Show Community dismayed at observance non-observance of holiday By Staci Washington Horizon Associate Editor Alberta Henry well-known well black leader and educator and President of the Utah branch of the NAACP National Association Association Association As As- for the Advancement Advancement Advancement Advance Advance- ment of Colored People declined an invitation to speak on campus today as an anI activity I ity in observance of Martin Luther King Jr's and hd Human Rights Day says Jo Rieber member of the ad hoc committee formed to plan the days day's event The invitation sent to Henry was prefaced with an explanation tion that the Institutional Council had voted to observe alternately Presidents President's Day and the Martin Luther King holiday But according to President OD Carnahan Carnahan Carnahan Car- Car nahan it was not the Institutional Institutional Institutional Councils Council's who generally have the last word wordin in such issues of policy decision dedsion The decision dedsion was made by the Administrative Council with support from the Faculty Senate President Carnahan said that the Administrative Council Coun Coun- dl cil a group of division heads headson on campus discussed the matter a number of times and recommended that Civil Rights Right's ts t's Day be observed every other year alternating with Presidents President's Day The reasoning reasoning reasoning reason reason- ing for this he said was because because be be- because cause when the legislature declared it a recognized holiday they didn't give us a aday aday aday day with it We could take a aday aday aday day but the state only gives us three weekday days we can use for these holidays He said those day were Harvest Day Day and the Monday Monday Monday Mon Mon- day following the New Year We decided to compromise he said But Alberta Henry made firm her words to ad hoc committee of students r. r t I J r t r t I K J I ty and staff that the Martin Luther King Jr holiday was sanctioned by both the state and federal government Henry added that the NAACP had remembered Martin Martin Martin Mar Mar- tin Luther King Jr and what he stood for even before it was declared an official holiday by hosting a luncheon luncheon luncheon lunch lunch- eon musical events events' and candlelight vigil Henry says that while she can understand some people not wanting to observe the holiday for the person of Martin Martin Mar Mar- tin Luther King she cannot understand the nonobservance non vance of a holiday that celebrates all ail Human Rights Consequently Henry declined the committees invitation invitation invitation in in- and stated that she would not recommend anyone speak at the holiday Members of an student student student stu stu- stu- stu dent rap group and a black choir was also invited to participate participate participate par par- in the holiday activity activity activity ac ac- ac- ac but they too declined for reasons similar to Henrys Ad hoc committee member Renee Small said Martin Luther King Birthday is a ablack ablack ablack black holiday and although there arent aren't many blacks here at we should acknowledge acknowledge acknowledge ledge the holiday Nancy Elbert professor of social science also commented commented commented com com- I feel it is unfortunate unfortunate unfortunate that finds itself in the position of offending not only the black community community community com com- but the peace community community community com com- civil liberties community and economic justice of Utah Various members of the have also expressed similar feelings Henry Rudolf a twenty- twenty e eight year old criminal justice major sal I feel we should have the the- day off There are a limited number of blacks here on campus and we have no noway noway noway way of uniting on the bases of what we have in common He added We need a day to reflect upon those trials and tribulations of the Civil Rights Movement in order to fully utilize and understand j just st how far we have come and still have to go They want Blacks to come r. r to school heie here b but f th they y dorit dont want to recognize us because we are a minority said James Montgomery education major Carrie Thompson activities vice-president vice said I think that the things that happened in the past with Martin Luther King had an effect not just on blacks but on society as a whole because it gave whites a better understanding of the rights that blacks deserve As a result of feelings expressed expressed expressed ex ex- pressed such as these a memorandum was sent to Ann Erikson acting vice- vice president for instruction In it the ad hoc committee stated their concern to Erikson that by not observing Kings King's Birthday as an official school holiday is viewed as unsympathetic to the issues of black rights and concerns in particular and human rights in general The committee recommended recommended recommended mended that sponsor no activities or events today and declare Jan 16 an official school holiday as an expression expression expression sion of support fo for Utah's black and human rights com com- Erikson said she had been in conferences and did not receive the memo until late in inthe inthe inthe the afternoon Jan 13 She says she does intend to write the committee back immediately and send them a copy of the minutes taken at each of the Administration Council and Faculty Senate meetings where the decision was made However she did add that if enough people spoke out in dissent of current policy it is possible that those in making decision-making positions may be willing to consider r e reevaluating Devaluating the policy that policy that is in effect today The Executive Council also released a statement statement statement state state- ment on the matter just prior to press time last Frida Friday read We the Executive Executive Executive tive Council recommend that this national holiday should be an annual event and that we should honor the accomplishments ac ac- of this pa patriot rio by riot not ot having classes taught on this memorial day College Center wounded Y k u 9 1 rw G t i Gi Photo By Ed Life Lile LileThe The Salt Lake County sheriffs sheriff's office is investigating a bullet I hole in a window in the upper level north side of the College Center The incident apparently happened between last Saturday at midnight and Monday morning according to Curtis Smout director of the College Center The bullet went through a door on the balcony and then proceeded to go through another large plate glass window over the north stairs No injuries resulted and damage is estimated at i. i f A |