Building Takeover to End at UMass

One hundred fifty members of a minority students coalition agreed last night to end their five-day takeover of the University of Massachusetts's School of Education Building this morning.

Andre N. McLaughlin, a member of the Third World Alliance executive committee said last night that the students would leave the building this morning when they received the dean of the School of Education's written decision on the graduate application of a black member of the Alliance.

Friday's takeover of the building was staged to protest the delay in Dwight W. Allen's decision on Paul Chandler's application for the Spring 1973 semester. Czerni R. Brasuell, a member of the Alliance's executive committee, said yesterday. "We also wanted to force Allen to decide before the semester ends," she added.

Alliance members claim that Allen has tried to delay the decision until after students leave for vacation. "That way there would be no one around to protect any discriminatory decision," Brasuell said.

She said that Allen would probably deny Chandler's application on the basis of his "liberal politics" and because he has "challenged the content of the school's education."

Disrupted

Allen said yesterday that Chandler's application could not be challenged on legal grounds, but that some of his past actions have served to disrupt the "learning and working process" at the university.

Chandler will graduate magna cum laude from the college Wednesday. However, Daniel M. Melley, public affairs director for the university, said yesterday that many of Chandler's professors have advised against his admission to the graduate program. "You have to stop and think about admitting a guy who says that he has nothing left to learn from the school," Melley said.

The Faculty of the School of Education gave Allen the authority to make the final decision on Chandler's application in a meeting yesterday. Allen refused to comment last night on the content of this morning's decision.

Brasuell said the students would take legal action if Chandler's application is denied.

Chandler was unavailable for comment yesterday. An Alliance press release said that he would appeal the decision to Mertimer Appley, dean of the Graduate School, if his application is denied.