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University of Iowa anti-war protests, 1968

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Page 2--THE DAILY IOWAN--Iowa City, Iowa--Sat., Feb. 10, 1968

Statement to rhetoric faculty on Kleinberger presented

EDITOR'S NOTE -- Below is the department coordinator.
cerning the situation of part-time instructor Paul Kleinberger. The statement was written by Richard Braddock, departmeet coordinator.

Consideration of the individuals involved has led the Office of the Dean of the college of Liberal Arts usually to refrain from making public statements aobut suspension, dismissal or reinstatement of staff members. Because the publicity attending the recent case of Mr. Kleinberger has reflected some misunderstanding, this review of the salient facts is being made public to the rhetoric faculty: 

* At a conference of Kleinberger, Stuit and Braddock on Dec. 8, Kleinberger readily acknowledged three things: (a) He participated in the preparation of the mimeographed flyer, distributed at the Dec. 5 demonstrations, which included these words: "But if we can't stop Dow, we'll have to stop the University. We plan to be non-violent, and we plan to stay within the limits of the law. BUT WE DO NOT PLAN TO BE IGNORED." (b) He rescheduled his rhetoric class on Dec. 5 so that he could participate in the demonstration. (c) When apprehended by the police on Dec. 5, he had in his possession a small two-way radio operating on the same frequency as a similar unit in the possession of another demonstrator apprehended by the police on the roof of the Union parking ramp. After the conference, a letter was sent to Kleinberger suspending him from his teaching duties on the basis that he "provided leadership which led to disturbances by students." His salary was continued, however, "pending further investigation of (his) involvement in the student disturbances of the Dec. 5. 

* On Dec. 14 and on Dec. 21, letters were sent from the office of the dean encouraging Kleinberger to present additional facts to the dean. Kleinberger did not choose to do this. 

* On Jan. 2, a letter was sent to Kleinberger stating that his appointment as a teaching assistant would be terminated as of Feb. 2 but that his pay would continue until that date. The letter also indicated that if Kleinberger wished to appeal this decision at a hearing before the Executive Committee of the College of Liberal Arts, he could do so by submitting a written request to the office of the dean on or before Jan. 10. 

* On Jan. 10, Kleinberger personally delivered to the office of the dean a letter requesting a hearing ofn the grounds, among others, that the dean's and Richard Braddock's "understanding of the nature of the demonstration of Dec. 5, and of my role in that demonstration, I believe to be complete in several respects and erroneous in others."

* On Jan. 22, the executive committee conducted an informal preliminary hearing at which Kleinberger and then Braddock each made extended statements and responded to the questions of the committee. At the conclusion of this meeting the committee made the following resolution: 

Whereas, we are seriously concerned that a member of the instructional staff should take part in demonstrations and activities that may lead to the disruption of the normal functioning of the University, we, nevertheless, think that an attempt should be made to reach a resolution in the case before us without a formal hearing: 

Therefore, we recommend that Dean Dewey Stuit and Mr. Braddock meet with Mr. Kleinberger, and with Prof. Orville Hitchcock as a delegate from this committee, to see whether an accommodation agreeable to all can be reached. 

If no such accommodation can come about and if Mr. Kleinberger wishes it, the committee is willing to hold a formal hearing on Mr. Kleinberger's appeal, but only after the beginning of the spring term. 

* As a consequence of the committee's resolution, Kleinberger met on Jan. 25 with Stuit, Braddock and Hitchcock. No solution in the case was reached. 

* On Jan. 31, Kleinberger met with Stuit and Braddock. No solution in the case was reached. 

* On Feb. 6, Kleinberger made the following statement for publication: 

As I have explained during our several conversations, I would join you in considering any aspect of the Dec. 5 demonstration which tended to endanger the existence or independence of the University, or to create obstacles to the fulfillment of its educational objectives, to be indeed regrettable. It has always been my intention to further those objectives, and I expect to continue to work constructively, responsible, and in a manner appropriate for a university teacher and a citizen of a democratic society. 

On the heels of that statement, the dean sent Kleinberger a letter which, while acknowledging that there seemed to be no change in the facts on which the dismissal had been based, stated this: 

However, Professor Braddock and I have concluded that on the basis of recent statements made to us by you, we will continue your appointment as a graduate assistant, one-third time, for the remainder of the academic year 1967-68. 

Those constitute the sequence of major facts. In addition, certain other facts and interpretations are relevant: 
* The dismissal and reinstatement actions have no relation to the current proceedings being conducted by the Johnson County Attorneys Office. 
* The basis for dismissal concerns what may be termed "conduct unbecoming a university teacher." At no time were Kleinberger's views on the war in Vietnam or on the University's recruitment policies an issue. In fact, assurances were given him in several conferences that there was no intention of curbing his right to participate in peaceable demonstrations or to editorialize in the newspapers. 
* The attention of the rhetoric faculty is invited to a resolution adopted at the Oct. 29, 1967, Council Meeting of the American Association of University Professors, which included this statement: 
"...action by individuals or groups to prevent speakers invited to the campus from speaking, to disrupt the operations of the institution in the course of demonstrations, or to obstruct and restrain other members of the academic community and campus visitors by physical force is destructive of the pursuit of learning and of a free society. All components of the academic community are under a strong obligation to protect is process from these tactics."

