Monday, October 27, 1969
An Editorial--Supplement to Issue No. 6
Elon College is again in the news not only locally but nationally
with the suspension of Professor Michael Smith. Elon is one of the few
schools where a professor was suspended as a result of the October 15
Moratorium.
The Moratorium is not our particular concern; the issue is whether
or not Prof. Smith fulfilled his obligations as a professor that day.
We believe that Prof. Smith, in securing tvro competent colleagues
to take charge of his classes on that day, fulfilled his obligations.
It is v/ell knom that many professors due to personal or
unannounced reasons merely don't "show up" for their classes. If
Prof. Smith is suspended, the college should explain to the students
why other faculty members guilty of the same "breach of contract
were allowed to remain.
The name Michael Smith is not of greatest importance but what
is of importance is the principle involved in his suspension which is
linked to the October 15 Moratorium.
We sincerely hope that the executive committee of the Board of
Trustees will consider this matter with extreme care and forget the
Moratorium as such and instead consider Michael Smith, the professor.