Report Urges New NSA Unit

The eight observers who attended this summer's National Student Congress will urge the College to rejoin NSA and establish a permanent committee "to activate student interest" in the organization.

In its 16 page report, to be considered at Monday's Student Council meeting, the committee acknowledges that "the achievement of NSA in some ... areas has not been all that it should be."

It goes on, however, to assert that the association "performs an indispensable service in furthering international understanding." The report also stresses the "potential value" of NSA in building "a conscious, articulate, and intelligent student community."

When the Student Council withdrew from NSA last year, it argued that the Congress passed policy resolutions with undue haste and insufficient consideration. The 1958 report also pointed out that delegates cannot "represent" the diversified political views in the College.

In the report released last night, the observers note steps which have been taken during the past year to eliminate these deficiencies.

Limiting the number of resolutions considered at the Congress and increasing pre-convention discussion of the issues, it is argued, has reduced the possibility of passing ill-considered policies.

The group also feels that creating a permanent Student Council committee on NSA will arouse student discussion of the issues to be taken up at the Congress and thereby help to solve the problem of representation. It is also suggested that the Council hold a meeting every spring to provide a sounding board for student opinion on these topics.

If the Council approves these recommendations--as it is expected to do--the motion to rejoin will be submitted to a student referendum. Such action is not normally required, but it is understood that the committee wants to return to NSA only with the support of the student body.

Meeting last night, the M.I.T. Student Council failed to come to any decision on the possibility of its withdrawal from the NSA. Although a representative from the N.S.A. was to address the Council, none came to last night's session.