DIY History | Transcribe | Campus Culture | University of Iowa football boycott suspension newspaper articles, 1969 | 1969-04-29 Daily Iowan Article: "Counseling Of Athletes To Change"

Transcribe
Translate

University of Iowa football boycott suspension newspaper articles, 1969

1969-04-29 Daily Iowan Article: "Counseling Of Athletes To Change"

DI April 29, 1969

Counseling Of Athletes To Change
The Department of Athletics will implement a report on athlete counselling received by the Board in Control of Athletics in a closed meeting Monday.
Samuel M. Fahr, professor of law and chairman of the board, made the announcement but refused to elaborate on the specifics of the report.
The matter of getting 16 black athletes back on the football squad, "wasn't even mentioned," according to Athletic Director Forest Evashevski.
The 16 blacks boycotted the first day of spring football practice, April 18, and according to football Coach Ray Nagel, "dismissed themselves" from the squad.
The athletes, members of the Black Athletes Union, were protesting in support of a list of demands made by the BAU more geared to academics than athletics, with a call for improved counseling heading the list.
Philip Hubbard, dean of academic affairs, attended the meeting and said the report will make counselling of athletes more like that of regular students.
Mike Phillips, one of the 16 dismissed players, represented the black athletes at the meeting. Phillips could be reached for comment after the meeting, but according to Hubbard, "explained the primary interests of the black athletes." None of the other players were available for comment.
In related action, it was learned that the Midwestern Regional Association of Black Student Unions (MBSU) had adopted a resolution which will threaten sanctions against the athletic departments of Iowa, the University of Texas at El Paso and Brigham Young University.
The resolution concerning Iowa states that the Iowa athletic department "has continued to ignore the grievances submitted by the black athletes on that campus" and "resorted to coercive tactics by dismissing from the football squad 16 black players who protested the racism and indifference indicated by the department to their grievances."
The resolution further states that MBSU "will invoke sanctions" on Iowa "if the grievances are not resolved to the satisfaction of the black athletes by Sept. 1, 1969."
The sanctions would include persuading black athletes presently on campus to cease competition, persuading black athletes against enrolling at the University, and the discontinuing by black athletes at other universities of competition in athletic events scheduled with the University.
The resolution was adopted at a conference of the MBSU at the University of Oklahoma in Norman on April 18 to 20, immediately following the dismissal of the 16 black players from the Iowa Team.

Saving...

DI April 29, 1969 Counseling Of Athletes To Change The Department of Athletics will implement a report on athlete counselling received by the Board in Control of Athletics in a closed meeting Monday. Samuel M. Fahr, professor of law and chairman of the board, made the announcement but refused to elaborate on the specifics of the report. The matter of getting 16 black athletes back on the football squad, "wasn't even mentioned," according to Athletic Director Forest Evashevski. The 16 blacks boycotted the first day of spring football practice, April 18, and according to football Coach Ray Nagel, "dismissed themselves" from the squad. The athletes, members of the Black Athletes Union, were protesting in support of a list of demands made by the BAU more geared to academics than athletics, with a call for improved counseling heading the list. Philip Hubbard, dean of academic affairs, attended the meeting and said the report will make counselling of athletes more like that of regular students. Mike Phillips, one of the 16 dismissed players, represented the black athletes at the meeting. Phillips could be reached for comment after the meeting, but according to Hubbard, "explained the primary interests of the black athletes." None of the other players were available for comment. In related action, it was learned that the Midwestern Regional Association of Black Student Unions (MBSU) had adopted a resolution which will threaten sanctions against the athletic departments of Iowa, the University of Texas at El Paso and Brigham Young University. The resolution concerning Iowa states that the Iowa athletic department "has continued to ignore the grievances submitted by the black athletes on that campus" and "resorted to coercive tactics by dismissing from the football squad 16 black players who protested the racism and indifference indicated by the department to their grievances." The resolution further states that MBSU "will invoke sanctions" on Iowa "if the grievances are not resolved to the satisfaction of the black athletes by Sept. 1, 1969." The sanctions would include persuading black athletes presently on campus to cease competition, persuading black athletes against enrolling at the University, and the discontinuing by black athletes at other universities of competition in athletic events scheduled with the University. The resolution was adopted at a conference of the MBSU at the University of Oklahoma in Norman on April 18 to 20, immediately following the dismissal of the 16 black players from the Iowa Team.