decent prices in the bookstores. It
wants the University to take an increas-
ing, but non-paternal, interest in the liv-
ing conditions and outside activities of
its students as rising enrollment pres-
sures and shrinking calendars shove the
student into an academic cubbyhole.
GROUP promises that it would go be-
yond the structure of SGC and rely on
direction-action tactics if regular SGC
action were to be futile as it has often
been in the past. It proposes several
methods: letter-writing campaigns; cir-
culating petitions among students, par-
ents and faculty; picketing Regents meet-
ings. or legislators visiting campus or, if
milder methods are ineffective, organiz-
.ing rent strikes or massively publicizing
University problems.
COME CRITICS claim that GROUP can-
not possibly fulfill its promises. One
school of thought holds that it might suc-
ceed if it stayed outside the SGC struc-
ture, but that in SGC, it will fall back on
the paper-shuffling, clerical, procedural
functions that occupy so much of thej
present Council members' time.
The possibility of this happening is
extremely slim. GROUP is unique in the
history of SGC elections. It wants to use
the advantages of SGC-publicity, admin-
istration contact, student money - to
further its purpose of improving the Uni-
versity. But it is perfectly willing to go
outside the SGC framework and beyond
SGC powers as soon as it deems this
necessary. And it would be overly pessi-
mistic to expect a political party to run
on the policy statements GROUP has
issued and then turn into a group of
"student leaders" if elected.
GROUP POLITICAL party is sincere in
its purposes and offers University
students a chance to use SGC power and
direct-action tactics when needed. It may
be the last hope for a worthwhile student
government at this University. Vote for
the GROUP candidates tomorrow.
-ROBERT HIPPLERI
AFTER FOUR YEARS of seeing Student Government
Council scratch about for some sense of mission, my
pessimism as to its future may be overly great.
SGC is not a government at all. It has no defined
role in the power structure of the University. It has
been lim'ted to resolutions and declarations which have
never been notorious for either prior research or follow
through.
Slowly but surely, students have realized that their
only current means of effectiveness within the Univer-
sity is through pressure-group tactics. The newly-formed
GROUP political party wants to turn toward this end,
but whether SGC is either desirable for or adaptable
to suchatactics is open to question. The Council, operat-
ing in a vacuum, creates a rather stifling atmosphere,
and where pressure is needed an ad hoc group (or
GROUP) would probably be more effective.
NEVERTHELESS, GROUP asserts "sincere com-
mitment."' Enough past candidates have made the
same noise to cause one to wonder how long this com-
mitment will last, but from the proposition that no
one else elected to Council will do anything anyway,
this ticket deserves a chance. (At this writing, it appears
that most GROUP candidates will be stricken from the
ballot. However, they can still legally seek a write-in
vote.)
This is not to say GROUP has an informed view
of the campus. In what seems to be a prevailing trend, it
takes an unnecessarily hostile attitude toward the ad-
ministration. Moreover, eight of the nine candidates
are freshmen and sophomores, and they toss such terms
as "multiversity" around with abandon, not really under-
standing what they mean.
ON THE OTHER HAND, GROUP's emphasis on
economic issues is overdue, particularly if it can make
the transition from complaints to action. Prices in the
campus area are far out of line. There is no reason,
for instance, why SGC couldn't publish a "comparative
shopper" to alert students to the lower prices off campus.
As for GROUP's inexperience, the Council has long
suffered from a succession of one-semesterl and one-
year members who haven't had time to get their feet
on the ground. By having a potentially longer stay on
Council, GROUP candidates might eventually have a
much better grasp of the issues facing the University,
and the student role in resolving these issues, than has
previously been the case.
*L * **
THE SGC PRESIDENCY is also at stake, for the
first time in an all-campus election, and this is one
office which shouldn't fall to GROUP. Its candidate.
Robert Golden, has neither the experience nor the
qualifications necessary. Gary Cunningham, on the other
hand, has two years of SOC experience, and while he
is not effective in debate, he is an excellent worker and
administrator. Cunningham is largely responsible for
the hesitant, but important steps SGC has taken in
the academic area. He is currently doing an excellent
job coordinating the soon-to-be published course descrip-
tion booklet.
"IN THE MIDST of Plenty," the University Activity
Center's first venture, should not go unnoticed for it
is the finest speaker program to grace the campus
in some time. Focusing on one issue and bringing a list
of interesting authorities here, this program paves the
way for its successors. There is no reason why some
problem of equal importance couldn't be raised in the
same manner each semester.
The credit for this program goes primarily to former
Union Special Projects Committee Chairman Jack War-
ren. 'Warren did not petition for one of the senior offices
of UAC because of personal conflicts, but his con-
tribution to the campus has been high, and, hopefully,
he will continue to be active in some capacity next year.
