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FAYETTEVILLE STATE UNIVERSITY'
V0LUME24 NUMBER 7 FAYETTEVILLE. N C. FEBRUARY 17. 1971
Lyons’ controls
board meeting
February 11, at noon the students were given an
audience with the Board of Trustees. They were not
informed of the meeting until 11:45, so, as usual,
they were not given ample time to be ready. The stu
dent representatives were surprised to find President
Lyons present at the meeting, supported by his law
yer, a Mr. Nance. The meeting was intended to be
between the students and the Board of Trustees, only.
James Nesby read the demands and grievances
to the Board. One of the Board members wanted to
know why the student body had not contacted them
before. Nesby replied we HAD sent them a list of
the problems, but it was written in a different form.
Nesby suggested a hearing of the board with the
students to give the students an opportunity to pre
sent proof of the injustices suffered at the hand of
Dr. Lyons. A black board member informed the stu
dent body they had stated serious things and must
have proof to back them up. Another board member,
who agreed with Mr. Nesby, felt the Board should
grant the students a hearing.
One member of the Board suggested the students
continue going to classes because they have to “main
tain the institution” and “remain peaceful and or
derly”.
The motion was made and seconded to have a
hearing in the near future. The student representa
tives present were informed to be specific with their
points brought in at the hearing. James Nesby, Dr.
Lyons, and the Chairman of the Board will determine
the date of the hearing. (How is it that the “accused”
is running his own “trial”? Lyons had no business
being present at the meeting, much less determining
the date of the hearing against him.)
President Lyons took the names of the six students
present. One wonders what action he will personally
take against them. Will their fate akin to that
of Dr. Bishop?
All the students stayed in the meeting until about
4:00 p.m. Before the meeting was over, James Nesby
was pressured into saying he would control the stu
dents and make them go back to class. When the room
was cleared, Mr. Nesby returned to speak to Lyons.
He retracted his former statement, making it clear
that he alone could not influence the students or
MAKE them do anything they did not wish to do.
The members of the Board did most of the talking.
Even the few black members of the board seemed
more “establishment” than the white members, in
putting down the students.
NIGHTLY BURNING
STUDENTS BURN
LYONS IN EFFIGY
PRES. OUT OF HIDING
Lyons meets
with students
February 9, 1971, in
the afternoon a cross
section of the student body
and Student Government
representatives, at last,
had an appointment to
meet wi^ President
Lyons.
Determined not to be
defenseless, the Presi
dent surrounded himself
with his administrative
aids: Mr. J. c. Jones,
Dean Fields, Mr. Leazer,
and Mr. Roscoe. Over a
dozen students plus the
president and vice-pres
ident of the student body
attended the meeting.The
students were volunteer
representatives as well
as elected representa
tives of the various group
on campus.
The student grievances
were made clear again.
Nesby said, “The same
problems have always
existed, but the state of
affairs has worsened.”
It was made clear that
the firing of Dr. Bishop
was not the MAIN issue
of the students.
The students told
President Lyons that they
could not see that he had
helped this institution.lt
was the general student
feeling that Lyons had
hurt the school.
Lyons commented by
saying that students do
not hire and fire presi
dents of universities and
would not get his resig
nation from this type stu
dent action and pressure.
He could not “get over
the audacity” of the stu
dent body asking for his
resignation when they
were not in a position to
get it.
Lyons said that he hop
ed the students present
at the meeting, as student
leaders, would be ready
to take the responsibility
for repercussions I (Is
this a threat?)
The president insisted
that the student govern
ment representatives had
never before asked him
to sit down with them and
discuss grievances, al
though the actual opposite
is widely known.
Lyons wanted to know
if the students expected
him to fix minor griev
ances over - night. He
made it clear that he is
more concerned with long
range problems.
The President spoke as
little as possible in or
der to avoid being hung by
his own rope, it seemed.
He encouraged the stu
dents to go to other ad
ministrators for answers
to any questions.
When asked if he would
give the student body his
resignation, his immed
iate reaction was, “No.”
It was clear that he would
not give the STUDENTS
his resignation, but it
was wondered to whom he
would consider giving it.
AT MASS MEETING
Students
position
odds
February 10, 1971 the
student body of FSU met
in force in the auditorium.
James Nesby, president
of the Student Govern
ment Association spoke
to the group. His first
comments were in ap
preciation of the mass
student support of the ef
figy of President Lyons
the evening of February
9. He opened, “You were
beautiful last night. You
so beautifully rose to the
occasion. Our efforts last
night were commendable,
but our total efforts are
yet to be won.”
