Faculty at Ole Miss May Favor Meredith

A Professor at the University of Mississippi told the CRIMSON by telephone last night that "as many as 90 per cent of the faculty may favor the admission of James Meredith to the university."

He added that this probably applied to the Ole Miss administration as well, but said: "The whole thing is out of our hands now; the government of Mississippi has taken charge of the whole issue."

Asking that his name be withheld "because printing it can only cause difficulties," the professor asserted that many of his fellow-faculty members held liberal views on the question of allowing a Negro to attend the all-white college. "Most members of the political science department are rather liberal," he explained.

He further commented that the university in general had been very sensible in its actions during the crisis. "All of its policies have been designed with two things in mind: the prevention of violence and the maintenance of the university as a functioning educational institution."

"If Meredith is admitted," he speculated, "the university will probably be closed--but only for a few days." He emphasized that the whole affair had become a political matter, making the university a purely passive agent in the conflict.

"The most frightening thing about the situation," he concluded "is that it has unified the state of Mississippi behind Governor Barnett. Eight months ago, Barnett was extremely unpopular because he hasn't been a very good executive. If he were to run for office today, he would carry over 90 per cent of the state. There is absolutely no opposition in evidence."