Exponent, Vol. 4, No. 6, 1971-10-27

Authors

University of Alabama in Huntsville

Files

Source

University of Alabama in Huntsville Archives and Special Collections

Publication Date

1971

Publisher

University of Alabama in Huntsville

City

Huntsville (Ala.)

Keywords

College student newspapers and periodicals

Comments

This issue replaces a microfilm scan of the same newspaper. The microfilm scan contained a sheet indicating that

Due to printer error, paragraphs in the editorial "Ban and the budget.... a sense of university optimism rises from the end of internal battle" on page six and seven, have been placed in improper order.

It printed the full text of the article after this statement:

If there is a day to be remembered, when looking back on this year, of monumental change in administration actions and student freedom, mark last Friday on your calendar. At that time, with a short memo, letter and press release, the administration withdrew its R and X film ban and President Graves tied the binding knot on the SGA written statement of policy concerning the allocation of the student activity fees. The first action was expected. After losing the right to ban "Hieronymous Merkin" in September due to a court ruling, the pressure began to mount on Dr. Graves--pressure from the faculty assembly with its resolution requesting that the "administration refrain from banning" R and X rated film; from the students, staff, and apparently the Board of Trustees--to rescind the band. Legally at this point the administration was caught between the dictation of morals and the illegality of tampering with citizen rights in an attempt to be daddies to us all. With the rejection of the administration's legal motions in court Friday, to dismiss the case, Dr. Graves and the administration received the last resounding warning of what they had known for a long time--they had no case and faced legal slaughter in the courts. And along with legal mutilation would come a battered university image of an administration who places enforced morality above the law The surprising action came with Dr. Graves' unconditional agreement to the Statement of Policy of the allocation of student activity fees--his first major step in cooling a potential crisis immeasurably more crucial to UAH student freedom than the film ban. In the past two years, hints of eventual administration control over student activities-Symposium speakers, film series, among others-through changing the SGA budgeting process existed. Prior to the Statement of Policy Dr Graves had taken steps toward this possible action in tampering with a potentially explosive issue. However, what emerges from these recent actions by the administration is a state of optimism. The two issues which ripped the credibility of the administration, with the faculty, staff and students more effectively than any other recent issue, is coming to an end. For the faculty, the lift of the film ban is proof of their influence on the administration when vocally united on an issue. Their assembly resolution was a rare mark of unity. For SGA, the recent actions are proof of the power of student unity combined with the law. Now the hundreds of man hours spent by the SGA on these issues can be used to redirect SGA to one of construction in university areas in need of improvement instead of continued hassle in conflict. The optimism which arises from these issues is one of relief. The ban and budget conflict dragged UAH into a pity of mistrust and misconception. Perhaps the end of these issues will help to lift the university from its present plight of apathy and distrust into a new direction of progress in unity. For Dr. Graves, the rescinding of the film ban marked the realization of a lost conflict and an attempt to save the university image. However, the lift of the film ban also constituted the swallowing of a big share of personal pride on behalf of the university. We commend him for his action and for his attempt to end internal conflict by accepting the the SGA Statement of Policy and recognizing the rights of the SGA and that policy, and the positive university effect of his actions on Friday.

Recommended Citation

University of Alabama in Huntsville, "Exponent, Vol. 4, No. 6, 1971-10-27" (1971). 1971. 14.
https://louis.uah.edu/exponent-1971/14