Ohio University - Athena Yearbook (Athens, OH)

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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

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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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BY ELLEN MILLER When Jeff Klem announced his candidacy for an outside housing position on Student Governing Board, he stated that, if elected, he would introduce a motion for the board to disband itself. Cast a vote for Jeff Klem and cast a vote for apathy, he advocated. His rationale was that because SGB had been a meaningless organization for several years, and because such a small percentage of the student body voted in recent past elections, the board might as well not exist. Klem was not elected. But, on April 30, 1975, SGB did vote to disband itself by accepting a resolution which stated, The administration is opposed to those who want to direct input on policy decisions. In other words, determinative student input is not desired, but ignored. Only five of the originally elected 13 members were still on the board when the resolution was passed: Charles (Andy) Karp, Jeff Mason, JoAnn Jaffe, Timothy Hurley and Bruce Mitchell. Jaffe and Mitchell had run on the action ticket, along with Anita Taylor and Mark Satchwell. The action ticket was headed by Student Workers ' Union (1974) leaders, Mitchell and Satchwell who intended to get the board more involved in student issues. Satchwell was elected chairman fall quarter and SGB began its involvement in the freshmen dorm controversy. They led freshmen in the fight for open visitation, helping organize the Boyd Hall sit-in. By the time of the sit-in, the board had been through two succeeding chairmen, Mitchell who replaced Satchwell when he resigned and Adrian Harpool who replaced Mitchell at the beginning of the winter quarter. During the sit-in in Boyd, nine of the 13 board members were referred to university Judiciaries for violation of university regulations. The board was also active in the United Farm Workers support group, and that march on Cutler Hall resulted in Mitchell ' s suspension for the university for two quarters. SGB polled students on their preferences for a quarter versus a semester system, negotiated with Athens Mayor Donald Barrett on the housing code and assisted in the publication of a housing manual. The degree to which these efforts were successful is questionable. On one hand, the board should be credited for getting involved in issues which concerned the majority of the student body of the university. It was an attempt to be representative of student needs. On the other hand, sources close to SGB report that disorganization and personal biases prevailed in the board ' s operation. Perhaps they were more concerned with issues than with operation; or perhaps they were more concerned with their own soapboxing than they were with acting as a liason between students and the administration. The members were elected by a larger voter turnout than had been recorded in years. Reportedly, 2679 students voted, approximately 20 per cent of the student body. In 1974, only 11.5 per cent voted. There was, however, a rapid turnover among board members; some were terminated because of unexcused absences, some resigned. And in the end, in effect they all resigned, decided that their efforts had been futile and that it was not possible for a governing board to function efficiently at this univers ity. Jeff Klem ' s campaign goals had been realized, after all, even though he had never been a member of the board. He responded by submitting a perspective to The Post, reiterating his original feelings and telling SGB members, I told you so. After the disbandment, a special task force was chosen to study possible alternative forms of student government for the future. At the close of the academic year, no decisions had been reached. 19