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University of Iowa anti-war protests, January-April 1971

1971-02-10 Iowa City Press-Citizen Article: ""Strike Call Not Heeded By Students""

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P-C 2/10/71 Strike Call Not Heeded By Students The call for a University of Iowa class boycott today to protest the invasion of Laos apparently went largely unheard. Spot checks on schools and colleges within the university brought no reports of noticeable decrease in class attendance. Varying numbers of students estimated at up to 1,500 attended a "teach-in" early this afternoon in the Main Lounge of the Iowa Memorial Union. Sponsored by the New University Conference, the teach-in began at 11:30 a.m. and was scheduled to continue through the afternoon. Information from UI President Willard L. Boyd's office indicated that no official attendance checks had been made during the day. An informal check of three major classroom buildings - Schaeffer, Macbride and English-Philosophy - made by the Press-Citizen - indicated that classes were meeting and were well-attended at mid-morning. Departments surveyed this morning and their reports included: - Art: " I just took a walk and there are plenty of students here," administrative assistant Norval Tucker said, " I haven't seen any evidence of the strike hurting our attendance." - Business Administration: " I checked twice this morning and everything is normal," Assistant Dean E. V. Zuber reported. - Engineering : " I haven't really heard any reports of attendance being down," Associate Dean Donald H. Madsen said. "I had a class at 8:30 a.m. and attendance was as usual. No formal check has been made, but we hear of these things through general comments." - English : " It is really difficult to distinguish if there has been any fluctuation in attendance," administrative assistant John B. Harper said " It would surprise me if attendance is affected more than 10 per cent. I haven't observed that any classes are not meeting." - Education: " Things here are near normal today," a secretary said. "We've taken no official count but there are large classes meeting now (11 a.m.) and they seem pretty full." Student Senate Tuesday endorsed the teach-in, but failed to back the call for a class boycott. The Senate did pass a resolution which asked for the announcement of a withdrawal date for American troops in Vietnam, an immediate cease fire, the release of prisoners of war and self-determination for the Vietnamese. UI Student Body President Robert Beller and some other groups caled for the teach-in and strike to protest the invasion of Laos. But Boyd, while asserting that the teach-in " is understandable and proper in a free society" declared that university clases and services would "function as scheduled " today.
 
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