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Page 2--THE DAILY IOWAN--Iowa City, Iowa--Sat., Feb. 10, 1968 Statement to rhetoric faculty on Kleinberger presented EDITOR'S NOTE -- Below is the department coordinator. cerning the situation of part-time instructor Paul Kleinberger. The statement was written by Richard Braddock, departmeet coordinator. Consideration of the individuals involved has led the Office of the Dean of the college of Liberal Arts usually to refrain from making public statements aobut suspension, dismissal or reinstatement of staff members. Because the publicity attending the recent case of Mr. Kleinberger has reflected some misunderstanding, this review of the salient facts is being made public to the rhetoric faculty: * At a conference of Kleinberger, Stuit and Braddock on Dec. 8, Kleinberger readily acknowledged three things: (a) He participated in the preparation of the mimeographed flyer, distributed at the Dec. 5 demonstrations, which included these words: "But if we can't stop Dow, we'll have to stop the University. We plan to be non-violent, and we plan to stay within the limits of the law. BUT WE DO NOT PLAN TO BE IGNORED." (b) He rescheduled his rhetoric class on Dec. 5 so that he could participate in the demonstration. (c) When apprehended by the police on Dec. 5, he had in his possession a small two-way radio operating on the same frequency as a similar unit in the possession of another demonstrator apprehended by the police on the roof of the Union parking ramp. After the conference, a letter was sent to Kleinberger suspending him from his teaching duties on the basis that he "provided leadership which led to disturbances by students." His salary was continued, however, "pending further investigation of (his) involvement in the student disturbances of the Dec. 5. * On Dec. 14 and on Dec. 21, letters were sent from the office of the dean encouraging Kleinberger to present additional facts to the dean. Kleinberger did not choose to do this. * On Jan. 2, a letter was sent to Kleinberger stating that his appointment as a teaching assistant would be terminated as of Feb. 2 but that his pay would continue until that date. The letter also indicated that if Kleinberger wished to appeal this decision at a hearing before the Executive Committee of the College of Liberal Arts, he could do so by submitting a written request to the office of the dean on or before Jan. 10. * On Jan. 10, Kleinberger personally delivered to the office of the dean a letter requesting a hearing ofn the grounds, among others, that the dean's and Richard Braddock's "understanding of the nature of the demonstration of Dec. 5, and of my role in that demonstration, I believe to be complete in several respects and erroneous in others." * On Jan. 22, the executive committee conducted an informal preliminary hearing at which Kleinberger and then Braddock each made extended statements and responded to the questions of the committee. At the conclusion of this meeting the committee made the following resolution: Whereas, we are seriously concerned that a member of the instructional staff should take part in demonstrations and activities that may lead to the disruption of the normal functioning of the University, we, nevertheless, think that an attempt should be made to reach a resolution in the case before us without a formal hearing: Therefore, we recommend that Dean Dewey Stuit and Mr. Braddock meet with Mr. Kleinberger, and with Prof. Orville Hitchcock as a delegate from this committee, to see whether an accommodation agreeable to all can be reached. If no such accommodation can come about and if Mr. Kleinberger wishes it, the committee is willing to hold a formal hearing on Mr. Kleinberger's appeal, but only after the beginning of the spring term. * As a consequence of the committee's resolution, Kleinberger met on Jan. 25 with Stuit, Braddock and Hitchcock. No solution in the case was reached. * On Jan. 31, Kleinberger met with Stuit and Braddock. No solution in the case was reached. * On Feb. 6, Kleinberger made the following statement for publication: As I have explained during our several conversations, I would join you in considering any aspect of the Dec. 5 demonstration which tended to endanger the existence or independence of the University, or to create obstacles to the fulfillment of its educational objectives, to be indeed regrettable. It has always been my intention to further those objectives, and I expect to continue to work constructively, responsible, and in a manner appropriate for a university teacher and a citizen of a democratic society. On the heels of that statement, the dean sent Kleinberger a letter which, while acknowledging that there seemed to be no change in the facts on which the dismissal had been based, stated this: However, Professor Braddock and I have concluded that on the basis of recent statements made to us by you, we will continue your appointment as a graduate assistant, one-third time, for the remainder of the academic year 1967-68. Those constitute the sequence of major facts. In addition, certain other facts and interpretations are relevant: * The dismissal and reinstatement actions have no relation to the current proceedings being conducted by the Johnson County Attorneys Office. * The basis for dismissal concerns what may be termed "conduct unbecoming a university teacher." At no time were Kleinberger's views on the war in Vietnam or on the University's recruitment policies an issue. In fact, assurances were given him in several conferences that there was no intention of curbing his right to participate in peaceable demonstrations or to editorialize in the newspapers. * The attention of the rhetoric faculty is invited to a resolution adopted at the Oct. 29, 1967, Council Meeting of the American Association of University Professors, which included this statement: "...action by individuals or groups to prevent speakers invited to the campus from speaking, to disrupt the operations of the institution in the course of demonstrations, or to obstruct and restrain other members of the academic community and campus visitors by physical force is destructive of the pursuit of learning and of a free society. All components of the academic community are under a strong obligation to protect is process from these tactics."