DIY History | Transcribe | Campus Culture | University of Iowa anti-war protests, January-April 1971 | 1971-02-05 Iowa City Press-Citizen Article: ""Defendant Accuses Stuit Of Violating UI's Rules""

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University of Iowa anti-war protests, January-April 1971

1971-02-05 Iowa City Press-Citizen Article: ""Defendant Accuses Stuit Of Violating UI's Rules""

Defendant Accuses Stuit Of Violating UI's Rules
P-C  2/5/71
A University of Iowa dean found himself accused by UI students of violating the school's rules of conduct as he testified this morning about a disturbance at his office Dec. 9.
Liberal Arts College Dean Dewey B. Stuit was a witness in a hearing on a Dec. 9 protest against a Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) recruiter interviewing students at the UI campus. The disturbance at Stuit's office occurred after the DIA protest and allegedly involved some of the same people.
Stuit testified this morning agianst three students who are charged with refusing to give him their names during the disturbance at the dean's office.
One of the students, Norton Wheeler, who cross-examined Stuit, said the dean failed to give his name when Wheeler asked him to do so.
"Listen, young man, you are engaged in technicalities," Stuit replied. "The main question is proper conduct, not technicalities."
Today's session, like Thursday's, then was turned into a forum for discussion of the Vietnam war and the American military.
Addressing Stuit, Wheeler asked whether "persons who draw up plans for bombing Southeast Asia are engaged in proper conduct."
Stuit later told another questioner, Stephen Carl, also charged in the disturbance at the dean's office, "We're discussing the invasion of my office by 25 to 40 students."
"We're discussing the invasion of Cambodia, the invasion of Laos, the invasion of South Vietnam," Carl replied.
"That's irrelevant," Stuit snapped back.
Carl also accused Stuit of violating school rules, asserting that the dean was "loud and disorderly" when he attempted to disperse the group of students outside his office.
Stuit and university witnesses James Sandrock, a German professor, and Campus Security Lt. Kenneth Saylor, denied that Stuit was "disorderly" in dealing with the students.
Stuit testified that a group of 35 to 40 students came to his office in Schaeffer Hall after the DIA protest and were shouting "down with the DIA, CIA, ROTC."
The dean said the group was noisy and "clearly disruptive of our office and educational functions on the first floor of Schaeffer Hall."
The students were asked to leave, but some, including Wheeler, Carl and Bruce R. Johnson, refused to do so, he said.
Johnson, Carl and Wheeler were charged with refusing to give Stuit their names.
"I would think any student should be willing to give his name to the dean of the College of Liberal Arts,' Stuit testified.
Saylor testified that Johnson, Carl and Wheeler were separate from the rest of the students and speaking with Stuit when Saylor arrived at the dean's office.
Testimony on the DIA protest itself resumed after witnesses to the incident in Suit's office were heard.
UI Law Prof. Philip Mause offered a motion for dismissal of school charges against the 10 in connection with the DIA protest, claiming that the UI adminsitration had "failed to present a prima facie case that the defendants have violated the Code of Student Life and the Board of Regents rules."
Mause said the university had presented "no evidence of physical abuse, threat or danger or disruption of Placement Office interviewing and none of the defendants have ben linked to blocking" of students being interviewed at the Placement Office.
University Hearing Officer Theodore Garfield agreed that "some of the charges are not supported by the prosecution," but took the motion under advisement until the defense has finished presenting its evidence.
Defense witness Carolyn Feuerhelm testified that the demonstration did not prevent her from keeping an appointment Dec. 9 with the Wisconsin Department of Social Services.
Graduate student Maggie Hoover said she met no demonstrators when she appeared for her interview with the DIA. However, she said she was told the DIA recruiter was giving no more interviews that day.
She said she was later contacted by the DIA about possible employment.
The defense was expected to produce at least a dozen more witnesses this afternoon. Students for a Democratic Society was to march on the hearing during the afternoon session. The campus organization also faces UI charges.
The prosecution Thursday presented witnesses who describd the Dec. 9 demonstration.
One of them, John Wauters, a university student and former Iowa City policeman, testified that he had been pushed by one of the demonstrators as he arrived at the Placement Office for an interview.
William Mattas, a February graduate, also said he had been shoved upon entering the corridor leading to the office.
Saylor identified individual defendants from photographs presented by the prosecution. Saylor later testified that Campus Security had individual personal files on students identified in the pictures.
He said information in the files was available to "practically every agency" outside the university.
Garfield is expected to make a ruling on the case about 15 days after the hearing, which is expected to end this afternoon.
Charged with violating school rules in the demonstration are Wheeler, Carl, Johnson, Kirk Alexander, Patric Den Hartog, Patricia Farrell, Richard Phillips, Gary Roemig, Roland Schembari and John Tinker.

