DIY History | Transcribe | Campus Culture | University of Iowa anti-war protests, 1970 | 1970-12-10 Des Moines Register Article: ""Protesters Block U of I Job Office"" Page 2

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University of Iowa anti-war protests, 1970

1970-12-10 Des Moines Register Article: ""Protesters Block U of I Job Office"" Page 2

" Protesters Block U of I Job Office " 
Dec 10., 1970 DMR 2(of 2 ) 

MULL ACTION ON PROTESTS
PROTEST ---
Continued from Page One

had been in effect since last May's campus disorders. Wednesday's demonstration was the first major confrontation at the U of I during a relatively quiet first semester. 
The sit-in clearly violated a section of the Uniform Rules of Personal Conduct, adopted by the State Board of Regents in July in response to last spring's student unrest. 
One section of the code states that "any person - student, member of the faculty or staff or visitor" - who takes part in "intentional obstruction or disruption of teaching, research administration, disciplinary procedures or other university authorized function or event," shall be subject to disciplinary procedures, " including suspension, expulsion or dismissal."
University officials reportedly were conferring late Wednesday to discuss the sit-in and what disciplinary action, if any, would be taken. 
Several U of I administrators - including Robert E. Engel, assistant to President Willard Boyd and Howard N. Sokol, assistant to Provost Ray Hefner - viewed the demonstration.
Engel said President Boyd was in Des Moines at the time of the sit-in

Discuss Strategy
Although campus security officers were not visibly present, William L. Binney, director of the university's security department, was present during most of the demonstration.
The demonstration was started at Noon in the Gold Feather room of the Iowa Memorial Union, where an estimated 500 persons gathered to discuss strategy for the afternoon demonstration. 
SDS leaders denounced the DIA as " an integral part of the U.S. war machine in Vietnam" and urged students to sit-in at the placement office upstairs. 
Of the initial 500 demonstrators, about 300 left at this time. 
About 100 persons gathered in a small hallway leading to the placement office and sat down. The remaining 100 stayed in a small adjoining room; others left a short time later. 
For about 30 minutes, the protestors chanted, sang songs and denounced the DIA, President Nixon, policemen and some U of I officials.

Lights Off
The doors of the placement office had been locked during the lunch hour, which is normal procedure, but at least four staff members could be seen inside the office. At 1 p.m. - when interviews were scheduled to begin - the doors remained locked and the lights turned off. 
When recruiters and students scheduled for interviews began to arrive, the protestors demanded that all identify themselves. Several persons were taunted and harrassed when they gave their reasons for being at the placement office. 
One young woman arrived, saying that she has come for a DIA interview. She refused to give her name stating, " I refuse to be used as publicity for SDS."
" I have a right to talk to him (the interviewer) she told the demonstrators."
"He doesn't have a moral right to be here" a demonstrator shouted back. 
" He has the same right to be here as you have to demonstrate," the woman retorted. 
She pushed her way out to the mass of bodies blocking the hallway. 

Reschedule Talks
The placement office reported that 36 interviews had been scheduled for Wednesday afternoon, including the seven with the DIA recruiter. Although the sit-in threw the afternoon's schedule into disarray, a placement office spokesman said most of the interviews had been rescheduled. 
The protestors moved out when presidential assistant Engel announced the DIA man had canceled his interviews. 
Thee placement officer reported that  Kravetz may return at a later, unspecified date. 
A small group of students remained to clean up soft drinks left in the hall while another group gathered in front of the University of Iowa Foundation office, where they contended Kravetz was being hidden by university officials. 
Sokol took a student representative on a guided tour of the office and the student reported back that Kravetz didn't appear to be in the office. 

Boyd, Students Tour Dorm 
( The Register's Iowa News Service)
IOWA CITY, IA. - About two dozen University of Iowa students who claimed their dormitory needs remodeling accompanied University President Willard Boyd on a tour of the dormitory after demanding he cut short a discussion with other students Wednesday night. 
The students live in a section of the Quadrangle Residence Hall, commonly called " Old Quad." They walked in on Boyd during a question-and-answer session with students at Hillcrest Dormitory at about 6:30 p.m.
The group, which calls itself the Ghetto Organization went with Boyd to "Old Quad" to see the poor conditions they said exist there. At the dormitory, the students pointed out loose and broken floor tiles, wooden stairways leading to fire escapes and fire escapes that stopped ten feet above the ground. The students also said their rooms have exposed electrical wiring, noisy radiators and windows that won't work properly. 
Michael Lillios, a Cedar Rapids freshman acting as a spokesman for the group, told Boyd that residents want a complete remodeling of "Old Quad" or a reduction in dormitory fees. 
Boyd said there was little chance of  fee reduction. He told the students that to lower their fees, the university would have to raise those in other halls to keep dormitory income stable. 
About 130 students live in "Old Quad." The Ghetto Organization is polling residents on living conditions there and will try to prepare a report for Boyd and other administrators before the Christmas break, a spokesman said.

