The sensitive students

Press, Volume CXIII, Issue 33191, 3 April 1973, Page 14

The sensitive students

University student leaders have to take themselves fairly seriously these days; but sometimes it is difficult to decide whether they expect other people to take students’ opinions and activities as seriously as the students themselves appear to regard them. The students, or at least their elected leaders, would be the first to complain if no publicity—favourable or otherwise—were given to their cau s and resolutions. What would be the use of declaring the lavatories at the university to be “ sexually inte- “ grated ” 'f no-one would take any notice? Why should students threaten to deny the use of their facilities for the Commonwealth Games if the threat was certain to be ignored*’ Why should students organise the finance demonstrations if they believe that the public will be unmoved bv the performance? The outgoing president of t’-e Canterbury University Students’ Association (Mr J. Crichton) has complained that his association’s public relations in 1972 were “ quite dreadful ” Perhaps Mr Crichton means that the objects of student publicity have not been achieved. In that event the association should change its approach to the public. Some student affairs and attitudes are very serious indeed and thoroughly deserve publ’ / ’ attention —which they usuallv receive in pood measure When Mr Crichton s successors expect that the doings of their association will unset the public and damage the students reputation, perhaps they should advise the newspapers not to take them seriously. Students should then of course, not to complain about being ignored when one of their cherished projects for ‘ stirring ’’ receives little attention, and when no *’ stirring ” takes nlace. It is difficult to satisfy people who enjoy controversy. who can. and should, be ro'ied upon to be auestioning and controversial, if in the end thev decide that the effect of controversy is " quite dreadful ”.