The Rice Thresher (Houston, Tex.), Vol. 56, Ed. 1 Saturday, February 22, 1969 Page: 3 of 4
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College meetings ask commitment to sustained protest
&
The seven college meetings called last
night to discuss the events involved in
the selection and announcement of Dr.
William Henry Masterson as incoming
president of Rice followed, in general,
the same format.
Each emphasized that the violated
principle of cooperation between the
Trustees and the faculty-student com-
mittees, not the personality of Dr. Mas-
terson, was the issue. Many in the col-
leges held that student-faculty unity on
this issue must be preserved.
Another popularly expressed position
was that a continuing commitment on
the part of both students and faculty
was necessary to sustain the protest.
There was almost unanimous agreement
on the need for peaceful, orderly protest.
"They told us we were to have a part
and then turned their backs on us; as
a member of the student advisory com-
mittee, I consider it a personal insult."
Charlie Myers' statement seemed to sum
up the general reaction at the meeting
of Baker College immediately after sup-
per.
Mike Berman, Baker president, called
the meeting and briefly outlined the
events involved in the selection and an-
nouncement of Dr. Masterson as in-
coming president of the University, as
he understood them from his meeting
with Hei'bert Allen, vice-chairman of
the Board of Governors, earlier in the
afternoon.
Berman read a copy of the SA state-
ment submitted to the press and cur-
rently circulating as a petition and
Charles Szalkowski read the faculty re-
solution. Dr. Charles Garside, Dr. Dieter
Heymann, Dr. T. S. Cantrell, Dr. C. W.
Philpott and Prof. J. K. Van Houten, all
Baker associates, were present at the
meeting and agreed with Berman's state-
ments of the facts.
Publicize Views
Bob Parks, Baker's representative to
the student advisory committee, apolog-
ized for having told the college mem-
bers that their views were being heard
and taken into consideration when events
of the day proved his statements false.
He urged students to make their views
known, both at the SA meeting and in
writing, especially to the selection com-
mittee.
Garside commented on the amount of
"homework" that the committee had ob-
viously done, sifting though 60 dossiers
and eliminating 55 of them to come up
with a list of five to recommend to the
Board, "among whom Dr. Masterson was
not." Garside also recommended that
students take into consideration the
separateness of the two issues: the high-
handed manner of selection and the
qualifications of Masterson.
Bob Danziger, a junior, pointed out
that the present "duplicity" of the Board
is "not an isolated incident" and com-
pared the presidential selection with the
Board's alleged handling of the Charles
Freeman application for readmission, the
handling of the University's drug prob-
lem and the disciplinary statement al-
most issued last week. Danziger sug-
gested that the faculty-student*commit-
tee be given final say in the presiden-
tial selection.
Allen Spencer, a Baker senioi% pointed
out that the action of the Board in re-
questing advice and then blatantly ig-
noring* the advisory committee was like
"building a cloud behind which to pull
the strings."
No duplicity toleration
Ed Ahnert, treasurer of Baker, noted
that if the student body acts firmly it
may prove both that it can be accepted in
good faith and that the students and
professors "will not tolerate their du-
plicity in the future."
Joe Graves, a junior, pointed out that
this example of the good faith with
which the Board -operates could merely
lead to their acting out the n^echanics
of the student-faculty demands to pacify
the protests and then merely again pick
their own man for the job.
Berman and Karl Bayer, Baker Cabinet
member, urged that the relatively united
front of the students and faculty not be
broken by debate among themselves.
The meeting, some nearly 120 strong,
departed after signing the SA petitions.
Meanwhile, Hanszen College met
in their commons to discuss recom-
mendations for student action concern-
ing the Masterson appointment.
They emphasized the importance of
a general student resolve against any
sort of violence. Students can only weak-
en their position by rash'action at pres-
ent, it was felt, and they further stated
that only an extended "shutout" migh
later justify a strike.
Yet in light of recent University ac-
tion, Hanszen requested reassurance that
no Rice student will be expelled for
protest.
