The Rice Thresher (Houston, Tex.), Vol. 58, No. 7, Ed. 1 Thursday, October 22, 1970 Page: 2 of 6
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editorial
The hundreds of off-campus students in this university-
deserve something better than the colleges thus far have offered
(for that matter, so do (the on-campus students, but that's another
story). An Association of Off-Campus Students can provide the
political organization thru which off-campus students can work
for themselves toward that "something better" (see Blocher
letter).
The urgent need for minimal off-campus student services
such as an apartment-finding and referral service is obvious
to anyone who's tried to do it on his own. A food co-op and
a off-campus lounge also could be useful services for the off-
campus community.
Further possibilities such as an Off-Campus College deserve
the elaboration and promotion that only an active organization
can provide.
There are about five dozen fewer students liiving in the
colleges this year than last. If the "quality" of commons food
continues to deteriorate seemingly in proportion to the rise
in room and board charges, mqjpe students will recognize ad-
vantages in moving off-campus. If the residential colleges con-
tinue their regression into faintly organized dorms, many more
students will want out. Perhaps the competition of a non-residen-
tial, non-captive college could be the very thing to stimulate
the colleges to evolve into the uniquely stimulating organiza-
tions they might be.
With that hope we urge the colleges to act promptly to
institute an Association of Off-Campus Students.
Smith
threshing-it-out
Dykes on Cox at commencement
aspirations of over 400 individ-
uals. Perhaps lie was. Such po-
litical acumen, the ability to
divine the thoughts of so many
without deigning to seek the
advice of the individuals in-
volved is truly extraordinary.
Therevwere many who did not
particularly approve of the
common denominator to which
they were reduced and the in-
solent manner used to perform
the task. Partisan political ral-
lies should not in general be
staged concurrently with com-
mencements representing so
many with such diverse opin-
ions. There was other senti-
ment present among the Class
of 1970 just as legitimate as
that expressed by Mr. Cox. An
event such as a commencement
should be meaningful and re-
spectful to everyone. There are
other times and other places for
such partisan comments.
The administration can only
partially be blamed for what oc-
curred. Dr. Vandiver had been
under pressure from many di-
rections due to the occurrences
late in the past academic year.
To mollify those who might
want to cause the sort of dis-
ruption that was so popular
during the open season on uni-
versities, the acting president
would naturally be receptive to
a scheme that would lessen the
possibility of an incident.
Unfortunately, Mr. Cox ex-
ceeded the conditions upon
which his address was allowed.
He was to make note of the
protest by some members of the
graduating class but was not to
speak for the class as a whole.
Due process? Qu'est-ce que
c'est ?
EDWARD DYKES
Rice '70
High numbers want year-end I-A
To the Editor:
Last spring at commence-
ment, Mr. Jeffrey Cox delivered
an address composed with the
assistance of Messrs. George
Greanias and Rick Weber. (The
t'-xt was printed on page 1 of
the September 3 Thresher.) Few
outside the university and stu-
dent government "power struc-
tures'' were aware of the "ne-
gotiations" during the two
weeks prior to commencement
which made the address pos-
sible. It was essentially a com-
plete surprise for the Class of
1970 when Mr. Cox arose to
speak.
This University has had oc-
casion in the past to become
ouite concerned about "due
process" and associated "prin-
ciples". It is difficult to believe
lhat many of the same individ-
uals who in the past had stood
fir such ideals not only ac-
quiesced to what occurred, but
had suggested it in the first
place.
When Advantage is near at
hand,
Tis hard for Principle to
st and.
The Class of 1970 had a
speaker imposed upon it with-
out its approval or even its
knowledge. Mr. Cox's address
was preceded by a disclaimer
stating that the speech did not
necessarily represent the views
of the class he was to address.
Of course, Mr. Cox was not to
be bothered by mere formalities
as he proceeded to describe the
moral tenets and political be-
liefs of the Class of 1970. He
purported to "represent" the
graduating class without a man-
date from that class.
Mr. Cox obviously considered
himself the embodiment of the
the
.. rice
thresher
JOHN MAULDIN
Editor-in-Chief
RICK GRIDER
Business Manager
Charles Szalkowski
Miko Smil h . .
Marty Hoiaseo
Do How Freod
Editor-at-Larjje
Exec. Assoc. Ed.
