The University of the West Indies Council met to confront the issues arising from the Walter Rodney affair and the subsequent student demonstrations of October 16. The meeting focused on restoring order and strengthening governance by proposing a code of professional conduct for academic staff, establishing guidelines for student behaviour, and urging contributing governments to meet early in 1969 to reassess the University’s future role and direction.

Published Wednesday, November 13, 1968

Academic staff should undertake to draw up ‘code of professional conduct’

-University regrets October 16; wants rules of behaviour for students, too
-Council asks Govt to meet early 1969 on institution’s future

The Council of the University of the West Indies expressed regret yesterday at the “tragic events” of October 16 in Jamaica, as it held its first meeting since the Rodney affair.
The meeting yesterday also decided that the academic staff of the University should undertake to draw up, as a matter of urgency, an effective code of professional conduct for members of staff of the University, which, inter alia, would deal with matters relating to security issues.
The Council noted that, with regard to this decision, the drawing up of a code of behaviour for students would be followed up with the Guild of Undergraduates through Senate and its committees.

The Council also decided that the contributing governments to the University should be asked to meet at an early date in 1969 to consider the future of the University, its role and character.
Observers described the meeting as “highly productive.”

Nine of the contributing territories were represented at the meeting, which was presided over by the Vice-Chancellor, Sir Phillip Sherlock.

The Council of the University of the West Indies, at its meeting on 12th November, 1968, took the following decisions:

“1. That the academic staff should undertake to draw up, as a matter of urgency, an effective code of professional conduct for members of staff of the UWI which, inter alia, would deal with matters relating to security issues.
Responsibility
“2. That since the procedure for dealing with security issues was the responsibility of individual governments, and conjoint action on their part was unlikely, the UWI should approach the individual governments in an effort to agree on a set of security procedures that would be applicable in each territory.
“3. That the contributing governments to the UWI should be asked to meet at an early date in 1969 in order to consider the future of the University of the West Indies, its role and character.
“In respect of 1 above, Council noted that the drawing up of a code of behaviour for the students would be followed up with the Guild of Undergraduates through Senate and its committees.
“Among others, the Hon. Edward Seaga, territorial representative on Council for Jamaica, gave Council a summarised account of events connected with the exclusion from Jamaica of Dr. Walter Rodney.”

“Council also expressed its regrets at the tragic events which had taken place in Jamaica in the wake of the protest demonstration by students at Mona.”
Students

Sources close to the Council said that the meeting was conducted amicably and in a spirit of co-operation, with the exception of one instance shortly before the luncheon break, when, it is reported, a criticism from one delegate, directed at Jamaica’s representative, the Hon. Edward Seaga, Minister of Finance and Planning, brought a sharp reply from Mr. Seaga.
The meeting adjourned for lunch at 1:50 p.m.
It is understood that upon resumption, the meeting passed the resolution on the agenda embodying its decisions.
The meeting ended at 9:50 p.m.
Represented at yesterday’s Council meeting for the first time were three members of the undergraduate body, from each of the three campuses. They were Messrs. Ralph Gonsalves, Mona; G. L. Granger, St. Augustine; and M. D. Smith from Cave Hill.
Their attendance at the meeting followed a decision taken at the September meeting of the Council to have undergraduate representatives at the Council’s meetings.
It was learnt that submissions on the Rodney Affair came from the student representatives as well as from Mr. Seaga.

The questions considered at yesterday’s Council meeting arose out of the events occurring during the Rodney Affair, which began when, on October 15, the Jamaican Government barred from entry into the island Dr. Walter Rodney, a 26-year-old Guyanese lecturer in African history. This action resulted in student demonstrations through the city on Wednesday, October 16, coupled with acts of vandalism and violence.

Among those who attended the meeting were Sir Hugh Wooding, chief justice of Trinidad.
Government representatives were the prime minister of Barbados, Errol Barrow; W. S. Stevens, Dominica; Edward Seaga, Jamaica; Rev. Canon A. E. Hatch-Syrett, Montserrat; Fitzroy Bryan, St. Kitts; the Hon. J. Francois, St. Lucia; Dr. J. P. Eustace, St. Vincent; and Senator Donald Pierre of Trinidad and Tobago.

For feedback: contact the Editorial Department at onlinefeedback@gleanerjm.com.