MECHA appeal to be reviewed
By MARY ANN GALANTE SoCal Editor
The Student Union Board will meet at noon today to decide whether to review MECHA's appeal for office space in the Student Union.
Today's board meeting is a direct outcome of a gathering yesterday between MECHA members, the Student Union Board and Robert Mannes. dean of student life. Both meeting were called following MECHA's (the Chicano student organization) take-over of the third floor of the Student Union on Monday.
"Nothing was accomplished at the meeting between the Student Union Board and Mannes.' said Marv Ann Pacheco. one of the group's spokesmen. 'We just had another game run on us. There will be no games played at the meeting today.' she said.
The Chicano students will meet with President Hubbard at 10:30 this morning to discuss the group's request for office space in the Student Union.
“We hope to review with Hubbard everything we've gone through so far and deal with the issues of the Chicano problems on campus. " said Ms. Pacheco “We want to review the university's lack of concern for Chicanos."
Following yesterday's meeting with the Student Union Board. MECHA members staged a brief rally outside the Student Activities Center.
David Heffner, a member of the Student Union Board, promised to support MECHA and their demand for an office in today's meeting.
“I'm going to push for you people with everything I've got." said Heffner. “I know you need an office and 1 11 do my best to convince the other board members to give you one."
Heffner cautioned the Chicano students against using violent tactics. “If you use violence, it will destroy everything you ve got . . . But I feel sure you will get an office." said Heffner.
Gary Wavland. chairman of the Student Union Board, said the board was unable to decide yesterday whether MECHA should have an office because "We have to discuss it among ourselves."
“If we decide to reopen room allocations and assign MECHA an office, somebody else will have to share an office with them or move out." said Way-land. MECHA representatives have said they will not accept an office that they have to share with another organization.
After a half-hour meeting of MECHA members later yesterday inside the Student Activities Center, the Chicano students decided to go to President Hubbard's office and make their situation known to him.
Some MECHA members were under the impression that a member of the group had scheduled a meeting with Dr. Hubbard at 2 p.m. Actually, that MECHA member was supposed to attend a meeting of the Honorary Degree Committee, of which he is a member Dr. Hubbard was not in his office when about thirty MECHA members arrived, so the Chicanos sat in his office and briefly interrupted a meeting of the Honorary Degrees Committee, then in progress in an adjoining office.
Daniel Nowak, acting vice president for student affairs, came to Hubbard's office and clarified the misunderstanding with MECHA members. Nowak then arranged today's meeting between the Chicanos and President Hubbard.
Late yesterday afternoon members of the administration discussed MECHA's takeover Monday of the third floor of the Student Union Building. Mannes issued a statement requesting an investigation of Monday's events in response to informal compalints he has received from
individuals with offices on the third floor.
Mannes' statement, in part, read as follows:
“I am asking the chairman of the Student Life Committee to appoint a panel in order to investigate the alleged events of that day . . . and to render an opinion as to the validity of these complaints.
“In addition. I am requesting the assistance of any person who may have information regarding the alleged presence of the MECHA organization in the Student Union Building on October 18..."
Mannes said the Student Life Committee will render an opinion as to the validity of complaints against MECHA. “The committee will then make a recommendation as to what action will be taken and I will probably follow their advice." said Mannes.
“We want it understood that this is a fact-finding committee and that no one is on trial," said Ms. Pacheco. “The Student Life Committee will be looking for the truth and we want the truth known."
Ms. Pacheco said MECHA has no definite plans if it is denied an office at the meeting today.
University of Southern California
DAILY # TROJAN
VOL. LXIV NO. 21
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 20, 1971
MECHA's request denied by Student Court
By GUNTHER MERLI Staff Writer
The Student Court, operating under its new rules of procedure. handed down six decisions at its four-hour meeting Monday evening.
The court declined to hear a case brought by MECHA against the Student Union Board: decided that Chuck Jones was ineligible for the office of graduate representative: decided that appointed ASSC offices should be open to reappointment: decided that Kent Clemence should be reimbursed for his expenditures in the second presidential campaign: and considered two resolutions at the meeting.
Steven Ybarra, Rudolph A. Diaz, and Adolfo Lara, all law students, brought a case before the court requesting action against the Student Union Board on behalf of MECHA (Movimiento Estudiantil Chica-
no de Aztlan).
