SJS Demands Cancellation

By John Apgar

News Editor

The BYU-San Jose State football game may be officially “on” but the northern Californian campus is reeling from controversy over alleged racist charges.

An article printed in the SJS student paper, DAILY SPARTAN, last Thursday said the student Council passed a resolution calling for the cancellation of the football game.

The resolution, supporting the Black athlete boycott of the contest, read ". . . the Student Council of San Jose State College, recognizing the serious moral implications of the Mormon religion with regard to the dignity of Black Americans, urges that the administration of this college take all possible steps to cancel the football contract with BYU for Nov. 30 . . .”

The statement also called for cancellation of “. . . any and all contracts for subsequent athletic events with colleges or universites of the Mormon faith . . ."

The DAILY SPARTAN stated the resolution resulted from a long debate following a list of three demands regarding the game that had been introduced to the council by Sheila Younge, Black junior class representative.

The three demands were

1. The complete cancellation of the BYU football game and all games thereafter . . . The reason for this is to completely obliterate any and all ties with known racist institutions such as BYU.

2. The hiring of a Black head football coach . . .

3. A position paper put out by the administration and athletic department as to the implications of Blacks’ refusal to play the Mormons (i.e., win, lose or draw, the social and political implications of Blacks playing Mormons is that the basic tenent [sic] of the Mormons is that Black people are morally and intellectually inferior and doomed to this state until there is a revelation in the church to change this tenet).

SJS President Robert D. Clark stated Thursday night that any team member who boycotted the game would lose his athletic scholarship.

However, the SPARTAN quoted Pres. Clark as saying that other types of funds equal to their present grant-in-aid would be provided.

“I believe this college has a moral commitment to fulfill its financial obligations to any Black or White athlete who chooses not to compete in the game Nov. 30,” said Clark.

“I am personally obtaining funds to provide financial assistance equal to the grant-in-aid,” he continued.

The student paper indicated a committee of Black and White athletes had issued several proposals concerning the game but at latest word none had been accepted.

The proposals included having athletes wear armbands in the game, urge other schools to protest in their games with BYU and dedicate the halftime at the BYU game to the Black students.

The paper stated that Gov. Reagan’s office had not issued any comment on the situation and would not until the game had been played or canceled.