Ohio University - Athena Yearbook (Athens, OH)

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Lance Wynn The crowd then marched to Crewson ' s Park Place residence. Many chanted, Chavez si, Crewson no, and Harry Crewson, we don ' t want to see your lettuce anymore. As something of a second theme, the crowd also demanded access to a copy of the opinionnaire so the group would be able to campaign effectively at the cafeterias that evening. Van Auken approached the door to the home and was told by Martha Crewson that the president was not home at the time. Someone in the crowd suggested that Crewson might be eating at Baker Center. Unofficially led by several persons carrying red and black UFW flags, the crowd worked its way to Baker Center where the UFW supporters sat down to sing and chant some more. One supporter, Joseph Brown, entered the building looking vainly for Crewson and emerged onto the porch overlooking the front entrance and hoisted a farmworkers flag on one of the flag poles. Most of the crowd left after that, but about 50 persons crossed the street and marched to Cutler Hall. Crewson was not there either. A short meeting was held and it was decided to go see (Vice President for administrative services William Charles) Culp, and attempt to obtain a copy of the survey. Chanting, Let us see the survey, we want the survey, they climbed the stairs to Culp ' s second floor office and sat down on the hallway floor for yet another meeting. While two senior administrators and three assistants left the floor, the group formally decided to split up, with half occupying Culp ' s office, as suggested by former SGB chairman Bruce Mitchell, and the other half campaigning for a favorable vote on the opinionnaire. Assistant Director of Security William Kane quickly appeared on the scene, explaining that he was keeping an appointment scheduled for that time. Later it developed that this was not true, that Kane was responding to a call from Culp and that he had come to Cutler Hall specifically to see what the demonstration was about. At approximately 2:35, two security investigators arrived and one started taking pictures of the chanting group. Neither official identified himself initially and one refused repeated requests to do so, saying, I ' m busy. About 20 minutes later, Culp strode into the office, told the group and a security officer holding a tape recorder that the UFW supporters were disrupting university functions and ordered them to leave immediately. All but three of the protestors walked out, chanting and clapping, while security officers arrested John Rosenbaum, Joseph Brown and Steven Stockfish, an Ohio State University student. Rosenbaum. maintaining he would not consent to the arrest, let his body go limp. He was dragged out of the office, through the hallway, down the stairs and to a waiting police car. A group of those ordered to disperse had gathered outside the building. A cry went up to block the car, which inched its way through the crowd toward Galbreath Chapel and finally sped off to security headquarters, nearly running down several protesters in the process. The three were then booked on charges of criminal trespassing and Rosenbaum was charged with resisting arrest. Later Stockfish was convicted and the rest forfeited bond. Other charges were later brought against Brown and Rosenbaum, as well as Rick Swirsky, Andy Karp and Mitchell, all of whom eventually forfeited bond. The survey was administered that evening and the results were announced Friday. It appeared to many members of the group that the UFW had won an overwhelming victory. However, Horner was leery of the results. Since the survey wasn ' t binding and was confusing as hell, we are really cautious in declaring it a victory. Crewson and his top advisers spent the following week deciding how to proceed in light of the survey results. It was decided to identify produce as Teamster or UFW, thus, giving the student the ultimate choice. Attention then focused on charges of regulation violations brought against Brown, Rosenbaum, Swirsky, Karp and Mitchell. All were convicted by student hearing boards of at least one count. Mitchell, Rosenbaum and Swirsky were suspended from school for at least one quarter. The sanctions of Rosenbaum and Swirsky were upheld in principle on appeal, with Mitchell ' s appeal filed and pending. The UFW supporters still claimed that the labeling of the lettuce did not meet with their demands and although the California heat visited Athens, the comfort of winter may be many seasons away. 17

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UFW Supporters Bring California Heat to Cutler Hall BY KEN LOVE It was nearly 90 degrees in the fields of California ' s Imperial Valley the balmy spring day that Doug Van Auken and Steve Barnett, complete with signs, literature and friends initially perched themselves on the wall outside Cutler Hall. Their presence there was an attempt to bring the heat of the California fields to the university administration as part of the Athens Citizens for the United Farm Workers ' demand for the removal of non-UFW table grapes and head lettuce from university dining halls. Their tactic was an indefinite fast ' ' and their specific target was university President Harry B. Crewson. When their hunger strike ended 11 days later, three persons had been arrested, the university had polled students on their produce preferences and promises were made for revised policy; later, several students were suspended from the university. BELOW UFW supporters march on Cutler Hall, including SGB member Bruce Mitchell (second in line) who was eventually suspended from the university for his participation in the invasion of the OPPOSITE PAGE: John Rosenbaum, a UFW supporter and a participant in the Cutler Hall raid, refused to leave upon the request of university security officers. Instead, he allowed his body to go limp, forcing security officials to have to physically remove him from the building. He was booked on charges of criminal tres- passing and resisting arrest; he also was suspended from the university. Jake Newman Even more important, claimed Barnett and Van Auken, a large segment of the university community had gained awareness of the situation in California and solidarity with the workers was established. After all, they explained, Cesar Chavez, head honcho of the UFW and inspirational leader of vast numbers of Mexican-Americans, had fasted 21 days in 1968 to dramatize farmworker conditions in California. Plans for the fast had been half-formed all through winter. During this time, negotiations with the university were being carried out by group president Pat Horner. Horner, Barnett, Van Auken and another member of the group met with Crewson several times asking him to permit the group, with the Student Governing Board, to sponsor a binding referendum on the question of whose union grapes and lettuce would be served in the dining halls. Crewson, however, echoing former President Claude R. Sowle, demurred, publicly stating that to take such an action would be an act of politicizing the university community, something which he felt he was not in a position to do. Crewson announced that the university would assemble an opinionnaire on the UFW question which would be distributed to students in the cafeterias. Crewson did not say who would be assembling the questionnaire or when it would be distributed. The support group criticized Crewson ' s approach to the matter, denouncing him for not allowing student input into the decision. They charged that the opinionnaire was likely to be a contrivance to reaffirm the university administration ' s position — that Teamster head lettuce and table grapes should be served. Horner said in reply to Crewson ' s earlier statement against politicizing the campus that the fact that the university currently purchases Teamster produce is a political act. How can he pretend to be so naive? ' she asked. With approximately 30 persons committed to fasting at least one day, Cutler Hall became home to Barnett and Van Auken. Many persons supported the stand that the Farm Worker ' s support group had taken, and numerous persons, previously uncommitted, joined the Cutler Hall wall ranks. On Wednesday, Crewson announced that the polling procedure would be carried out the following day. Thursday was to be the big day for the group. With the opinionnaire set for distribution that evening the group decided to hold a noon rally on the College Green. Speakers, including Professors Edgar Whan of English and Ted Hayes of government, Horner, Barnett and Van Auken of the support group and Mike Hunter, a local union leader, urged the crowd of about 200 persons to take action. Near the end of the rally, Horner stepped to the dias to address the clapping, chanting crowd, suggesting that the rally was not really over and asking the group to join her in marching to see Harry.

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SGB Disbands The End of Student Government at OU Clit Page ABOVE Bill Serne (right), SGB member, counts votes in favor of disbanding the board. 18