The long-term effort in key publicity,
it was felt, must succeed outside of Hous-
ton first; but the presentation must be
orderly and straightforward. A move
was made to draft a college letter to
the University and the Thresher, as well
as the Houston papers and wire serv-
ices.
Attendance at the news conference to-
day was strongly urged. Since Master-
son has shown no evidence of stepping
aside voluntarily, it was felt a persever-
ing- effort on the part of students is
necessary to convince the trustees that
permanent damage to the quality of the
animously passed asking all Wiess. mem-
bers to attend the Student Association
meeting today in coat and tie.
Thanking the College for its lively
interest and intelligent discussion, Blan-
ton closed the meeting.
WRC president Tom Plant reiterated
to the college members present at din-
ner his statement made at the SA open
meeting, calling for student-faculty uni-
ty and asking students to refrain from
unpleasant incidents which would cause
the existing spirit of student-faculty co-
operation to disintegrate.
At 11:30 pm, president-elect Buford
Alexander called a college meeting for
11:45. During that meeting he informed
the 100 college members present of the
events at the Hanszen College meeting'.
Greg White, a member of the student-
faculty advisory committee, repeated his
earlier statement concerning the process
for presidential selection that was set
up last fall and the activities of the
committee. He stated that the Board of
Trustees was sincere in thinking that
Masterson would make an able admin-
istrator acceptable to the students and
faculty. He said that the Board was
genuinely surprised at the present re-
University could result.
There was agreement that a protest
needs a symbol of identification for con-
tinuing awareness. The adopted slogan
is "It can't happen here."
Wiess's Committee of the Whole was
called to order by President Bill Blanton
shortly after 7 pm Friday. Seated be-
fore an assembly of about half the
resident members (122 by count) were
retiring Master Talmage and incoming
Master Rudee, President Blanton, Aims
Committee Chairman Jeff Johnson, Sen-
ator Lee Horstman, and Wiess's rep-
resentative to the eleven-member Stu-
dent Advisory Committe George Terrell.
After discussion on the appropriate-
ness of various forms of the proposal,
it was decided to consider the endorse-
ment of the resolutions made in the
faculty meeting Friday afternoon and
to add a third resolution, to be voted
on separately.
This additional resolution read as fol-
lows: "Wiess College asks the Board to
give the properly selected representa-
tives of the students and faculty com-
mittee on Presidential Selection a veto
on the final choice of the President of
Rice University. We call the attention
of the Board to the precedent set by
the faculty consultation committee dur-
ing £he selection of President Pitzer."
Wiess vote unanimous •
The endorsement of the faculty re-
solutions was unanimous, and the vote
on the Wiess resolution passed 117 for,
4 against, with one abstention. Repeated
statements were made calling for unity
of effort among all the interested groups
and stressing the urgency of maintain-
ing unanimity with the faculty. A mo-
tion was made to make the endorsement
of the college's resolution -unanimous,
but those four in opposition were still
strongly opposed and this motion failed.
A summation of planned activities was
given and a resolution was almost un-
Tom Altman
action.
Following the discussion of this in-
formation, a consensus emerged among
college members that students should
support in any orderly manner the po-
sition taken by the faculty this after-
noon.
Dr. Robert Curl, Lovett Master, re-
ported on the emergency faculty meet-
ing held yesterday afternoon in a Lovett
meeting last night. About fifty students
attended.
Curl said that Herbert Allen, Board of
Trustees vice-president, had told the
faculty that the Board had "acted in
good faith," and had not attempted to
"ramrod Masterson's selection through."
Kirt Walker, a candidate for the pres-
idency of Lovett and a member of the
steering committee which worked last
spring to set up a constitution, called
the Board's action a "complete betrayal
of trust in the faculty and students."
About 30 members met in the Jones
Commons last night after dinner. Dr.
Trenton Wann, Jones Master, told the
group about faculty response to the
Masterson selection. The meeting was
adjourned shortly afterwards because
the Jones spring dance was scheduled
to begin at 8 pm.
A discussion of the events of the day
was conducted by president Mary K.
Daniel at Brown College last night.