MECHA charged in its brief that it had encountered bureaucratic indifferences, dominance by an Anglo-oriented university and anti-Chicano policies in its activities. It said that the Student Union Board, responsible for assigning offices in the Student Union, failed to meet its own criteria for the allocation of office space.
The organization said that it represents 200 Chicano students and that it has been an ASSC affiliate for four years by virtue of its relationship with UMAS. United Mexican-American Students. the previous Chicano group.
(The board orginallv declined to give MECHA office space for two reasons: MECHA was not ASSC-affiliated. and its activities were primarily in the community rather than on campus.)
The court voted 5-2 to denv
MECHA's request for an injunction against the board that would have halted the board's office allocations and required it to show cause why the injunction should not be made permanent. The court agreed that it had the jurisdiction to hear the case, under article V. Section 4 of the ASSC constitution regarding intramural disputes, but said that the decision making process of office allocation was not yet finished and declined to hear the case. The court recommended that the board clarify its procedures and that the question of MECHA’s ASSC affiliation be resolved.
Another brief was filed with the court by Marshal Oldman, a member of the Student Senate, asking that newly elected Chuck Jones be disqualified as ASSC graduate representative since his GPA is below the limit required for an ASSC officer. The court did this bv a vote of
4-3, considering the possibility of checking Jones' GPA the next day and noting that it had disqualified John McGuinness, one-time presidential candidate, for the same reason. Jones reportedly plans to appeal the decision to the university.
In a third decision, an advisory opinion requested by Kent Clemence. ASSC president, the court voted 7-0 that appointments to student offices and committees made by Joel Rosenzweig. former acting ASSC president, should be subject to reappointment by Clemence. Its reasoning was that appointments made by an acting or interim president should likewise be considered to be only acting or temporary, according to Steve Knowles, chief justice of the court.
The court's fourth decision, a
7-0 vote, ordered by writ the Executive Council to pay Clem-
ence $180 for his campaign expenditures. This was a follow-up of a court decision last year that held the elections and suggested that candidates who ran again in the fall be reimbursed by the council for their new expenses.
By an 8-0-1 vote, the court passed a resolution asking that Brian Heimerl. assistant director of student activities, be made the court's advisor. By a 2-6 vote, the court defeated a resolution allowing the Daily Trojan to be present at closed meetings of the court.
The court operated under its new rules of procedure, approved by the justices Oct. 8. Under these, only a unanimous vote of the other justices, rather than the decision of the chief justice, can exclude a justice from a case. This was among other changes.
Frosh rep runoff vote starts today
By DAVE DANIELSON Tbe election runoff between Bob Glushon ard Dan Strong for freshman representative will be held today and tomorrow, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., in front of Bovard Auditorium.
The runoff has been launched, however, among arguments over candidates’ positions and endorsements, controversies that will probably continue throughout these two days.	,
The chief argument is over Glushon’s statements that Strong is a member of Young Americans for Freedom and that YAF is mounting a hostile and negative campaign against him (Glushon).
Strong responded to the charges in a letter to the Daily Trojan: “Any attempt by my opponent to inject the politics of fear and innuendo into this campaign must be taken as an insult to the intelligence of the freshman class.
“My support includes radicals, liberals, moderates and conservatives alike. Any attempt to state that my candidacy represents one distinct political persuasion would he to totally disregard what is fact.”
A member of Strong’s campaign committee (who asked not to be identified) said that Strong was not a member of YAF; Glushon said he was told Strong belonged by a member of the conservative campus group.
“Dan has been supported by YAF members throughout his campaign,” Glushon charged.
Glushon discussed his candidacy Monday evening; Strong was not available for an interview and sent his comments to the Daily Trojan late yesterday afternoon.
Listed among Glusbon’s concerns were setting up a special information and contact system for freshmen if he is elected and avoiding the confusion and chaos of past ASSC elections.
He particularly emphasized preparation of a course evaluation guide.
Elimination of foreign language, physical education and English 101 requirements and organization of a Freshman advisory council are among Strong’s plans. He, like Glushon. supports evaluation guide plans and hopes to get more representation for freshmen in student government.
Another controversy, over endorsement changes, has confused the campaign: several students involved in ASSC student government felt their names had been used wrongly by candidates.
Despite the arguments, though, the runoff has been set by the ASSC elections committee. Any freshman with an ID card may vote today or tom-orrow