The Rice Thresher Vote Tuesday to Readmit Free- Afterwards," He Asserted
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Overnight presidential reversal Freeman denied admission after committee gives its okay By« KAROLYV A DAT V\NT KENDRICVWVnDTrKT did not . fee» l i th.1e committee's de- the committee's thir..d. accept- is meeting today to preparew a of a president. It represents * a The Faculty Committee on cision justified. ance of Freeman's petition to collective statement, would re- total lack of responsibility and Examinations and Standing McEnany, chairman of the re-enter Rice. Their previous quest an immediate audience delegation of authority and voted Tuesday night 6-0, with Committee on Examinations and decisions had been returned to with Vandiver upon his return, places the entire University in two abstensions, to readmit Standing, said that he did not the committee. to discuss the situation. jeopardy with regard to stand- Charlie Freeman in the fall. Dr. recall a precedent for such an The Academic Regulations, Dr. Fisher added, "A situa- ing committees and department Frank Vandiver, acting Rice abrupt reversal of the commit- contained in a digest of policies tion of this nature puts the chairmen." president, overturned the com- tee's decision. He said, however, and regulations concerning un- University in as great a dif- Dr. Heinz Puppe, another mittee's decision yesterday. that some decisions in the past dergraduate life compiled by ficulty as the former selection (See STUDENTS on page 7) Vandiver gave two reasons for had been "debated" by the ad- the Undergraduate Affairs his veto of Freeman's admission ministration and committee. Committee, give the customary —Freeman's bad academic rec- McEnany said that there was procedure in a readmissions Dr. Alan Chapman, vice- and other faculty members, ord, and the political activism no question of the technical case. They state, "Academic president for administration, including Dr. Alan Grob, will which Vandiver claims led to legality of the veto, since any suspension is normally for one will present the administra- also speak. Freeman's expulsion for dis- action of a faculty committee year, unless a different period tion's view of the Charlie The meeting will be at 7 ciplinary reasons from TSU in is subject to the approval of of suspension is set by the Com- Freeman admissions case to- pm in the Brown Commons. 1967. Freeman, however, said the president, who acts on the mittee on Examinations and night at a student - faculty The executive committee of that the disciplinary expulsion delegated authority of the Standing." dialogue concerning yester- the Student Senate has called was overturned in the courts Board of Trustees. Committee meeting- day's developments. an open student-faculty dis- and that other reasons given Freeman said that he had Dr. Frank Fisher, who in the Freeman will be present to cussion of the matter for 3 for the expulsion are still pend- contacted his attorney, who felt past has been one of Freeman's answer questions. Dr. Donald pm Friday in the Physics ing in court. that there was a great possibil- staunchest advocates on the Ex Huddle, a member of the Amphitheater "in view of Dr. No precedent ity that Freeman's civil rights & S committee, called Vandiv- Committee on Examinations Vandiver's reversal of the Because of the criminal in- had been violated. He recom- er's stated reasons for vetoing and Standing which voted decision ... to readmit Char- dictments against him, arising mended consideration by faculty the decision "deplorable." He Tuesday to readmit Freeman, lie Freeman to Rice." out of the 1967 TSU incident, and students of a petition re- said that the committee, which Charlie cannot be admitted to questing those black students any state university. admitted for next fall to re- Earlier, in a memo to Dean consider their decisions to at- of Undergraduate Affairs M. tend Rice. V. McEnany, Vandiver said that Third acceptance lie had reviewed the case and The decision Tuesday was Vandiver gives basis for decision; cites Freeman's record, expulsion By TERRY O'ROURKE highest academic standards!>• . If "For academic reasons alone, we surrender that, then we're I overturned the faculty com- through," he explained. mittee's recommendation to re- 'Worse than suspension' admit Charlie Freeman," Dr. "On his record is an expulsion Frank Vandiver, acting presi- from another university—for dent of Rice, told the Thresher disciplinary reasons," Vandiver in a telephone interview last noted. "This is worse than a night. .. • suspension, and I don't think Vandiver is in Columbus, Mis- that it can be overlooked." sissippi, where he is to give an Asked if he thought his ac- m address at Mississippi State tion would affect the recruiting College for Women. efforts of the Committee on Minority Admissions, Vandiver ta.A Vandiver's action was com- replied, "I hope not. We intend —Richard Sawyer municated in a