Maroon

              loyola maroon Vol. XLVM Loyola University, New Orleans, La., 70118, Friday, September 11,1970 No. 2 Academic freedom charge may reopen Blouin case By GARY ATKINS Maroon Editor The Tom Blouin case may be opened once again next week if a faculty committee that says Blouin appears to have been fired in violation of academic freedom presents evidence to support its statement. Blouin, a popular English instructor, was fired last semester over the protests of some facutly and students. The issue though has been pending for two years, since the board first urged Blouin's termination. Public reasons given for the firing of the teacher have included his lack of a Ph.D., his failure to keep regular office hours and his smoking in class violation of university policy. However, there have been assertions that supposedly anti-Catholic sentiments allegedly voiced by Blouin in class have contributed to his termination. The University Senate Rank and Tenure committee, which studied the case over the summer, referred to this controversy in its recent report, asking, "Was termination of Mr. Blouin because of lack of a Ph.D. or because of alleged anti-Catholic sentiments?" In July, the Directors rejected the committee's contention that Blouin had tenure at Loyola and should be given a contract. However, in its report, the committee stated that Blouin had "established a prima facie case that considerations violative of academic freedom significantly contributed to the decision not to reappoint him." Because of this statement, the case may again be opened, this time in the form of a full adversary proceeding. "The statement was the source of some embarrassment," the Rev. James C. Carter, S.J., vice president for academic affairs, said. Father Carter has asked the committee to produce its evidence supporting the claim about possible violation of academic freedom. "If I am presented with some evidence," he said, "I will take it to the board and request due process within the faculty. And I feel I will be able to get it." There are many complications that have entered into the Blouin case during its development in the past two years. Blouin was first given notice that he would be terminated for the academic year 1969-70 in October, 1968. The Board of Directors had passed along its wish that he be fired several months earlier, during the spring semester, 1968. However, following considerable protest from the faculty of the Department of English, the then-academic vice president, the Rev. Thomas H. Clancy, S.J., gave Blouin a contract for 1969-70 but told him it would be his last unless he obtained his Ph.D. However, according to the English department statements were made during the course of 1969 which indicated Blouin would be allowed to remain at Loyola, that his lack of a Ph.D. would be overlooked in view of his teaching ability. Then in February, 197U, when Blouin was not offered a contract for 1970-71, the chairman of the English department, Dr. John Corrington, asked that the case be heard by the rank and tenure committee of the University Senate, the faculty's representative body. The rank and tenure committee had actually been instructed to hear the Blouin case a year earlier, when the first dispute about Blouin arose between the administration and the English department. However, when administrative TOM BLOUIN Changes in Council structure outlined By MIMI GRIFFITH Maroon Staff Reporter "We've been living in the Dark Ages." Pat O'Keefe used these words to describe the conditions under which Loyola'a Student Council has labored for the past years. O'Keefe, vice-president of the Student Council, outlined a series of proposals which are designed to bring a new approach to the council's method of student government. Basically, the student's governing body would operate as a student interest group, rather than as a legislature. O'Keefe said that he would like to see the council quit being a body that "only passes unenforceable Mickey Mouse laws." He said the student government must find a way to represent effectively the interests of all the students to the administration. Specific changes mentioned by O'Keefe were the creation of more than one vice-presidency to handle executive responsibilities, a full-time press secretary, and more office help. The institution of an ombudsman is another innovation advocated by O'Keefe for the student government. The duties of an ombudsman would be to mediate disputes between students and members of the administration. The person who would hold this office would have to be someone "who had credibility at all levels of the university," said O'Keefe, "someone who is accepted as nonpartisan by all members of the community." In line with the aim to give the council a new approach, O'Keefe has suggested that the Student Council completely rewrite its constitution and change its name to the Student Government Association. A constitutional committee of the Student Council has been meeting to revamp the constitution of the council. After the rewritten version comes out of committee, it will be submitted to the Student Council for approval by a two-thirds majority. If the council passes the new constitution, the document will be put to a vote by the entire student body. In rewriting the constitution, the council will seek simplicity and flexibility. The constitutional committee headed by Kathy Walsh of A&S and Kenny Jacques of City College will strive to write a document which delineates clearly the lines of responsibility without straitjacketing the student government. Among the changes