Regent Candidates' Views Range Widely

Views of the University ranging from uncritical to highly critical were heard Wednesday night when 11 of the 15 candidates seeking election to the U-M Board of Regents took part in a panel sponsored by the Mad Hatters Tea Party, a student service organization. Two vacancies on the U-M board, each carrying eight-year terms in unpaid jobs, are to be filled in the Nov. 5 election. Last night's event in Angell Hall was described by its student sponsors as the first time in U-M history that regental candidates have appeared as a group on campus. In the order they spoke, as determined by lot beforehand, the candidates expressed these .views, partly in prepared" statements and partly in reply to questions from the student audience: -Ellen S. Hoffman, Human Rights Party, 24, of the Ann Arbor Sun staff : Charged the U-M with practicing racial and sex discrimination in employment and enrollment; said her "primary goal" is seeing all persons "organize to control their own lives," through steps I including unionization; called for "immediate seating" of a student on the Board of Regents, through appointment by the other regents if necessary; declared that Gov. William G. Milliken's recent hint of reduced higher education appropriations next year should not be regarded as a reason for rising U-M tuition or for not raising U-M salaries. -Thomas A. Roach, Democrat, 45. of Grosse Pointe Farms, an attorney: Described finances as the "principal problem facing the University," pointed out that during his campaign he has been advocating student loans available to all Michigan residents without regard to need, subject to repayment after graduation. Asked how this proposal squares with Democratic gubernatorial candidate Sander Levin's position that repeal of the food and drug sales tax as I proposed on the Nov. 5 ballot would not require increasing other taxes, Roach said Levin "has demonstrated and will demonstrate" that his approach is workable. Roach added that no U-M student loan has yet been covered at state expense due to default. - Arthur R. Hercz, Conservative Party, a retired Army colonel formerly with the U-M Institute of Science and Technology, a resident of Ann Arbor: Said the duty of U-M regents is to I maintain campus conditions that encourage reflection and study, and criticized I the U-M administration as inclined to permit "politicization of the campus"! and as disinclined to assure representation for all opinions and alternatives in academic departments, particularly economics. "The only type represented is Keynesian. There are other kinds," he said. - Diane L. Kohn, Human Rights Party, 26, also of Ann Arbor: Contended that "primarily corporations" and "the U.S. government" are benefiting from U-M activities, proposed that corporations which conduct job recruiting on campus should be charged fees that could be used for minority group scholarships; urged the U-M to provide considerably more student and staff housing at rates that would reduce local rents; called for more course work designed to encourage students to deal with off-campus social problems "without waiting until after graduation." -Barbara K Gettel, U.S. Labor Party, 24, of Detroit, employed by her party: Emphasized the view that the world is in an economic depression unprecedented since "the Middle Ages,", declared "There is absolutely no need for higher education unless there is expanding technology, expanding technology ... based on (nuclear) fusion power;" charged that the U-M is "specifically implementing" policies of "the Rockefeller faction" aimed at establishing a new world order based on applying behavioral sciences for "brainwashing workers" into "massive recycling into slave labor camps ... We must elimínate all behavior módification, all social control." In response to audience questipns, she said football does not benefit the University, later adding that such questions are "idiocies." She said the U-M should put 'its resources "into matching funds for new energy sources, especially fusion power." -Arlen R. Hellwarth, Conservative Party, 70, an associate, dean-emeritus of the U-M Engineering College, of Ann-Arbor: Stressed the view that "opportunity for higher education is a privilege, not a right" and should not be based "on association with a particular group"; supported the concept of expanded student loans repayable "after earning starts"; described the proper role of faculty members as helping students learn "how to think, not what to think"; and opposed the concept of more active U-M efforts to deal with social problems, stating "as I you stick your nose into these things you're going to have someone outside telling you how to run your business." -Sarah G. Power, Democrat, 39, a resident of Ann Arbor, on leave from her position as assistant director of the U-M H Commission for Women: Emphasized "my concern is that this University not be permitted to tolerate racism and sexism, and should instead establish its own priorities" without waiting to conform with requirements set by federal agencies. She also supported the concept of "financial support without regard to need"; strongly urged more efforts by universities in general to devise more innovative means of making higher education available off-campus, as a supplement to traditional classroom instruction. - Joseph C. Toth, Socialist Labor Party, of Plymouth: Outlined his party's long-standing advocacy for replacing "geographical representation" in government with "industrial representation," adding that "under socialism, there would be a revolution in education" which would produce "democratically managed" campuses at which discrimination ín jobs and admissions would not be a problem. Toth also said U-M1 students need more opportunities to study socialism. -Dona S. Parker, Republican, 31, an attorney, bank director and hospital director, of Howell: , Designated finance as the U-M's major problem and commented that it is "simple" to describe in terms of "upward pressures for salary increases, in most cases justified, and pressures to keep student fees as a minimum," while the solution is not easy. "I would hope my education (AB in political science from the U-M, law degree from the University of Detroit) and my professional experience would be able to contribute to solutions," she said. Asked to comment on minority ethnic group enrollment at the U-M, Mrs. Parker said "I think the University should encourage minority enrollment, but to say a certain percentage, I'm afraid I don't agree, because it might exclude some." (Her reference was to the U-M's goal, initially set for f all, 1973, of 10 per cent black enrollment at the Ann Arbor campus.) The same question was addressed to Mrs. Power. She said "if all, the blacks admitted had come and had stayed . . . the University would have more than met the goal," and contended that only "very derelict" efforts have been made to provide student counseling in support of the 10 per cent goal. -David Upton, Republican, 52, president of an abstract and title company in St. Joseph: Emphasized his varied experience in state politics, including service as a Constitutional Convention delegate in 1962, and said of the present administration, "in finances, curriculum, affirmative action ... in all these areas, the University has shown leadership, to this point. I can find really no fault in areas they've worked in." Upton added that he . feels a need exists to ensure that students are offered adequate counseling both on campus and before arrival as insurance against preventable academic and financial dropouts. Not present last night were American Independent Party candidates Daniel R. Eller of Ypsilanti and Joan Johnson of Grand Rapids, who informed the sponsors of prior commitments; also Socialist Worker Party candidates Karl Brede, reportedly a local resident, and Claudia Hommel of Detroit.