UCLA DAILY BRUIN Thursday, May 24, 1968

Greeks stage rally, protest

Suspension of Phi Kappa Psi

By Mark Goodman

DB Staff Writer

Wearing "Greek Power" tags and displaying signs with the same message, over 1500 students attended a protest rally at noon yesterday at Janss steps in the wake of the Administration's suspension of Phi Kappa Psi fraternity from University sanction.

Most of the students at the rally sponsored by Interfraternity Council (IFC) were Greeks. Yesterday's meeting was scheduled Wednesday night after IFC President's Council met to condemn the Administration action.

Doug Neilsson, IFC president and chairman of the rally, spoke to the group explaining that the rally was not against United Mexican-American Students (UMAS) or anyone. It was held, he said, because the Administration "yielded to outside pressure" in making their final decision.

Instruction to crowd

Neilsson asked the crowd to remain orderly and listen to what was going to be said and then disperse in a peaceful and organized manner.

Harry Egger, IFC vice president and chariman of IFC Judicial Board followed Neilsson and told the audience that the Judicial Board's action was considered to be severe enough, considering the severity of Phi Psi's actions.

"We yielded to the intimidation of the Administration," Egger told the group, "because they made it clear that if we didn't take severe action, they would."

He added, that, now that the Administration had over-ruled the IFC ruling, IFC Judicial Board no longer has any power over the fraternity system.

Egger was the first speaker of the rally to say that if the Administration ruling holds, all the fraternities would voluntarily suspend themselves from University sanction. His statement drew large applause.

Chris Lee, Phi Kappa Psi president, then explained to the group what had happened to him since Monday.

Lee explained that he was retelling the story because "this thing is not just happening to Phi Psi, but to all of us."

After explaining the UMAS issue, Lee related what took place at his meeting with Chancellor Franklin Murphy Wednesday.

"I didn't appeal the original IFC ruling putting on social probation because I knew pressure had been applied to the board," he said.

"Then yesterday I was called by the Chancellor and asked to come to his office immediately. As most of you, I had never met my chancellor and I had always held the man in the utmost esteem," he said.

Problem discussed

"I was in awe of the man, and when I met him at his office, we sat down and discussed the problem. Doug Neilsson was there and so was Vice Chancellor Charles Young," he added.

Lee explained that Murphy handed him a set of four decisions that he had made on the issue.

The first decision was that Phi Kappa Psi is to write a letter of apology to UMAS and to the Mexican Consul. Murphy then said that he would write an open letter explaining the University's stand against discrimination.

The third decision was to have Phi Kappa Psi meet with UMAS and try to work with them in some form of tutorial project; the fourth measure was to place Phi Kappa Psi on one-year suspension from the campus with the option of meeting with a review board on Jan. 1, 1969, to see if they have fulfilled the decisions. If the Chancellor then wished, he could repeal the suspension order.

"In essence, his proposal was similar to the IFC ruling," Lee said.

"Then his secretary came into the office and told him that there were many UMAS students in the hall, and he left the office to speak with them," Lee added.

"When he returned, the decision had all of a sudden been changed. The first two of the Chancellor's demands remained the same. But the third and fourth had been changed," he added.

"The Chancellor told me that when he told UMAS about the plan to work with them 'they laughed at me' and said no. He then said that the last decision had been changed to suspension for one year, with no option to return after the first six months," Lee added.

Lee then explained that he told Murphy he would think about the new sanctions, but the Chancellor told him that he had nothing to think about, that the decision had already been made for him.

Lee then told Murphy that if Phi Psi left campus, so would all the other fraternities.

"What I am so mad about is that the Chancellor had yielded to outside pressures in making his decision, and he was operating out of fear," Lee said.

Neilsson, in an earlier interview, reiterated the story that Lee told at the rally. He added that Murphy's second set of decisions was caused by the pressure that had been placed on him.

"What we (IFC)want for the judicial board's decision to stand and the decision by the Chancellor to be rescinded," Neilsson said.

Neilsson stressed that IFC would work within the established system and they would exhaust all possible means to have the suspension lifted from Phi Psi before taking action that would possibly lead to the voluntary exit of fraternities from this campus.