New England NSA Will Poll Colleges For Opinion on Student Freedoms

New England Student Associations want to know what students think about students. The New England Regional NSA last night announced it would poll college campuses this year for opinion on what rights a student has to criticize his teachers, courses, or books in public.

The move is a result of the year's first regional NSA meeting, held at Phillips Brooks House over the weekend. Students in the Educational Problems seminar were split on the question of academic freedom.

Most outspoken were men from Boston College and St. Joseph's of Hartford, Connecticut. These students felt that a student agrees on the policy of a school when he goes there, and has no right to take advantage of his alma mater by holding it up to public criticism. Other delegations maintained that a student's tuition entitled him to freedom.

Fairbank Case Discussed

Most of the group also felt that the Army had a perfect right to refuse John K. Fairbank, professor of History, a permit to enter Japan "under present conditions" But they felt the Army should have given its reasons.

Under discussion at the close of the session was the case of Jan Dirk Struik, suspended Massachusetts Institute of Technology mathematics professor. Generally, the group expressed approval of M.I.T.'s action in suspending Struik, who is under indictment for "conspiracy to overthrow the government."

This year, the New England NSA plans to send messages to state legislatures giving student opinion on bills important to their higher education, like the anti-Red Bill now up before the Massachusetts State Legislature.