1
;1
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR:
Candidacies of Shenkin, Sutin
FOLKUM ON CAMPUS:
Typical Trio Concert
b
To the Editor:
ROBERT SHENKIN, editor of
the Ensian, apparently feels
himself qualified for election to
the Board in Control of Student
Publications. I cannot help but
feel, however, that Mr. Shenkin
is not only unfit as a candidate
for this office, but if elected could
conceivably put a kink in the re-
sponsible and objective way the
present board has served the var-
ious student publications.
I seriously doubt his capacity for
reasonable cooperation with other
board members, since, as last
year's business manager and this
year's editor of the yearbook, he
succeeded only in alienating those
trying to work under him. Rather
than allowing his staff wide scope
of creativity and autonomy, I keep
hearing from them that he in-
sisted on his own approach, sel-
dom accepting-or even acknowl-
edging-suggestions from them.
Early in the school year there
was even talk of mass resignation
by his staff members, after the
resignation of one staff member
who could no longer bear "an im-
possible situation."
When hiring a darkroom tech-
nician, Mr. Shenkin apparently
promised that student employment
for the entire school year, then
had him dismissed on one day's
notice in February.
What Mr. Shenkin told me of
his intentionssfor better staff-
editor relations before his ap-
pointment as editor4 and what
those relations subsequently are
indicates to me to be incompet-
ence so blatant as to disqualify
him for my vote for any office.
Apparently even the Board itself
thinks so little of Mr. Shenkin's
opinions that it flatly rejected
his recommendations for the suc-
ceeding Ensian editor.
-Robert B. Ellery, '65
To the Editor:
THE BOARD in Control of Stu-
dent Publications is probably
one of the least known offices on
the campus election ballot next
Monday. Yet the board is as im-
portant as the value students and
the University community place
upon a free and vigorous campus
press. A strong, vibrant and un-
fettered Daily plays an important
and constructive part in the Uni-
versity. It transmits information
and opinions and helps shape
policies that effect us all. Maga-
zines like Gargoyle and Genera-
tion add to the cultural climate
of the University. The Student
Directory and the 'Ensian provide
vital services and fond memories.
All these publications fall under
the board's jurisdiction. As a can-
didate for one of the three stu-
dent seats on this board, I seek
to represent a broadly defined stu-
dent interest in this community-
wide board. As a for~mer staff
member and senior editor of The
Daily and now a graduate stu-
dent in journalism, I can use my
experience and knowledge for the
benefit of the publications.
There are several things I would
like to do as a board member:
-Freedom of internal operation
for The Daily is both philosophic-
ally necessary and of great bene-
fit to the University community.
For these reasons, I pledge my-
self to unequivocally uphold this
precious freedom if elected to the
board.
While I am no bigot and
strongly deplore segregation and
all the evils associated with it, I
feel the restriction that "no writer
shall express racial or religious
bias in any . . . editorial" is an
arbitrary limitation of the "open
forum."
-Change The Daily's Code of
Ethics to permit staff members to
endorse candidates in Regental
elections and write prosegrega-
tionist editorials. The Daily's
"open forum" editorial page is
designed to allow staff members
to present all viewpoints provided
they are not libelous. These two
restrictions-particularly the cru-
cial one on Regental elections-
violate the "open forum" concept
and the internal freedom of The
Daily.
-Have the board drop its 11-
consing of other campus publica-
tions. The board finds this task
a nuisance and, on a campus this
large, impossible. A revised Re-
gents bylaw is needed, perhaps
limiting the use of the University
name and seal to publications
directly under the board.
-Establish a scholarship pro-
gram that would allow more stu-
dents to work on The Daily. The
Daily is a time-consuming activity
that generally precludes any kind
of outside job. Daily staff pay is
a token amount. Only students
whose education is almost wholly
paid for by their parents or who
have large scholarships may par-
ticipate. This limits the number
of students from which The Daily
can recruit and thus the amount
of talent and diversity on its
staff.
It also cuts short promising
Daily careers in the time-consum-
ing sophomore and junior years.
With proper safeguards so that
the scholarship does not become a
weapon of censorship or enmeshed
in internal Daily politics, the
board should set aside $1000 year-
ly for scholarships.
-Help all publications arrange
for an orderly and successful tran-
s tion to full-year operation.
-Philip Sutin, Grad
GROUP Ruling
To the Editor:
SEVEN GROUP candidates have
been disqualified from the SGC
elections for an alleged campaign
regulation violation. What viola-
t~on? Campaigning in the Fish-
bowl. The charge is specious.
voice, for 'example, has repeated-
ly campaigned in the Fishbowl
with no disciplinary repercus-
sions. GROUP-a recognized stu-
dent organization-had obtained
the necessary consent of Alpha
Phi Omega to utilize a Fishbowl
position.