Mr. Nesby spoke of stu
dent responsibility for
their decisions. “Lyons
has not resigned, but
this should make us more
determined. The results
depend upon how strong
your commitments and
determination are. This
is not a game.”
recommit
against
He continued, “thissit-
tuation does not depend
on James Nesby Jr., but
on you as a collective
body. No selective group
should determine by
themselves the fate and
destiny of 1400 men and
women.”
“You must know all the
facts and be knowledg-
able of the state of af
fairs. There can be no
war without sacrifice
or casualties. Being in
volved in a war or strug
gle, -- one must not only
calculate the possibility
of victory, but also be a-
ware of the possibility of
losing. We cannot anti
cipate the joys of vic
tory unless we accept
the fears of losing. Vic
tory is only valid if the
unpleasantness of con
sequences is accepted.”
Mr. Nesby wanted to be
absolutely certain the
(Continued on page 2)
The second week of
February will long be
remembered by the stu
dents of FSU. Each day
and evening saw student
gatherings and meetings
in protest against Pres
ident Charles Lyons. He
was burned in effigy at
nightly mass rallies.
February 8, 1971, the
rain threatened to cancel
the first burning of
“Lyons”. However, over
300 students gathered in
the football field to see
an image of Lyons hung
from the football goal
post and set aflame. The
students gathered in a
large circle and watched
the stuffed image go up
in flames and smoke.
February 9, after the
meeting of students in the
auditorium, student mar
shals who were appointed
to keep outsiders away
from the gatherings, ush
ered the students out of
the auditorium and in a
line around the dorms to
the auditorium parking
lot. The students were
singing,“We Shall Over
come" and “We Shall
Not Be Moved.” A large
circle of students filled
the parking lot. After a
few statements quite
appropriate for the sit
uation were made, fire
was set to the effigy.
After the last few ash
es died out, the line m ov-
ed by the President’s
house with the students
chanting, “Lyons has got
to go.”
February 10, about9:00
p.m. over 850 students
filed out of the Women’s
Gym after the mass meet
ing. They walked in single
file to the auditorium
parking lot, gathering
more students along the
way. About 1000 students
circled around in the
parking lot. After the ef
figy was sent up in
flames, the crowd of stu
dents cheered. The file
of students marched a-
round the campus in a
show of mass support of
student demands and
grievances.
Students have support of Alumni, Community
Plan meeting with Board
ofEducation in Raleigh
February ii, 7:00 p.m., the students met in a
mass rally in the Women's Gym. About 1000 stu
dents, or more, were present. Tensions were high
as the students listened to James Nesby, Dr. Charles
Cherry (former president of the FSU Alumni Asso
ciation), Mrs. Barbara McNeil (FSU graduate), and
Carolyn Newton Stevens.
James Nesby informed the students of the re
sults of the meeting with the Board of Trustees,
earlier in the day. He told the students the Board
members agreed to listen to the students “in good
faith”, and give them an opportunity to present their
grievances and explain their problems.
Dr. Charles Cherry, who has been behind the stu
dents for a long time, and aware of the problems with
Dr. Lyons, spoke to the students. He gave his support
to their cause. He warned the students to be aware
of the narrow attitude of the Board of Trustees,
and realize that it contained some “Oreo-type cook
ies,” (black on the outside, but white on the inside).
He said the “Board is pregnant with Lyons and too
moralistic to have an abortion.” The students cheered
loudly at the statements made by Dr. Cherry, which
summarized the general student feeling.
Mrs. Barbara McNeil, an FSU graduate, is also
in support of the students. She told the student body
if they gave up now, Lyons would run everything
indefinitely I In that case, the students “would not have
a prayer in the world.” She said, “This is one time
you have to stand up for yourselves, against the pres
sure of parents and friends.” The students let their
support of the statements she made be known. Ap
plause came from the floor, as the students were
more determined than ever to stand by their con
victions and not be run over by an administration
controled in EVERY department by the little dic
tator, Charlie -A —.
Carolyn Newton Stevens, SGA Vice-president, in
formed the students the statement by Dr. Lyons
concerning the cut-off of financial aid is definitely
a threat! It would hurt over 75% of the students on
the FSU campus, if put into effect by Lyons. She
told the students it was a chance they would have to
take. She gave the students several alternatives:
(1) give up, return to class, and admit defeat; (2)
return to class, BUT meet with the Board again in
a hearing against Lyons; (3) continue to be "sick”
until the Board presents us with its ulta-matum (in
this case, the students would only be waiting around
to be killed, like Jews waiting their turn in lines
moving toward the ovens — slowly, but surely);
or (4) send a mass delegation of students to Raleigh
to speak with the Board of Higher Education. The
alumni members have already given the student
(Continued on page 2)