Knights charged with bias; black asks for suspension of charter
BY KENT SCHOKNECHT
A letter asking that the Knights' charter to operate on campus be suspended until further investigation can be made into allegations of racism in the organization was sent Thursday to James R. Appleton, vice-president for student affairs.
Robert Robinson, chairperson of the Black Student Council, sent the letter that accused the Knights, a university service organization for junior and senior men. of making “racial slurs and remarks and derogatory references about a black house on the Row.”
The letter of complaint to Appleton said that some irregularities had been found in the selection procedures for membership in Knights.
It said that three blacks were recently denied admission to the Knights, and that one of the three whom the letter described
DT photo by Brian Robinette
TOMMY McLURKIN
as “extremely qualified and committed to USC,” was rejected for the third time.
In the letter, Robinson asked that the Knights' charter be revoked and not be reinstated until the problems named be addressed and rectified.
Robinson said that the exclusion of blacks for the Knights is not a written rule, but a de facto one.
Since the founding of the Knights no blacks have been admitted.
Tommy McLurkin. a member of Kappa Alpha Psi. a black so-
cial fraternity, said that the alumni of his fraternity asked why he was not a member of the Knights.
He said they were in favor of taking legal action, a process that has already begun.
The result of legal action in favor of the black students would either require that the Knights be thrown off campus or that the group’s policies for membership selection be rewritten to include a more representative cross-section of university students, McLurkin said.
McLurkin said that the proceedings are not for his own sake. Instead, he wants to set a precedent for all minority students who want to be members of university organizations.
McLurkin has said that the university has been responsive to the requests of the black students applying for positions in the Knights.
He said that if the university takes action itself, all litigation will be terminated He also said that groups of students have formed lobbies for the rights of minority students concerning university organizations.
“It’s a shame that so many minority students come here to be a part of what’s going on. just to be turned off by discrimination. racism and isolationism. They become apathetic towards clubs in general,” he said.
Lee Anderson, a senior majoring in public relations and a past president of the Knights, said that the reason McLurkin was not accepted was because he rated poorly on the examination given to all prospective Knights.
The examination is one-half the requirement for membership in the Knights. Anderson said that in the interview, the other half of the requirement, McLurkin rated very well.
Anderson said that the Knights were aware of McLurkin’s special case, but that they could not overlook his poor score on the examination.
“When you’ve got 150 or 160 applicants for 47 positions, it's just impossible to keep everyone,” he said.
Daily Iff Trojan
University of Southern California
Volume LXVII, No. 130	Los Angeles, California	Friday, May 16, 1975
Group presents demands at meeting on aid policy
BY NANCY BABKA
The panel of students that presided over a financial aid hearing held on campus April 25 formally presented a report to members of the administration Thursday. They demanded that changes be made in the Financial Aid Office's staff and
More funds are available for out-of-state students. See story on page 2.
methods of distributing money.
The report was submitted by-Robert L. Robinson, a junior in electrical engineering and one of the organizers of the hearing.
The list of 23 demands included a call for the removal of Richard Dolen from his position as assistant director of Student Administrative Services and an investigation into the adminis-
DT photo by Shuji Ito
PAMELA WALBOM
tration ofthe Financial Aid Office under the direction of Pamela H. Walbom.
Dolen, Walbom and William G. Wagner, special assistant for academic record services, were present at the meeting and pro-
vided the Daily Trojan with a written reply.
The report submitted by the panel of students demanded that the College Work-Study placement policies be reformed.
Federal funds are allocated each year to finance university work study programs—programs that provide university jobs to supplement student income.
The report accused the Financial Aid Office ofturning backSl million of unused funds to the federal government.
Robinson said, “Pam Walbom said that the funds were unused do to a lack of interest in the program. It’s no wonder that there was a lack of interest.
“Most of the jobs offered were totally unrelated to the student's academic field, such as being a clerk or cleaning test tubes, and it amounted to nothing but the university getting some cheap help.”
Dolen and Wagnervehemently denied that $1 million was turned back to the government.
“None ofthe work study funds were unused,” Wagner said.
Dolen added. “Robinson seems to have a total misunderstanding of the issue. He said that Pam Walbom told him that $1 million was turned back, and she said at the hearing that she had said no such thing."
Dolen and Wagner also denied the report's accusation that the university entices freshmen to attend the university by offering them a substantial amount of financial aid their freshman year, and reducing their aid sharply for their remaining time here.
