TheftProhieln innovated On Campus By MICHAEL BRANDON Grinnell College is losing thousands or dollars R year due to theft, and in many instances students are the culprits. Each year thousands of volumes disappear from Buriing Library, hundreds or dol- lars Worth of silverware is taken from the dining halls, large amounts of mer- chandise are shoplitted from the College Bookstore, and numerous items are stolen from lounges, offices and resi- dence hau rooms on campus Must College officials are hesitant about blaming students for missing pro- perty and are reticent about reierring to petty piliering by students as “theft.” “The thing that bothers me,” said Col< lege Treasurer Donald Lanibie in a telephone interview, “is that 1 hate to re- fer to it as ‘student theit,’ I prefer to call it ‘College or student losses."' Despite the loot that “outsiders” are responsible to some degree for stolen property on campus, quite clearly it is a substantial portion ol the student body that is accountable. ”It's really a shame and it bothers me greatly," Lambie said. “In a sense the student who steals is stealing ironi himself by diverting mon- ey that could be used to provide him with a better education," Students Discuss Exploits Many students apparently feel that they are doing nothing unethical when they steal from the College. Several students who were interviewed recently spoke boastfully and with great candor about their shoplifting exploits in the College Bookstore. One couple that was interviewed esti- mated that they stole several hundred packs of cigarettes lrorri the Bookstore last Semester alone. “We just stick a couple of packs in my pocket or her purse, take an extra pack alld pay {or it to avoid suspicion, and walk out," tho boy laughed, explaining that he "can't afford to buy cigarettes every day." Asked if he ever telt guilt about taking cigarettes, he paused for a moment and answered, “Very little. One girl who was interviewed has an entire bookcase in her room filled with books she said she stole from the Book store. she estimates their value at “around seven hundred dollars." Accord- ing to the girl, she, her boyiriend, and THEFT— Continued on Page 5, Column 1 GRINNELL COLLEGE SCARLE‘E EL 0 NOTICE The next issue of the Scarlet & llack will appear the first Friday following Spring Vacation. .LXXVI Grinnell Iowa. Friday, March 7, m9 Large turnout votes in referendum to retain student government. Senate Okays Primary and CBS Fast in principal action taken Wednesday night, the Senate set today as the date for the son. Presidential primary (the final election to be held Monday, March 10), designated the Concerned Black Students as the recipient of the spring fast money, and initiated action to de- clare S.G.A. President Tom Thomas king. The Senate set April 4 as the date [or the spring fast. Ernest Weston, presi. dent of C.B.S., told the Senate that this date, one year from the death of Dr. Martin Luther King, would coincide With a proposed Black Weekend, to he held at Grinnell in commemoration of Dr. King, other proposals for use of the fast money had included donating it to the participants in the Playboy demonstra- tion, for them to use to defray legal costs, After the fast action was finalized, the Senate voted to set up a soup kitchen for students returning from spring break on Sunday, March 30. Proceeds will be wan to the Playboy demonstrators. he Senate also allocated $50 to AWARE. In other C.B.S, activities, Weston re- ported that present senior Howard Ward has been hired as a partrtime Admis- sions recruiter tor next year. A Black couple is also being sought to work as full-time admissions personnel, Weston also told the Senate that he would be present at a trustees meeting to be held over spring break to discuss the ap- pointment of a Black trustee. News from the Student Affairs Com mittee included the decision to limit the number of students moving off campus to approximately 100 again this yearl The major reason for this restriction seemed to be the economic necessity of keeping 1,000 students in the dermis tories. Plans for the possible conversion of Loose Hall to o co-ed hall next year were also disclosed. During a final tlurry ol Senate busi- ness, Senator Dan Cheifetz, commenting on the inability of town students to at- tend Forum events, said, “If I were a townie, I’d be burning this place down." Polls Draw 802 one organises nonrandom By ED HIRSCH In a massive ‘Vote of confidence’, the Grmnell student body decided by referen- dum on Wednesday to retain stu- dent government at Grinnell. The vote totals for the reler< NEWS endum which read, “Re< ANALYSIS solved: The Student Gov- ernment A s s o c iation, with the exception oi the tinance commit» tee, should be abolished," were as fol- lows: Yes—290, No—507, Maybe75, TotalliEOZ Bonnie Tinker, the senator who made the motion tor the referendum, comment.» ed that the purpose of the referendum . was not accomplished. She made the following statement, “The purpose of the referendum was to motivate students into questioning the relevance of SGA as it now exists. I believe the student reaction was mostly superficial and few gave real thought to the purpose and es- sentiaiity of SGA.” Mike Sehestedt feels that the refer- endum was in actuality brought about as a personal reaction by the senators who felt they were unappreciated by the stu- dent body. He also stated that the refer- endum was triggered by a lack of con< cern about the presidential election and the results indicated "no great passions are being stirred by the election." It is the opinion of this reporter that the resounding ‘No’ vote does not necess- arily represent student confidence iii the present SGA structure. It does not nec- essarily express a beliel that student government has a definite purpose of which students are aware. it may in fact represent a vague fear that a stu— dent body wnhout a student government would exist in a state of chaos. There is also the possibility that the vote is merely a manifestation of a Committee Discusses Housing Options The Student Affairs Committee met Tuesday, March 4 to continue discussion oi the use of offcampus college owned houses, the number at students able to live in oil-campus apartments, and fur- ther changes in the dormitory structuro for next year. The Students Affairs Committee is now receiving written applications for the use of olfacampus collegerowned houses. While the large number of stu- dents living on campus necessitates more gradual change within dormitories, the off-campus houses offer great potential for innovative living learning experi< ments. The number of students able to reside in otfvoampus apartments depends to a large extent, on the proposed en- rollment tor the fall semester. For financial reasons, the college must maintain a certain minimum number COMMITTEE— Continued on Page 9, Column 4 common belief that student governlneni serves as some apparent communication channel, although it also seems that many students realize that in a school the SlZe of Grinnell, individuals can meet with faculty and administration without the representation of a student govem ment, The 'no‘ vote might in fact be an in- dication that few students gave the question more than superficial thought and that even the fairly sizeable ‘Yes‘ vote was only a reaction against the present senate, rather than a meaning in! question of student government’s ace tual purpose. It may be the case that not even a referendum has caused any real thought as to the purpose and relevance oi SGA. If this is true, then SSA seems doomed to another year with an apathetic stun dent body. Black Artist To Give One-Woman Show At 8:00 tomorrow night in Robert: Theater, actress Vinie Burrows will pros sent her onewoman show, “Walk To- gether Children," a chronicle of th- American Black experience consisting of a wide range ol prose, poetry, and spirit- uals. Miss Burrows describes the past and present conditions of the American Black man, including, among other se- iections, both the delicate wit and beauty of Langston Hughes and the indelicato pain of lemi Jones. Miss Burrow's performance received rave reviews dur- ing her three week engagement at the Greenwich Mews Theater in New York last fall, where she was described a: “magnificent," “captivating," “gutsy, lunny, ironic, apocalyptic , . . " Misl Burrows is a veteran of Broadway, offs Broadway, television, and radio, and Grinnell is fortunate to have the oppor- tunity to enjoy the work of such a widely, acclaimed performer. in addition to Saturday night’s per. forlnance, Miss Burrows will give a series of dramatic readings at the col- lege’s Sunday worship service at 11:00 in Herrick Chapel. The worship service is open to the public without tickets or. advance reservations, but admission to “Walk Together Children” will be limited to activity card holders. Tickets are now available at the main desk of the Codes. Forum.