which are under consideration by the committee is the reapportionment of student government representation. According to co-chairman Kathy Walsh, a reapportionment plan that would bring in more members to the council would be desirable. She also noted that the committee was considering an apportionment scheme which would give special representation to students living on campus. By providing seats on the student government for some members of the Men's and Women's residence councils, the student government would better represent the interests of those students. There are also plans to clearly separate the functions and powers of tne Student Judicial Court from those of the council. The committee plans to include specifically that the court will have the power of judicial review over the acts of the student government. If the old constitution is replaced by a new one, the body of existing statutes which have been passed by the Student Council in previous years will become invalid. The constitutional committee will then prepare a single package of by-laws to present to the new student government if the proposed constitution passes. Another innovation by the Student Council may be membership in the Louisiana Intercollegiate State Legislature (LISL). According to O'Keefe, LISL serves as a voice of state-wide student opinion in Louisiana. If the Loyola student government were to join LISL, it would begin to play "a meaningful role in state politics which involve students," said O'Keefe. He explained that LISL holds a state-wide convention twice a year. One of the planks in the platform formed at last May's meeting included the intention to lobby for the 18-year-old vote in Louisiana. Students failed to get a two-thirds majority in both houses, necessary for a constitutional amendment, during the summer session of the state legislature. However, O'Keefe noted that LISL was instrumental in getting what response Louisiana legislators did give. Last week a Student Council committee completed a questionnaire from the federal government which requested information concerning campus unrest. John Brazier, A&S representative, reported at Tuesday's meeting that the questionnaire consisted mainly in questions which required factual answers about disorders on campus. Braziei also noted that the form provided the committee with the opportunity to make suggestions concerning the manner in which they believed university officials should handle campus unrest. Overload fee change approved by council By BILL LAM Maroon Staff Reporter The Student Council has approved with mixed emotions the controversial $50 overload fee. The fee, levied by the administration, imposed a $50 charge every semester hour in excess of the 20 hours allowed in any one semester. Edgar Chase, Student Council President, explained that this mixed feeling on the part of the council was due to the administration's method of implementing the fee without prior student consultation. Chase added that Father Thomas H. Clancy, former academic vice-president, had presented the overload fee proposal so late in the past spring semester that there was insufficient time for any investigation by the council as to the necessity of its implementation. Members of the council have, however, approved the overload fee in view of the fact that the limit of allowable hours has been raised from 19 to 20 hours. This modification, according to Chase, will help the majority of students, some of whom would have been at a financial disadvantage were the 19 hours limit maintained. Majors in the departments of Biological Sciences, Medical Technology, and Classical Languages would have been affected the most. The implementation of this overload fee was justified, according to the Fev. James C. Carter, S.J., academic vice-president because when numerous students register for an extra course the university has to provide more class rooms and faculty. These additions, continued Carter, would result in higher cost in tuition and "there is no reason why others taking less than 20 hours should have to pay more." The alternative to graduate within seven semesters instead of eight is now possible with students paying more for extra courses beyond the 20 semester hours allowed. The 20 hours limit was decided upon following Carter's consultation with John F. Fckholdt. vice-president for Business and Finance and Rev. John H. Mullahy, S.J., member of the Board of Directors and chairman of the Department of Biological Sciences. Despite the disapproval of the method of implementing the fee. Chase says that he feels it to be unwise "to rehash a past event." But he did emphasize that the council is not anti-administration and for things to remain that way the administration "should work side by side with the council in matters concerned with tuition." Council shelves spring sanctions against Loyola The word "sanction", dusted off in the heat of last spring, is now a forgotten term. In explaining what has been done about the sanctions, F.dgar Chase, Student Council president, simply stated, "We haven't done anything about them." Included in the sanctions considered were a possible call for students to refuse to pay their tuition and fees and the purchase of an advertisement enjoining students not to return to this university. As Chase pointed out, the sanctions were reactions against last year's administration's actions. Chase contends that the Student Council need not discriminate against the new administration for actions taken by their predecessors. "The council". Chase said,"is taking a new approach this