Newspapers / Fayetteville State University Student … / March 30, 1971, edition 1 / Page 3
Part of Fayetteville State University Student Newspaper / About this page
This page has errors
The date, title, or page description is wrong
This page has harmful content
This page contains sensitive or offensive material
THE VOICE...MARCH 30, 1971...PAGE 3 LYONS’ DEN from end to end or a diamond with a hole in it Charles Lyons has gone on record say ing that FSU could not be a participatory democracy. His policies and their recent repercussions might have suggested to him that the university could not be run smoothly with a dictatorial hand either. There has to be a medium, one that acknowledges the intrinsic roles of all the elements of the school, one that acknowledges the thinking abilities of all the cross-sections in the best interests of the total school and no one separate faction. When Lyons met with the faculty and staff in January to talk about Governor Scott’s restructuring proposal, he displayed this swing to interests of his own separate faction. He told the group, “Here is what they (the trustees and Lyons) want us to do. How manyagree with this?” in reference to local autonomy. There was really no dis cussion of the proposal within the group it self; Lyons gave the gathering a lecture on what he, himself, wanted. Are we retro gressing to the days of Hitler, Mussolini and Tojo, the latter whom Lyons resem bles physically, all of whom Lyons imi tates in action? ONE BOARD OR SEPARATE ONES? The idea of one state board of regents for all North Carolina state supported schools begins to look better and better, when we think of how listless FSU’s board of trustees has been in helping us to re move the core of our sickness. Its mem bers have shown little interest in dealing with what Lyons, himself, has called a “non-negotiable item’ his own withdrawal from FSU in the best interest of every one, including himself. The board mem bers have been prone to listen to the glib, deceptive tongue of Lyons as gospel, always hearing only Lyons’keenly defensive versions of events and circumstances. Little do they know that they have been bam- bozzled by a man who has concentrated on and puffed up an insignificant flaw in one grievance, to overshadow the truth and accuracy of a dozen other genuine griev ances against his dishonesty and ineffi ciency. All this displays a lack of true con cern by the board of trustees of FSU. No one expects a local board of trustees to vote to eliminate itself by saying “We agree to abolish ourselves,” but everyone- faculty, students, alumni, community, and even some deeply concerned administra tors - expect the local board to right wrongs and not to unlease a power-hungry, self-centered man to run ship-shod over a whole institution, whether in the man’s known or unknown quest to wreak the in- stituion to shreds of demolished debri. Because local boards represent political pay-offs - and at FSU, pa.y-offs at the bot tom of the political barrel - they seem really, a waste of time and money. Such boards know practically nothing of schools affairs and how to run them and are grossly inefficient because they are strictly politi cal. Under a board of regents, all fringe benefits would go to all schools; in Geor gia, for instance, 33% of the teacher’s regu lar salary is given for his summer school work, in all schools, not just at the University of Georgia. At FSU, sum mer school teachers are aware of what they get only when they receive their first pay check. Such a board of regents would have this equalization responsibility in all areas of the schools’ continuance. OFF TRACK TRICK FSU students handled themselves ad mirably in the recent turmoil They made their point across the state and nation, but perhaps should have refrained from that last meeting with the board of trustees. The reason was twofold: the students had already submitted their grievances to the board and to Lyons, but in the process of meeting, the neatly rehearsed Lyons’ trick of rerouting the students from the prob lem,” worked again, as students were ask ed pointed questions that caused excursions into other areas, to make it appear that the real problem - Lyons - was not the problem at alL We can sympathize with the stu dents; afterall, Lyons has all too often pulled the same “off-track trick’ with faculty, ad ministration and some eagerly, well- wishing departmental heads. Will it take Merlin, the magician, Kubla Khan, Darius and Alexander the Great, to wake up certain blind members of the board of trustees at FSU? DEPRIVATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION it is said that the board of trustees, in its March 10 meeting, wanted to know what it could do to get administration, faculty, students, alumni and community together. It seems that a peek back at previous ad ministrations would provide the board a clear-cut answer. FSU had some problems in all administrations - all schools do - but it has never been as messed up and as far apart in comm uni cations in any other regime as it is under Charles Lyons’ lack of guid ance. When the FSU Board of Trustees invites members of different groups again, to find out the truth about our horrible existence, it would do well to invite people from :he grass roots, who will stick to and expUin the negativism of the “non - negotiable item.’ It is a waste of time and gross deceit to call in other equally as selfish, Lyons oriented people, who have become top-notch cheese-eaters and brown-nosers. That way, the board is getting the Lyon treatment still, but with even greater ar dour by his patsies, with a bucket of white paint and brushes. They have sold their souls to the devil they worship and the original Satan too. They still don’t see that they are no safer than people who speak their minds because they haven’t as yet sold their principles; Lyons’ devout ad herents have long sold everything and glow now like pennies with holes in them. FROM ALUMNI BULLETIN Dogmatic Attitude Not Good For FSU It is apparent that the alumni of Fayette ville State University have become of age. It is appalling that the alumni association has never been viable enough to weildmuch influence with any of the administrations. Even though many students have passed thru the gates of the institution, since its found ing in 1877, the presidents and the trustees have operated without much consideration of the alumni. Under Dr. Smith they never grew up. The biggest acknowledgement was when one visited the campus and was introduced as a former student. Dr. Seabrook created a better atmosphere and often used the alumni for window dressing. It was under his ad ministration that one alumnus was put on the trustee board. The policies were alrea dy enunciated and it was a matter of fol lowing the crowd or getting lost in the shuf fle. Dr. Jones was conscious of the latent potential of a strong bond between the two and made some effort to establish a better line of com'riiinication. The present administration, even though perhaps more conscious, was believed to have envisioned an institution that would only be as great as the interest shown and the consideration given the alumni, due to the fact that a school’s greatness is de termined by the instilling of principles of respectibility and responsibility that the alumni is afforded and the acceptance with the burning zeal of devotion to the onward program of the institution. Both the administration and the alunni should, if they have not, come to the in eluctable decision that this is their finest hour and should rise to the occasion. The administration should seek the advice of the alum ni du e to the fact it has the pulse beat of the students and the temperment of the faculty. A dogmatic attitude on the part oi the administration and a hands-off-policy, on the part of the alumni, will not serve the best interest of Fayetteville State. The alumni comm. ttee, sent out to probe the unwholesome situation at the univer sity, must keep in mind that there is no longer two sides to a question. There are nov/ three sides — YOUR SIDE — MY SIDE— and the RIGHT SIDE. EXECUTIVE COUNCIL W ANTS THE PROBLEM” TO WALK AWAY The Executive Council of the National Association of the Fayetteville State Uni versity Alumni, after a series of conferen ces with segments of FSU, made it defi nitely clear that it was much disturbed and adopted the following guidelines for the investigation, based on the fol’owing. 1. A state of general unrest exists at the university. 2. There exists a repressive atmosphere that is not conducive to learning and freedom of thought. 3. The faculty - administration relation ship has and continues to deteriorate. 4. There is a cross feeling of insecurity among students and faculty. 5. That the reputation of the university is in jeopardy. 6. Dissent has been miscontrued as dis loyalty. The Council was firm in its belief that the action and reaction of the president. Dr. C. A. Lyons, was the prime factor in the de plorable situation and that the General Alumni Association exert every power,at its command, to rectify same. FROM ALUMNI BULLETIN Lyons Seeks Absolute Power The February issue of the FSU Alumni Biilletin revealed Dr. Lyons’ underlying motive in the removal of Dr. David W. Bishop. The action climaxed a series of alleged underhanded moves by President Lyons, including removal of Mr. A. J. Pindle as Business Manager, Dr. Odell Uzzell as Dean of the University, Mr. Jasper Turner as head of the Early Childhood Program, the under- minding of the Faculty Assembly as a representative, recognized body, and an alleged misuse of equalization funds for teachers’ salaries. Dr. Bishop’s removal is viewed as the second step in attempt to destroy the Fa culty Assembly because it criticized and presented a list of grievances against the president. The first step was the creation of a faculty hand book that included a previously unheard of University Senate, designed by a small, selected core of Lyon’s supporters. It was created to replace the Faculty Assembly. The overall aim of the president’s latest moves is total dicta torial powers for the power-hungry Dr. Lyons. On the following Friday, FSU students presented the president a petition demand ing his resignation and the reinstatement of Dr. Bishop. They started a peaceful boycott of classes Friday afternoon, to last until their demands are met. The National Alumni Association has de signated a committee to look furtherinto the existing conditions at Fayetteville State University. Volume 24 Number 9 THE VOICE March 30, 1971 Fayetteville State University Published monthly in conjunction with THE NEWS WORKSHOP and a campus staff. Editor Shirley Evans A.S3U Editors Valinda Carter Hverina Gwyn News and Features PortiaMills Manager Cornel Davis Makeup Hubert Simmons Art Sue Maloney Sports Ronald Byrd Pixs Mike Grannum News Workshop: Pat Crain, Selma Ken- ion, Rhonda Moore, Mattie Sturgies Campus Staff: Angela Calloway, Conrith Davis, Carolyn Green, Linda Hansley, Jo anne Hobbs, Melvin Mitchell, Winnie Mitchell Advisor Ollie Cox
Fayetteville State University Student Newspaper
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
March 30, 1971, edition 1
3
Click "Submit" to request a review of this page. NCDHC staff will check .
0 / 75