Northeastern University - Cauldron Yearbook (Boston, MA)

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McLellan blasts apathetic council Student government at Northeastern University, specifically the Student Council, is sick, said Vincent B. McLellan. president of the Div. A council, in an interview with the NEWS, Wednesday. The council is apathetic. It reacts when it should act, quibbles when it should discuss, and it ' s not even producing results, he continued. The same few peo- ple are doing all the work and I ' m sick of it. The council has tremendous opportunities at Northeastern and should be Involved In dozens of projects. But the majority of the councillors during the past two terms have been lazy, apathetic, ir- responsible, and completely sterile of ideas. Council representatives, he said, are elected to work — to represent the interests and desires of the general student body. This Student Council, by and large, has completely neglected these responsibilities. Initiative and responsibility have been sadly lacking. The council has developed tremendously in the past five years, but, if it goes through another term like the last two, it ' ll ruin the great opportunity for the students to have a vital voice at Northeastern. By BOB MATORIN Responding to a question as to what the council can and should do to alleviate the problems he claims exist, McLellan- said, That ' s an easy ques- tion to answer. Each councillor should face up to the question, ' Am I willing to spend the time and effort to make student government the effective voice il should be at Northeastern. ' If the answer is yes. let them wake up and be- come activists. If the answer is no, let them get the hell off the council and make room for someone willing to shoulder the burden. It ' s about time these kids took a good look at themselves and the work they ' ve been doing. For most of them, there won ' t be much to look at. I ' d like to emphasize, he pointed out, that this isn ' t a blanket indictment Some kids have been work- ing long hours on projects such as setting up the faculty-course evaluation, hammering out a uniform and researching and formulating Uve up to their responsibilities. Student Council representatives should know the problems of the students they represent and should come up with solutions or at least be willing to make the effort They should have original ideas— something I haven ' t seen in the council for a long time— for projects and programs that will make this a better university for the students they represent Right now, he said, the council is not acting or producing as a student government should, but we have a half dozen genuine workers among the upper- classmen and a group of untried sophomores. If some of the other councillors honestly ask themselves, ' What have I done; what have I ac- complished? ' maybe the council can grow up and start acting like a college student government instead of a kindergarten discussion group. All American The NORTHEASITO NEWS Vol. L, No. 7 Northeastern University, Boston, Mass. November 10, 1967 There ' s always room for cello. The Pentagon pipers The Draft I o Answer to Dissent Jf there is one man who ought to know all there is to know about the Selective Ser- vice system, it is l,t. General Lewis B. Hershey, director of the draft since 1941. By his latest directive to local boards, though, the general seems to indicate that he has lost track of where the draft lils into ihe American constitutional system. Bothered bj campus anti-Vietnam war protests, Hershey has advised local boards to withdraw deferments and immediately draft students who interfere witli the draft or campus military recruiters. Hershey ' s outrage at the form some campus protests have taken is understandable. Bui his ill- considered suggestion that draft boards become, in effect, prosecutors and juries must be ruled out of order. The American Association of University Professors asked Hershey to rescind his directive, pointing out that it sets down such a vague standard that local boards may induct persons for the exercise of con- stitutional rights. The mere existence of this undefined power to use the draft as a punitive instrument mi a chilling effect upon and free speech and asi teed by the Fir A group of c shey ' s plan a flagrant denial of due pro- cess clearly designed to repress dissent against the war in Vietnam. A student does not lose bis right to dis- sent simply because his military service has been deferred. By the same token, a student is as liable as any other An to the penalties that apply to trespas! t therefore have ademic freedom mbly as guaran- Amendment. ngressmen branded Her- and disorders that overstep legal bounds. Whether or not General Hershey re- scinds his directive before it reaches a court test, he has done a disservice to the Selective Service system he helped found. The draft, with all its imperfections, is the best system we have yet been able to de- vise to choose those men who will repre- sent us all by serving when not all able- bodied men are needed. To use the draft as a form of punish- ment is to suggest to the men in Vietnam —where draftees make up 37% of the Army troops— that their units are also handy as penal battalions. The suggestion is demeaning to the armed services— even if some draftee veterans of Vietnam might understandably like to have a hand in the basic training of drafted dissenters.

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NATIONAL FLOWER rcV Campus Activities grow— Draft Resisters Burn Records Marine Memorial Service Battle of Dak To Nov. ' 67