Sports Ed.
Manasnns Ed.
Jack Murray
Mike Ross
Gary Rachlin .
Becky Strader
Senior Editor
...Calendar Ed.
Sports Ed.
Cory Ed.
Staff: Kathy Iiohr?r, Maureen Cunnion, H. David Danulo. Emily DeWitt,
T). Speed Elde;', Mark Friedman. Steve Jackson, Peter Jordan, i'hil Nichols,
Crate Huberts, Mark Si vers, Tim Thurston, Thomas Zimmerman.
AdvertisinR: Jack Murray.
Circulation: Dour Williams.
The Rice Thresher, official student newspaper at Rice .University, is
published weekely on Thursday except during holidays and examination
l>-rinds by students of Rice University. Houston, Texas 7701. Phone JA8-4141,
ont 1. 645.
The opinions expressed in this paner are those of its writers and editors
and are not necessarily those of Rice University^ its administrators or
officials.
The last two installments have explained why,
as December 31 approaches, some students may
want to be in class I-A. These will be students
with high lottery numbers who want to have
their year of vulnerability to the draft behind
them on January 1, 1971. They must be in class
I-A, i-A-0 (noncombatant, C.O.) or 1-0 (civilian
work C.O.) on December 31.
Students who began college this September
have no difficulty in being I-A. If they do not
request the II-S deferment their local boai'ds
have no authority to place them in class II-S.
The form submitted by the student' college at-
testing to his student status is not a request.
Only a written request from the student will
suffice. A student beginning his first year who
does receive an unrequested* and unwanted II-S
deferment might consider writing to his board
explaining that no II-S deferment was sought nor
desired. A sound practice is to send all letters
by certified mail, return receipt requested. A copy
should he made for the student's own recrods.
Students who were in class II-S last year are
in a more difficult position. The Selective Service
System has been following the practice of re-
quiring only one request from a student. The
single request covers all four or five years the
student attends college. As a result, many stu-
dents may be placed in plass II-S this year with-
out having requested the deferment. Unless they
succeed in losing the deferment prior to December
31, they will be compelled to worry about the
draft for at least one more year. This result is
in direct conflict with the avowed purpose of
the lottei-y, i.e., to allow young men to expose
themselves to the draft for one year early in
their lives.
In addition, we believe the Selective Service
System's interpretation of the law is wrong. We
are led to this conclusion jfor the following rea-
sons. (1) The 1967 Act provides that a student
must request the II-S deferment under pro-
cedures to be established by the President. (2)
The President has provided in the Regulations
that the II-S deferment Cannot be granted for
a period longer than one year at a time (32
C.F.R. §1622.21(a)). (3) Thereafter, the stu-
dent's classification must be "reopened" and the
student must be classified "anew" (32 C.F.R.
§1622.21(b)). (4) The President's Regulations
further provide that after a classification is
"reopened" the student' must be classified "as if
he had never before been classified" (32 C.F.R.
§1625.11). There is no doubt but that a student
who has never before been classified must re-
quest the II-S deferment. Consequently, there
should be no doubt that a student must request
the II-S deferment each year, regardless of his
prior classification. If he has not requested the
deferment, he should not be in class II-S.
Most local boards are probably not familiar
with this position and will continue to follow
their old practice. A student who is placed in '
class II-S who does not wish to be so classified
should consider writing to his board. The letter
might explain that he does not want the II-S
deferment, that he has not requested it, and that,
in fact, the law does not allow it.
Denney not gay about "Boys'
Dear Editor:
While 07i the Rice campus
this past weekend for activities
associated with Homecoming, I
noticed that Jones college plans
to produce a play called "The
Boys in the Band." I was rather
upset that a group associated
with Rice University would pre-
sent this play, one that openly
portrays male homosexuality. I
am aware that the decision to
go ahead with this production
was met with a cei-tain amount
of controversy. The controversy,
I am sure, centered around the
propriety of the topic, that is,
homosexuality. My distress and
my attendant protest have
nothing to do with Jones Col-
lege's approaching the subject
of this "perversion." On the
contrary. I hope that homosex-
uality will come to be discussed
more often. 1 do question the
reference, in this case, of that
discussion.