GROUP has not ignored elec-
tion regulations. Two thousand
flyers printed up for an election
appeal were expressly withheld be-
cause one regulation was not clar-
ified to our satisfaction. Our good
faith and our desire to abide by
election rules has been shown.
Our candidates are victims of an
arbitrary decision contradicting
precedence. SGC is reconsidering
their committee's action this aft-
ernoon. Any decision but a rever-
sal will be unjust.
-GROUP Candidates
T HE KINGSTON TRIO gifted a
standing room only crowd last
night with by far the most laugh-
able folk concert I have seen' this
year.
It opened with a Woody Guthrie
tune, "Hard Travelin'," Which set
the tone for the rest of the con-
cert. It followed with approximate-
ly 20 songs that everyone knew by
heart and several more you could
hum along with if you were quick.
The whole concert was inter-
spiced with the group's voyeuristic
humor which was reminiscent of
several Red Foxx albums I've
chanced to hear.
As musicians, however, they have
become considerably more versi-
tile over the years. Bob Shane's
technique on guitar, rivaled only
by Mel Bay, has become delight-
fully louder. And his approachto
the tenor banjo, which he has
tuned -like a ukelele, is, awe in-
spiring.
Nick Reynolds is still strumming
his Martin tenor, only a little
harder now, and John Stewart,
the only member of the group who
approaches musicianship, was con-
tent to strum his five string mono-
tonously for the better part of the
concert.
* * *
THE GROUP'S delivery and ap-
proach to "its" material has! not,
however, become more versitile
with the years. I do not mean to
intimate that its arrangements
have not changed. It is the only
group I have heard than can take
an African hunting song like
"Wimoweh" and, on its first re-
cording of it, carefully delete the
better part of the original mean-
ing and then, not satisfied with
this, give it a comical performance
in concert that sounds like the
Boy Scouts' mating dance.
If the reader by this time is
convinced I have nothing good to
say about the Kingston Trio, I
must dispel the idea.
Thegroup truly entertained a
capacity crowd for two and one-
half hours to the tune of three
encores and myriads of applause.
This is no small feat for any
group of entertainers.
--Larry T. Zee
JP
-- OThe Week in Review
Bruised Bodies, Cut Classes
ALL-STAR CAST :
It's Brigitte ARDOT!
At the Michigan Theatre
EVER SINCE THE late Mike Todd scored an overwhelming success
with "Around the, World in 80 Days," movies boasting all manner of
"cameo" stars have become more frequent and annoying. (One does,
after all, get just a little tired of having the plot broken by waves of
audible recognition sweeping through the audience when Carroll
Baker suddenly pops into view as The Woman Who Mops Jesus Christ's
Brow (in "The Greatest Story Ever Told") or some such nonsense.)
Under the circumstances, then, I fear that producer-director Henry
Koster can expect no sympathy from me if general critical acclaim for
his latest cinematic vapidity, "Dear Brigitte," is not all that he had
hoped for: anyone who crams James Stewart, Fabian, Ed Wynn and
Brigitte Bardot into one film deserves anything he gets.
AS A MAJOR example of the cinematic art, "Dear Brigitte" isn't
even in the running. As a comedy, it has its moments, but few and far
between, and generally incidental to the plot. (Example: when Stewart,
who has just resigned from his teaching position for the umpteenth
time and wants to get unemployment compensation, tries to convince
the clerk that his occupation is that of "poet," he shows her an an-
thology in which his poems appear, saying that his name in the book
proves he is indeed a poet; she in turn whips out a telephone directory
and says, "My name's in this book, but that doesn't make me a tele-
phone." Since this turns out to be one of the funniest lines in the film,
the reader may be able to deduce what the rest of the humor is like.)
As for the plot, it is just too ridiculously far-fetched to be worth
the effort to trying to explain here. Suffice to say that the entire
denouement to which the plot builds is the seven minutes near the
end, during which anyone who's managed to set through the rest of
the film without gagging finally gets to watch Brigitte Bardot (wearing
some clothes for a change) struggle through a few pages of rather ickly
dialogue in her best Berlitz style. This is the last straw for the plot,
which, after having bravely held out for an hour and a half, finally
heaves one last sigh of resignation and collapses into a mass of melted
fromage.
-Steven Haller
'GOLDEN EYES':
Successful Portrayal$
At the Campus Theatre
E OF THE most amazing young actresses in movies today is Rita
Tushingham. She is far from beautiful but has a most compelling
face and personality.