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ALL AMERICAN NORTHEASTERN NEWS VOTE TODAY Vol. L, No. 8 Northeastern University, Boston, Mass. November 17. 1967 Vietnam War poll today; four choices for student An Inter-Fraternity Council spon- sored student Vietnam War referendum will be held all day today in the commons exhibition area. According to Steve Freilich 68BA, president of the IFC, the ballot will con- tain four alternatives: 1. Stop the bombing of North Vietnam and seek a negotiated with- drawal. 2. Immediately and uncondition- ally withdraw from Vietnam. 3. Intensify the total military ef- fort in Vietnam. 4, Continue the present policies in Vietnam. Students will be asked to choose one of the four alternatives, according to Freilich. b kc The IFC realizes that a poll of this sort cannot cover all possible opinions concerning the Vietnam war, he said. However, we feel that if people choose the view that generally agrees with their own the results will be significant. Friielich commented that to the best of my knowledge we are the finest university to hold such a referendum and if a large enough percentage of the student population participates we in- tend to forward the results to Senators Edward Brooke (R-Mass.) and Ted Kennedy (D-Mass.). We also intend to forward the re- sults to President Johnson, he said. According to Frielich, Boston news- papers intend to publish the results of the Northeastern poll. Frielich commented that the poll di- rectly concerned the Vietnam war ra- ther than the question of open campus recruiting because the student council has indicated that it will hold a poll on this issue before the end of the term. Draft resisters form union By LARRY ROTHSTEIN The Northeastern Draft Union was formed at a meeting of draft resisters, Tuesday, in the Ell Student Center. WINTER IS ICUMEN IN— NEWSphotog Ron Cardoos catches barren scene near student center. The shot was taken before heaps of snow hit great waste land Wednesday. Col. Feeney, military speak here next week By JEFF NORTHRUP Representatives of four military branches will be on campus Monday and Wednesday to discuss military careers and Officer Candidate School opportunities ac- cording to Jim Purcell 70BA, vice-president of the Stu- dent Council. Also at the meeting was Michael Ferber, of Harvard, who is a member of the Boston Resistance. Ferber, who allegedly burned his draft card at the Arlington co-ordina- Cblonel Paul S. Feeney, deputy State director of the selective serv- ice system will speak in Alumni Auditorium Tuesday from 12 noon to 2 p.m. The army, navy, air force and marines will have representatives in rooms 248E. 249E, 250E and 251E from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m Mon- day and Friday. The move to bring these groups on campus followed council recep- tion of a letter from Dean of Ad- ministration Kenneth G. Ryder explaining the administration ' s decision to continue a moratorium on on-campus recruiting by so- called controversial organizations. According to Purcell the peti- tion containing 2,000 signatures which was presented to us last week seems to be a representa- tive sample of the senior class whioh is most concerned with this We ' re bringing the military and Col. Feeney on campus to protect students who may not have an- other chance to talk to the mili- tary here until March. Purcell commented that the Senior Class was considering a similar move but the council de- f Continued on Page Two) The purpose of the organiza- on involuntary servitude, he tion, said Dick Johnson. 68E, is said. to pro mote and support draft re- When asked about the Presi- sistancc at Northeastern, and pro- dent ' s responsibility to provide vide counseling and help for the for the nations security, Harring- student who feels threatened by ton replied, the efficiency of the gtreef Church rally the draft. government is not as important as Joseph Luwisch, 70LA, empha- the rights of its citizens. (Continued on Page Two) sized that the Draft ' Union is an independent organization seeking recognition as a school activity. Johnson stated several reasons for being opposed to the draft. Some feel the draft should be resisted because the Vietnam war is evil. Others, like myself, see the draft as an act of ag- gression, by the government, against the citizens of this coun- try, he said. Continuing, Johnson explained that many students feel perse- cuted by Ihc draft because they are forced into certain positions and excluded from others. This. stated Johnson was in violation of the first Amendment ' s guarantee of freedom of expression. Charles Harrington, 70LA, a draft resister, said he turned in his card because the best way to end the war in Vietnam is to stop giving the government soldiers. Harrington also felt the draft was unconstitutional. In an un- declared war, a peace time draft is in violation of the thir- teenth amendment ' s restriction Street Scene tonight The Silver Masque will stage a production of Elmer Rice ' s Street Scene tonight and tomorrow night at 8:30 P.M. in Alumni Auditorium. The 1929 Pulitzer Prize-winning play has been directed by Prof. Mort S. Kaplan of the Drama Department, and is acted by more than seventy actors, seven of whom are drama majors. Tickets for both performances have been selling at a rapid rale, although there are still choice seats available for Fri- day. Tickets are on sale in room 12E, in the basement of the Student Center. (Continued on Page Eleven) Senate OK ' s referendum By a 28-3 vote, Ihc Faculty Sen- The referendum question ' s final administration. Members of the ate voted Thursday to place the form has yet to be decided. It will committee will be chosen in the question of on-campus recruit- present the voter with the choice near future. ment before Northeastern students of supporting the present policy The Student Council, according and faculty by means of a univcr- or choosing one of several alter- to president Vincent B. McLcUan sity-widc referendum. nate recruitment procedures. 69LA, will offer to send a coun- Thc action came as a response Div. A students and faculty will eillor to serve on the committee, to the recent controversy concern- make Ihir choices on Mon.. Nov. McLcllan personally favors the in- ing the practice of organizations 27. No dale has yet been chosen elusion of a Students for a Demo- such as Dow Chemical Co.. Ihe for the Div. B referendum. cratic Society representative Central Intelligence Agency, and Supervising the voling will be •participating on this committee NEWSGIRL MEETS GURU — Reporter Sue Werner takes down the armed forces coming to the a nine-man committee equally since they orginially brought up sacred rumblings of visiting Boo-hoo priest who explained many school seeking future personnel. representing students, faculty, and Ihe issue. of the tenets of his faith. (See story page 2)