Epps Says Disputes With SDS Remain

Dean Epps said last night that there are still several issues outstanding in the dispute between the University and H-R Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) concerning SDS's application to hold its National Convention on Racism here this spring.

Epps said that he expects to complete a letter today responding to an SDS letter Tuesday requesting the use of University facilities for the convention.

"We are at a delicate stage of review." Epps said. "We hope that a quiet resolution can be reached by Tuesday of next week." He withheld comment on whether he thought this resolution would result in the convention being held here.

Ceiling

In discussions yesterday with Charles P. Whitlock, acting Dean of the College, Dean Dunlop and Daniel Steiner '54, general counsel to the University. Epps said he found that most questions concerned what he termed "practical steps to predict the number of people who would come to the convention and measures to be taken when the predetermined ceiling on attendance is reached."

SDS estimated in a letter to Epps Tuesday that between 600 and 800 people would attend the convention, scheduled to be held March 30 through April 2. However, Bonnie Blustein '72, an SDS member, said yesterday SDS's figure "is just an estimate, not a ceiling."

Hazards

The only limitation SDS now intends to place on the number of people attending the convention is the capacity of the buildings posted by the Cambridge Fire Department. "We won't overcrowd Lowell Lec so as to be a fire hazard," she said.

Epps also raised questions yesterday concerning housing the people attending the convention and the maintenance of order at meetings.

Blustein said that SDS expects that half of the people at the convention will be from the Boston area, and that the other half would find accommodations off-campus with friends. "Order will be kept with a chairman and marshalls just like at any other meeting," she said.

SDS began circulating a petition Wednesday saying that it should be able to hold the convention "without any further harassment from the administration of "coming up with every excuse in the book" to prevent them from holding a convention on University grounds.