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Defendant Accuses Stuit Of Violating UI's Rules P-C 2/5/71 A University of Iowa dean found himself accused by UI students of violating the school's rules of conduct as he testified this morning about a disturbance at his office Dec. 9. Liberal Arts College Dean Dewey B. Stuit was a witness in a hearing on a Dec. 9 protest against a Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) recruiter interviewing students at the UI campus. The disturbance at Stuit's office occurred after the DIA protest and allegedly involved some of the same people. Stuit testified this morning agianst three students who are charged with refusing to give him their names during the disturbance at the dean's office. One of the students, Norton Wheeler, who cross-examined Stuit, said the dean failed to give his name when Wheeler asked him to do so. "Listen, young man, you are engaged in technicalities," Stuit replied. "The main question is proper conduct, not technicalities." Today's session, like Thursday's, then was turned into a forum for discussion of the Vietnam war and the American military. Addressing Stuit, Wheeler asked whether "persons who draw up plans for bombing Southeast Asia are engaged in proper conduct." Stuit later told another questioner, Stephen Carl, also charged in the disturbance at the dean's office, "We're discussing the invasion of my office by 25 to 40 students." "We're discussing the invasion of Cambodia, the invasion of Laos, the invasion of South Vietnam," Carl replied. "That's irrelevant," Stuit snapped back. Carl also accused Stuit of violating school rules, asserting that the dean was "loud and disorderly" when he attempted to disperse the group of students outside his office. Stuit and university witnesses James Sandrock, a German professor, and Campus Security Lt. Kenneth Saylor, denied that Stuit was "disorderly" in dealing with the students. Stuit testified that a group of 35 to 40 students came to his office in Schaeffer Hall after the DIA protest and were shouting "down with the DIA, CIA, ROTC." The dean said the group was noisy and "clearly disruptive of our office and educational functions on the first floor of Schaeffer Hall." The students were asked to leave, but some, including Wheeler, Carl and Bruce R. Johnson, refused to do so, he said. Johnson, Carl and Wheeler were charged with refusing to give Stuit their names. "I would think any student should be willing to give his name to the dean of the College of Liberal Arts,' Stuit testified. Saylor testified that Johnson, Carl and Wheeler were separate from the rest of the students and speaking with Stuit when Saylor arrived at the dean's office. Testimony on the DIA protest itself resumed after witnesses to the incident in Suit's office were heard. UI Law Prof. Philip Mause offered a motion for dismissal of school charges against the 10 in connection with the DIA protest, claiming that the UI adminsitration had "failed to present a prima facie case that the defendants have violated the Code of Student Life and the Board of Regents rules." Mause said the university had presented "no evidence of physical abuse, threat or danger or disruption of Placement Office interviewing and none of the defendants have ben linked to blocking" of students being interviewed at the Placement Office. University Hearing Officer Theodore Garfield agreed that "some of the charges are not supported by the prosecution," but took the motion under advisement until the defense has finished presenting its evidence. Defense witness Carolyn Feuerhelm testified that the demonstration did not prevent her from keeping an appointment Dec. 9 with the Wisconsin Department of Social Services. Graduate student Maggie Hoover said she met no demonstrators when she appeared for her interview with the DIA. However, she said she was told the DIA recruiter was giving no more interviews that day. She said she was later contacted by the DIA about possible employment. The defense was expected to produce at least a dozen more witnesses this afternoon. Students for a Democratic Society was to march on the hearing during the afternoon session. The campus organization also faces UI charges. The prosecution Thursday presented witnesses who describd the Dec. 9 demonstration. One of them, John Wauters, a university student and former Iowa City policeman, testified that he had been pushed by one of the demonstrators as he arrived at the Placement Office for an interview. William Mattas, a February graduate, also said he had been shoved upon entering the corridor leading to the office. Saylor identified individual defendants from photographs presented by the prosecution. Saylor later testified that Campus Security had individual personal files on students identified in the pictures. He said information in the files was available to "practically every agency" outside the university. Garfield is expected to make a ruling on the case about 15 days after the hearing, which is expected to end this afternoon. Charged with violating school rules in the demonstration are Wheeler, Carl, Johnson, Kirk Alexander, Patric Den Hartog, Patricia Farrell, Richard Phillips, Gary Roemig, Roland Schembari and John Tinker.