Teach-In Speakers Condemn Alleged University Repression

Jack R. Stauder, instructor of Social Anthropology, told a crowd of 60 persons last night at a teach-in sponsored by the Design School Committee for a Free School that "people are being systematically eliminated from university faculties under the smoke screen of budgetary cutbacks and academic deficiencies."

"The real reason for terminations and harassment is the political perspectives they maintain in and out of the classroom," he said.

Repression, Elitism

Chester W. Hartma, assistant professor of City Planning whose teaching contract will be terminated this June 30, and other dissident Faculty and students spoke about repression, elitism, and expansion at Harvard and other universities.

Nearly a dozen speakers, including Hartman and Stauder, emphasized the subtlety of racist and repressive tactics allegedly used by University officials.

"The repression which Chester and I have endured is masked by the administration and cannot be detected so easily." said Stauder.

In a statement released by Hartman at the meeting, portions of a letter from William W. Nash Jr., chairman of the Department of City Planning and Regional Planning last year, revealed that University actions did not seem disguised in Hantman's case.

Nash stated in the letter that he would not recommend to his successor that Hartman be reappointed because his "method of teaching conveys a sense of political strategy more than the substance of the city and regional planning" and that his "loyalties to the school and the University have lessened rather than increased during the past three years."

War Games

Hartman told the audience last night that he felt they should have an active part in choosing their professors. "Like war and generals, education is too important to be left to administrators and tenured professors." said Hartman.

Howard Zinn, professor of Government at Boston University, agreed with Hartman and said that many of his colleagues felt that the professionalism of their scholarship was downgraded by participation in polities. especially radical polities.

The example of Southern Massachusetts University's school-in-exile was cited as a possible tactic to oppose the suppressive actions of school officials. Judith Adler, an instructor fired by S. M. U. who is head of the school-in-exile, also spoke at the session.