"The Bows in the Band" has
been lauded as having intro-
duced a new era in the treat-
ment of the subject of homo-
sexuality — an era of "frank-
ness" and "sympathy." This as-
sertion is utterly false. The
play is blatantly sexist. It por-
trays homosexuals as a sick,
unhappy lot, that is, in other
words, exactly as straight het-
erosexual society wishes to see
our deviant subculture. This
portrayal is about as represent-
ative of homosexual life-styles
as "Ozzie and Harriet" is of
heterosexual relations. When at
the end of the play the
"straight" is seemingly recon-
ciled to his estranged wife, the
play is exposed for what it is:
a support for conventional con-
ceptions of human sexuality, not
some harbinger of a new age
of tolerance.
The technique is familiar.
Subcultures of all kinds have
been subjected to stereotype in
literature and jokes since time
immemorial. In this country,
black people are the most no-
table example of this kind of
image simplification. Blackface,
Amos and Andy, and watermel-
on men have hopefully faded
into the racist past. On the
Rice campus, the Hanszen Min-
strel met its timely death
(transformation?) as a part of
this trend.
The proposition of this letter,
then, is quite simple: gay peo-
ple are not going to, continue
as niggers in this society. We
will protest sexist stereotypes
of our people just as blacks and
chicanes have protested racist
steroetypes of their people. I
will do what I can to see that
"The Boys in the Band" is not
presented. I hope that gays and
straights at Rice and in Hous-
ton will raise their voices
against this gay minstrel.
JAMES OSBORNE DENNEY
WRC '68
Lukes wants KTRU to aid KPFT
To the editor:
By the time this letter gets published, the
October 20 elections will be over and "Project
91.7's" fate will already be determined. In spite
of the timing, something needs to be said about
KTRU.
KTRU requested the students to vote a $1.50
increase in the blanket tax to fund the station's
expansion. This would bring t'heir funds to
$2.00/ student, or a total of roughly $4800.. With
the University acting as the collection agency,
KTRU will always be able to add their "project"
to an election ballot and/or the blanket tax,
an extremely convenient way to insure the sta-
tion's existencec.
Pacifica should have it so easy.
While KTRU airs its steady stream of "progres-
sive" programming, .Pacifica is peddling its ass
in its perpetual struggle for existence. I wonder
if KTRU people ever listened to Pacifica, or
looked through their monthly folios, or ever
thought about what the possibilities were for
KTRU besides serving as an acoustic blanket
for the RMC.
KTRU is planning on using Richardson College
for their antenna location—why couldn't Pacifica
use that location also? Some people may feel
that the "University" should not become in-
volved with such a political radio station, for
they are not truly representative of the commun-
ity and cannot provide open communication
within/without Rice. They would be wrong^ on
both counts.
Rice is already one of the largest subscription
areas in the whole of-Houston, with subscribers
numbering in the hundreds, there are programs
by and for the Rice community, and there is no
lack of information about what is going on
over here. I would venture to say that KPFT
(PacificH,) serves the Rice community far better
than KTRU could ever dream to.
$4800 would be a substantial contribution to
Pacifica's struggle to keep the only free radio
in town alive, one that is now trying to come up
for its third gulp of air, but can only do so with
our support.
Again, for the nth time—go beyond the Uni-
versity and think about what is happening in
the city. Pacifica is only one of a number of
concerns that is being choked to death, but
Pacifica is by far the most valuable, to us
and to the rest of Houston. I don't really care
if KTRU exists or not, but at a time when an
institution of freedom is waiting for more support,
I cannot take KTRU's request seriously.
KTRU feels that it is worth all that money
because "we are the only station in town that
wants to play your requests" (quote from KTRU
publication), and I think that's just swell, but
I urge all of Rice to consider what they're
spending their money for. Keep Pacifica alive
and we will not only have a station that will
16 play your requests, but one that will express
your views, or let you express them yourself,
and help break down some barriers of communica-
tion between the people here and all the people
out there. Help them out now, because it may
never happen again.
Bill Lukes
School of Architecture
the rice thresher, october 22, 1970—page 2
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Mauldin, John. The Rice Thresher (Houston, Tex.), Vol. 58, No. 7, Ed. 1 Thursday, October 22, 1970, newspaper, October 22, 1970; Houston, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth245089/m1/2/: accessed July 18, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Rice University Woodson Research Center.