year. We would rather try to cooperate, negotiate, and discuss issues with the new administration than bring sanctions against them." Danny Hynes, president of the College of Arts and Sciences, agrees with Chase that a new atmosphere exists this year due to the new administrators. "This year, the outlook of the council is a lot more optimistic than last year's," he said. Hynes said that last year the students were caught up in a lot of emotional aspects. "This year," he said,"the council can be more objective." The sanctions that were proposed last semester concerned mainly the $50 fee that was to be charged for every semester hour taken over 19 and the controversy over the Bloum issue. According to a motion by Alan Vera, former Student Council member, the sanctions were to be enacted to secure the rights of students "against any intolerable infringements upon | their] education." The council proposed to request ull students to refrain from paying their tuition for this school year. Because the council doubted the real need for the fee, they proposed to employ state officials to audit the university's books. At the end of last semester, the council collected money to run an advertisement in the local papers to discourage students from attending this university. Last April, letters were sent out to enlist the aid of parents in the Blouin controversy. With the exception of this letter being sent out, no action has been taken on any of the sanctions. Chase cited the reasons as to why the sanctions weren't feasible this year. He said that because of pre-registration. many students mailed in their tuition and fee money. Thus, it was very difficult to contact students during the summer vacation to request them not to pay their money tor this semester. Chase said that in order to employ someone to audit a private university's books, one must have a sufficient amount of sound evidence to warrant such action. Chase said that the council contacted several lawyers and lound I hat enough evidence was lacking. The advertisement was the only council sanction that could have been carried out. ('hase slated that the decision of whether or not to run the ad lay on his shoulders. "I have decided not to run it because I see no reason for it now." Chase and Hynes said they do not contend that last year's sanctions were unnecessary. 'There was a lot wrong with this university lust year." he said. Chase believes that this year's administration will be much more receptive than was last year's. ROTC revamps program to attract cadets By REXBARBAS Maroon Staff Reporter Like many other college ROTC programs across the nation, Loyola Army Reserve Training Corps Department will be regrouping this year in an effort to spur new interest in the program, something that was lost to many young men with the installment of the draft lottery last December. As expected the new draft system cut the enrollment of ROTC classes across the nation, and Loyola was no exception. Last year there were 205 students in Military Science while the present enrollment numbers only 147. The freshman enrollment this year is 38, a drop of about 40 per cent. All this, however, came as no surprise to Major Leonard H. Chisholm, acting Professor of Military Science. While admitting that the new ROTC students are those who would be drafted if they did not join, Chisholm and his staff have come up with a new program designed to insure more interest in ROTC. Major Thomas Hamilton, coordinator of the new programs, said they "intended to broaden the learning scope so that the students get more that what we offer in the department." The newest innovation is that of a lecture program for seniors. The lecfures are given by members of other departments in their respective fields. Before this year, freshmen and sophomores were not eligible for rank. Through this new system of ranking, a new cadet may advance himself in the program. Certain improvements will affect the entire cadet program. Business Administration senior Bill Weaver, new Cadet Lt. Col. of the Batallion, said that "'as cadets assigned to leadership positions, we are responsible for .ill activities in ROTC other than the classroom lecture. The focal point of our influence occurs at the weekly drill period." The drill period has been cut from two hours down to one. This was done by eliminating excess activities and by making the period more concise and inleresling. Anolhci general improvement will be the installation of an inspector general, whose job it will be to receive complaints and then to investigate on the problem and make a report. A "Review Board" has been set up as a type of arbitrational board that will make recommendations concerning the functioning of the ROTC program to the commanding officer for consideration. One of the newest nationwide ROTC innovations is the "Three-Month Option" which is available to ill graduating seniors with the exception of those on Milirary Scholarships. The program consist! of a three to m\ month training program alter graduation. Alter ihis the cade) would go into the reserve lor a total ol eight years. The other option is the same as it has always been, that is a tegular serving period of two years active duty and six years in the reserve. With all the improvements, however, there remains those in ROTC who do nol believe that the program can ever change for the better, usually those who have high draft numbers. "Personally, I'm in ROI ( because I have to." commented one cadet who wished to remain anonymous. "Besides, I'd rather eat steak than K-rations." (continued on page 4)