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" Protesters Block U of I Job Office " Dec 10., 1970 DMR 2(of 2 ) MULL ACTION ON PROTESTS PROTEST --- Continued from Page One had been in effect since last May's campus disorders. Wednesday's demonstration was the first major confrontation at the U of I during a relatively quiet first semester. The sit-in clearly violated a section of the Uniform Rules of Personal Conduct, adopted by the State Board of Regents in July in response to last spring's student unrest. One section of the code states that "any person - student, member of the faculty or staff or visitor" - who takes part in "intentional obstruction or disruption of teaching, research administration, disciplinary procedures or other university authorized function or event," shall be subject to disciplinary procedures, " including suspension, expulsion or dismissal." University officials reportedly were conferring late Wednesday to discuss the sit-in and what disciplinary action, if any, would be taken. Several U of I administrators - including Robert E. Engel, assistant to President Willard Boyd and Howard N. Sokol, assistant to Provost Ray Hefner - viewed the demonstration. Engel said President Boyd was in Des Moines at the time of the sit-in Discuss Strategy Although campus security officers were not visibly present, William L. Binney, director of the university's security department, was present during most of the demonstration. The demonstration was started at Noon in the Gold Feather room of the Iowa Memorial Union, where an estimated 500 persons gathered to discuss strategy for the afternoon demonstration. SDS leaders denounced the DIA as " an integral part of the U.S. war machine in Vietnam" and urged students to sit-in at the placement office upstairs. Of the initial 500 demonstrators, about 300 left at this time. About 100 persons gathered in a small hallway leading to the placement office and sat down. The remaining 100 stayed in a small adjoining room; others left a short time later. For about 30 minutes, the protestors chanted, sang songs and denounced the DIA, President Nixon, policemen and some U of I officials. Lights Off The doors of the placement office had been locked during the lunch hour, which is normal procedure, but at least four staff members could be seen inside the office. At 1 p.m. - when interviews were scheduled to begin - the doors remained locked and the lights turned off. When recruiters and students scheduled for interviews began to arrive, the protestors demanded that all identify themselves. Several persons were taunted and harrassed when they gave their reasons for being at the placement office. One young woman arrived, saying that she has come for a DIA interview. She refused to give her name stating, " I refuse to be used as publicity for SDS." " I have a right to talk to him (the interviewer) she told the demonstrators." "He doesn't have a moral right to be here" a demonstrator shouted back. " He has the same right to be here as you have to demonstrate," the woman retorted. She pushed her way out to the mass of bodies blocking the hallway. Reschedule Talks The placement office reported that 36 interviews had been scheduled for Wednesday afternoon, including the seven with the DIA recruiter. Although the sit-in threw the afternoon's schedule into disarray, a placement office spokesman said most of the interviews had been rescheduled. The protestors moved out when presidential assistant Engel announced the DIA man had canceled his interviews. Thee placement officer reported that Kravetz may return at a later, unspecified date. A small group of students remained to clean up soft drinks left in the hall while another group gathered in front of the University of Iowa Foundation office, where they contended Kravetz was being hidden by university officials. Sokol took a student representative on a guided tour of the office and the student reported back that Kravetz didn't appear to be in the office. Boyd, Students Tour Dorm ( The Register's Iowa News Service) IOWA CITY, IA. - About two dozen University of Iowa students who claimed their dormitory needs remodeling accompanied University President Willard Boyd on a tour of the dormitory after demanding he cut short a discussion with other students Wednesday night. The students live in a section of the Quadrangle Residence Hall, commonly called " Old Quad." They walked in on Boyd during a question-and-answer session with students at Hillcrest Dormitory at about 6:30 p.m. The group, which calls itself the Ghetto Organization went with Boyd to "Old Quad" to see the poor conditions they said exist there. At the dormitory, the students pointed out loose and broken floor tiles, wooden stairways leading to fire escapes and fire escapes that stopped ten feet above the ground. The students also said their rooms have exposed electrical wiring, noisy radiators and windows that won't work properly. Michael Lillios, a Cedar Rapids freshman acting as a spokesman for the group, told Boyd that residents want a complete remodeling of "Old Quad" or a reduction in dormitory fees. Boyd said there was little chance of fee reduction. He told the students that to lower their fees, the university would have to raise those in other halls to keep dormitory income stable. About 130 students live in "Old Quad." The Ghetto Organization is polling residents on living conditions there and will try to prepare a report for Boyd and other administrators before the Christmas break, a spokesman said.