Watson, Council Confer Informally On Rules for College Organizations

"Our undergraduate organizations should have the greatest freedom within broadest limits," Associate Dean Robert B. Watson '37 told the Student Council last night in a discussion of the Council's new revision of the Deans' office rules for student groups.

Watson favored the Council's revisions which "place the responsibility (for proper conduct) with the organizations, rather than with the Deans' office." He then said that the administrators want to step into the affairs of organizations only when discredit to the College is likely.

"Elaborate Enough"

But Council member David C. Poskanzer '50 said he could not understand the necessity for a set of rules 24 pages long. In "questioning the whole philosophy of these rules," Poskanzer said, "No rules can possibly cover every particular situation, so I think five pages should hold all the requirements necessary."

Watson replied that, though he hoped the rules would not be too legalistic, they should be elaborate enough so that once an organization complies with them and is recognized by the College it will be secure and in no worry of constant Deans office intervention.

The new rules differ from those now in effect in allowing organizations to distribute printed matter and posters through dorms without prior Deans' approval. They also provide for a periodic investigation by the Council of all groups to see that they still abide by the rules.

Membership Discrimination

On the question of discrimination in membership, Watson said that "it is very hard to do anything about that; I should like to give the problem more thought."

A representative of the Liberal Union presented a brief recommending that the rules include a clause prohibiting discrimination on grounds of "race, religion, color, or creed" for all undergraduate groups except political and religious ones.

Also at last night's meeting, the Council gave the College chapter of National Students Association $10 to publicize two chartered airplane flights it is sponsoring for students.