Wagner said, “During a student's freshman year, up to $740 of financial aid can be obtained, according to individual needs. During their sophomore year, up to $400 can be obtained: again according to need.
“Then during the student’s junior and senior years, the available aid is increased to an amount up to $700 Two of the demands that the report makes are the removal of Dolen from his position and an I
DT photo by Brian Robinette
ROBERT ROBINSON
investigation of Walbom's administration of the Financial Aid Office.
Another issue that the report brought up is the relation between students and financial aid counselors.
The report demands that students be allowed to participate in the selection of counselors, and that there be a yearly review of all counselors retained on the staff by students, staff and faculty.
The report also accuses the administration of infighting.
“We are going to present President Hubbard with our grievances early next week,” Robinson said. “We feel that, in the end, President Hubbard will have to intercede in this matter, because of the inherent deficiencies—the constant in fighting and power struggles—in the system.
(continued on page 2)
NROTC commanding officer may lose post
BY STEVEN HAWKINS and MARC NOWADNICK
The commanding officer of the university’s Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps unit is expected to be relieved of his command and reassigned during the summer.
Col. William F. Saunders Jr.. professor of naval science, has been commanding officer of the unit for nearly two years.
Although most midshipmen and officers are reluctant to discuss the action, some midshipmen feel the reas signment is a result of the Navy’s dissatisfaction with Saunders' performance.
Commander Robert White, with the office ofthe Chief of Naval Education and Training in Pensacola, Florida, said, “Any suggestion that this is a punitive action is not factual.”
Some midshipmen said Saunders told the unithe would appeal the reassignment action.
White said he had no knowledge of such a request, adding that the appeal could have gone to any of several military offices throughout the nation.
Eightof 11 midshipmen contacted would not speak with the Daily Trojan. Of those who declined to comment, one said it would first have to be “cleared with the high-erups.” Another said pressure from the officers kept many students from discussing the action
A third student said ROTC students were concerned that their remarks would appear to be derogatory in print, no matter what the original intentions of their statements.
All the midshipmen interviewed asked that their
names not be revealed. The major reason given was a desire to avoid retribution from persons in the naval-science unit.
Saunders twice refused to be interviewed. Along with his first refusal, he had a junior officer give his reasons.
Lt. Vincent H. Corry, assistant professor of naval science, said Saunders’ refusal was based on circumstances surrounding an earlier article (Daily Trojan.Nov. 1. 1974).
Corry said Saunders said he was misquoted in the last article, lied to by the w riter and told he could see a copy of the story before it went to print, which he did not
Saunders also said through Corry that the person to see for facts concerning his relief was Vice-Admiral James B Wilson, Chief of Naval Education and Training.
Wilson said he could not comment on the action involving Saunders because he was not familiar with the case. He referred the Daily Trojan to White.
A second attempt to interview Saunders was made. His secretary, who refused to identify herself, said Saunders' reply was that he “was misquoted and lied to in the last interview" and that he “will not, nor nevermtends to, give another interview to the Daily Trojan.”
Speculation on Saunders’ future ranged from his being reassigned to Camp Pendleton to having an early retirement forced upon him. Mo'st midshipmen felt he would simply be reassigned.
Saunders began his duty here in August, 1973.
Several sources, including White, Corry and some midshipmen, said that the usual tour at a unit is three years, but they said Saunders’ two-year tour is not exceptional.
One midshipman said he heard that Saunders' replacement would be a Navy captain and aviator who would assume his duties in July.
But White said no replacement had been selected, although nominations are expected soon.
When the unit was inspected earlier this year, the students’ grades were satisfactory, and they were highly recommended on some points, several midshipmen said.
But one midshipman said the officers conducting the inspection interviewed several ofthe midshipmen, some of whom expressed a lack of confidence in Saunders' leadership ability.
In the earlier Daily Trojan article, some midshipmen said they believed Saunders' job to be in jeopardy.
They said a drop in morale within the unit was apparent and that the Navy was disturbed by the increased number of students disenrolling from the program But one midshipman said Saunders was more concerned with quality than quantity and that this w as his reason for decreasing the size of the unit. During the tw o years Saunders has serv ed here, the total number of persons in all four classes has decreased from 167 to 113.
(continued on page 10)
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Last DT issue
This is the last spring semester issue of the Daily Trojan. Publication will resume on June 17 with the first issue ofthe Summer Trojan. The Daily Trojan will will begin the fall semester with a special issue Sept 9.
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