Because she plays the title role in "Girl With Green Eyes," the
movie itself becomes appealing. She plays a young country girl who
comes to live in Dublin and there meets and falls in love with an
author (Peter Finch) twice her age. She later discovers that he is
married, but continues the affair, intrigued by his sophistication and
aura of romance. He is charmed by her simplicity. Ultimately, how-
ever, these are the very differences that drivethem apart.
Miss Tushingham's successful portrayal of the girl is in part due
to her eloquent eyes. Her acting is powerful, yet gives the impression
of great naturalness and ease. Director Desmond Davis has obtained a
beautiful performance from Peter Finch as well.
THE FILM HAS an interesting continuity-in the script when not
in the film itself, and vice-versa. One conversation is often many
scenes, while at another time volumes are expressed by one camera
9
tr
0
'A Effective SGC
TOMORROW, STUDENTS will stam-
pede or trickle to the polls to select
nine people as their representatives on
Student Government Council.
None of the issues raised in the cam-
paign have the emotional appeal of the
crusades against administrative paternal-
ism and violation of student political
rights that have traditionally rallied sup-
port for student government organiza-
tions. Yet, many are of vital importance
to the student body, and it is imperative
that students demonstrate their concern
by voting.
A large voter-turnout will present an
ultimatum to SGC. It will demand that
Council give thorough consideration to
issues confronting the campus and for-
mulate effective policies representative
of student opinion to deal with them.
TWO CANDIDATES-Paul Pavlik and
Jack Winder-have grasped the im-
out tomorrow is a necessary first step in
this direction.
However, it is only a first step. Once
the election is over, Council and the stu-
dent body will have a mutual obligation
to come to grips with the issues. On the
part of SGC, this will require a massive
effort to communicate with students and
attract them into the Council's commit-
tee structure-the sector of government
where the research and background work
requisite to any plan of action takes
place.
THE STUDENTS IN TURN must respond
by actively particiuating in Council
activities both by working within the
committee structure and putting steady
pressure on SGC representatives to con-
vey campus opinion to the administra-
tion and the community.
Pavlik has given attention to this area,
proposing a training program for SOC
By JOHN KENNY
Assistant Managing Editor
and LOUISE LIND
Assistant Editorial Director
LT WAS a week of confusion and
minor skirmishes at the Uni-
versity.
There was snow-lots of it. And
it caused confusion, bruised bodies
and cut classes. It even supplied
the ammunition for one of the
most imaginative of student
pranks in a long time--an Engine
Arch full of snow.
The Univers ty administration
and Gov. George Romney skirm-
ished, made demands and finally
agreed to sit down and talk things
over. The topic: Romney's budget
recommendations and especially
the lack of a state financial com-
mitment for Flint college expan-
sion.
THE WHOLE - and at times
confusing-debate over Flint be-
gan when Romney cut the Univer-
sity's budget request by over $6
milion. That was enough to pre-
vent the University from expand-
ing its Flint branch to include
freshnan and sophomore years
,Now it's only a junior-senior
Romney didn't want the Univer-
sity to expand Flint because he
wanted to wait-he's already been
waiting over 6 months anyway-
until his special citizens commit-
tee issued its "blue ribbon" report
on the state's higher educational
needs.
SO THE GOVERNOR kept say-
ing, Wait until we get the report.
and Hatcher kept repeating. It's
nothing new; plans to expand
Flint have been in .the mill for
a long time, everybody knew about
them, and the Flint community
wants them.
Anyway, Hatcher will meet wOth
the State Board of Educat'on
Wednesday and maybe set every-
body straight about what the
University wants to do in Flint.
In the midst of all this con-
troversy, Thomas J. Brennan,
chairman of the state board, sent
a letter to Hatcher criticising the
University on its plans. And a
freshman Democratic senator,
Dcarbornite Edward Robinson.
proposed a constitut'onal amend-
ment to relieve the state univer-
sities of their autonomous opera-
tions.
public education in the 'state.
By week's end, the excitement
had given way to moderation.
Romney called Robinson's pro-
posal to curtail autonomy "pre-
mature." But the governor warned
that state institutions are going
to have to m'nd their manners
and their mediators in the future.
* **
SOME OTHER happenings: The
Women's League quietly died with
the appointment of the first of-
ficers of the combined activities
organizations of the League and
the Union (the University Activi-
ties Center). Apnointed were
President James Kropf. '66, Ad-
m'nistrative Vice-President Pam-
ela Erickson. '66N, Executive Vice-
President Michael Holmes, '66 and
Coordinating Vice-President Gail
Howes, '66N.
Beginning with next January's
winter term. the $50 enrollment
deposits won't be required of stu-
dents-except for incoming fresn-
men and students who return
after more than a one-term ab-
sence. Under the plan, the $50 :n
deposit at that time will be ap-
plied to student fees and tuition.
IQC President John Eadie t's
week predicted a dormitory fee
A
yv