memorandum to pursue that as actively -as yesterday to Dean of Under- possible." graduate Affairs M. V. McEn- He said that no member of any, chairman of the Commit- the Board of Trustees had in- tee on Examinations and Stand- fluenced his action. "I simply ing. It followed a committee informed them of my decision the rice thresher vote Tuesday to readmit Free- afterwards," he asserted. vol. 56, no. 27 rice university houston, texas thurs., april 10, 1969 man. He added that he did not in- "There were two reasons for tend to issue a formal state- this decision," Vandiver said. ment on the Freeman case. Final address "First was his (Freeman's) dis- Vandiver said he plans to re- mal academic record^ and sec- turn to Rice Friday. ond was his expulsion for dis- ciplinary reasons from TSU." Skaaren warns of 'deterioration' 'Every right' The deadline for filing pe- By LAURA KAPLAN coiffmunity. his continuing dialogue with titions for Chairman of the "The faculty committee had Former SA President Warren The immediate academic con- members of the Board through- Inter-College Court is Wed- every right to make the recom- Skaaren and the Senate faculty cerns of papers, finals and con- out the year, starting with the nesday, April 16. Petitions mendation that they did," he advisfir, Dr. Douglas Milburn, •>, current faculty responsibilities selection of the student advisory should be turned in to any added. "But as acting president passed the reins of student pow- are leading, he warned, to a committee during the presiden- member of the SA election I just don't think he should be er to their newly chosen count- "subtle deterioration". tial search last fall, the gap has committee (Bob Parks, Bak- readmitted." erparts for^ 1969-1970, Lee A second difficulty is the na- not- greatly decreased. er ; Andrea Primdahl, Brown; Horstman and Dr. Paul E. Pfeif- Vandiver said Freeman could ture of the old Houston com- ' He suggested that Horstman Rick Lowerre, Hanszen; Jane fer, at a joint meeting of the be readmitted later "if he were munity, characterized by the become an ex officio member of Hamblen, Jones; Frank Bre- old and new Senates Tuesday to show some academic im- Board of Trustees and alumni. the Board. voort, Lovett; Jim Caldwell, night. provement. He simply has to During the February crisis, Rice Milburn said he regarded his Wiess; Dan King, Will Rice) show that he can pass some Skaaren commented on the found itself as a definite four- sponsorship of the Senate as an or to Bennett Falk. courses at another university. apparent maturation of the part structure, including stu- "intense learning process," be- The election for this office 1968-1969 Senate, compared dents, faculty, the Board, and cause any professor who steps "If they (TSU) would lift will be Monday, April 21. with activities of previous Sen- alumni. Skaaren charged the outside the classroom and works the disciplinary ban, and he The election for Thresher ates as reported by past SA seniors with the responsibility with students encounters an en- could pass some college level Editor, Campanile Business Presidents. He said he felt that to uphold the ideas the school forced continuation of this ex- work elsewhere, then we could Manager, and Honor Council student government as an agent has taught them to appreciate. perience. reconsider him," Vandiver went representatives will be next to produce "things", and make "Thirdly, there is the obvious on to say. Mentality retreat Monday, April 14. "things" run smoothly, had died. lack of effective communication <T "Rice has to maintain the 1 Students are now more con- with the Board of Trustees. He added that through his ef- cerned with and motivated by Skaaren commented that despite forts he had developed a new ideas. (See HORSTMAN tin page 3) Players present Dylan Thomas' last He cited the five-day period following the Masterson presi- play 'Under Milk Wood' April 17-19dentia l appointment in February Evaluation committee will circulate Tickets will go on sale next hilarious account of a spring as an example of how closely Monday for The Rice Players' day in a small Welsh coast students and faculty could be questionnaires on student opinions -production of Dylan Thomas' town, the play begins with united into ^action by. an idea, Dr. L. E. Davis, professor of cording to Davis, is to provide "Under Milk Wood." Neil dreams and ghosts before dawn, their concept of the University. Electrical Engineering, an- a sound basis for later discus- , i Havens is directing the reading, moves through the brilliant, Skaaren emphasized that this nounced yesterday that the sion of curricular reforms. which will be presented* Apfil noisy day of the ^townspeople, creation of a student-faculty co- Committee on Undergraduate The questions will probe stu- 17 through 19 at 8 pm in Ham- and closes as the "rain of dusk alition was perhaps the most • Evaluation plans to distribute dent backgrounds, reasons for man Hall.