She reviewed the circumstances under
which Dr. Masterson was selected as
the new president, emphasizing the facc
that the student-faculty committee was
not consulted. The protest of the pro-
cedure followed by the Board in the se-
lection was reinforced by the theme of
"It can't happen here."
About 50 members, including off-cam-
pus members, attended. There followed
a discussion on the necessity for the
depth of commitment required on the
part of the students—a commitment, to
the support of the faculty decision
earlier in the day.
"Rice students and faculty united"
was the slogan chosen at the general
strategy meeting in the Hanszen Com-
mons Friday evening.
Need for unity
Warren Skaaren, president of the Stu-
dent Association presided at the meet-
ing, and called on the presidents of the
various colleges to discuss the meetings
of their respective colleges earlier in
the evening.
Mike Berman, president of Baker, un-
derlined some points made in the Baker
meeting. "Common strength tomorrow
(Saturday) is most crucial; we must
show the extent of our dissatisfaction to
convince the press." Berman also em-
phasized unity throughout the student
body; "debate over radical and conserva-
tive positions serves only to 'mute our
protest tomorrow.' "
Hanszen's president, Jim Boddy, was
impressed by the long and protracted
nature of the problem and the necessity
for maintaining the initial enthusiasm.
His college's discussion had come up
with the idea of a button reading, "It
can't happen here," to symbolize the
unity and purpose of the protest.
Hanszen also began a new petition
(the third of the day) changing only
the wording in the faculty petition from
"faculty" to "students." The stronger
petition better stated the purpose of the
protest, according to Boddy.
Boddy also suggested writing to alum-
ni, using, perhaps, the Development Of-
fice addressing machine. Bill Blanton,
Wiess president, noted the discrepancy
in outlook of Rice graduates and cur-
rent Rice students. He strongly urged
that any letter "be carefully scrutinized."
Boddy and Ron Bozman, SA vice-presi-
dent, pointed out that the alums from
the post-college years would likely be
more sympathetic.
Skaaren concurred, "We have to real-
ize the tremendous naivete on the part
of the Board members here. They will
listen, but they must have time to con-
vince themselves of the depth of the
discontent."
Highhanded
Bryan Williams, a sophomore from
Baker, suggested that all male students
at any rally today wear coat and tie
to present a unified, respectable appear-
ance. Two visitors, one a mother of a
college student and another a Rice
alumna who had come to hear Willie
Morris speak earlier in the evening,
agreed with Williams about the dignity
of Rice students. One of the ladies noted
that she was personally in favor of
Masterson, but was definitely opposed
to the highhanded manner of the Board.
A long discussion on the pros and
cons of carrying picketing signs and
appearing like "other protesters" re-
sulted in the consensus opinion that
the SA would carrying one large sign
bearing the slogan. Andy Hagan, a
Hanszen sophomore, volunteered to make
the sign.
Bozman noted that 2000 cards stating
"It can't happen here" are being printed
for Saturday.
Stewart West, station manager of
IvOWL briefly outlined the publicity
given to the protest by the local and
national news media already. KOWL
passed the news along on the AP wire
and several local radio stations and one
TV station presented reports favorable,
or at least fair, to the students.
Spokesman Skaaren
Blanton reported on the Wiess meet-
ing. The unanimous meeting at large
agreed with the faculty statement and
all but a handful of those present at
the Wiess meeting approved an amend-
ment that would give the faculty-stu-
dent committee a veto over the presi-
dential selection.
Eddie Johansson, a Hanszen senior,
nominated Skaaren as official represen-
tative of the evening's meeting and sug-
gested that he be the sole speaker to
the press. Skaaren accepted the job
(noting that he is, after all, SA presi-
dent) and commented on the importance
of Rice students understanding the is-
sue and their own and the SA's position
before confronting any press represen-
tatives.
the rice thresher, february 22, 1969—page 3
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Bahler, Dennis. The Rice Thresher (Houston, Tex.), Vol. 56, Ed. 1 Saturday, February 22, 1969, newspaper, February 22, 1969; Houston, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth245050/m1/3/: accessed July 18, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Rice University Woodson Research Center.