7/24/1971

GODDARD COLLEGE
WINS COURT SUIT

PLAINFIELD - Goddard College has won U.S. District Court support in its refusal to violate the sanctity of student records and the confidential nature of the relationship between students and the college.

Goddard President Gerald Witherspoon hailed the U.S. District Court of Philadelphia summary judgment which over-turned all but one provision of a Pennsylvania law requiring colleges to report student dissent for their Pennsylvania students to be eligible for state financial aid.

"This is a major constitutional decision protecting civil liberties," Witherspoon said. Goddard was one of two colleges which brought the suit.

Attorney Lawrence Silver of Philadelphia, who is representing Goddard College in this case, said the court's ruling "recognized the possibility of a confidential relationship between the college and its students. It also recognizes that students' records may be protected by the Fourth Amendment. The ruling recognizes that students have a right to engage in protest and demonstrations. Most important, however, is the court's recognition that expulsion from school or withholding of financial aid may be a more severe punishment than a monetary fine or brief confinement in jail as the result of participating in a demonstration."

Goddard joined Haverford College and 12 Pennsylvania students in bringing the case in September 1970, after Pennsylvania financial aid was withdrawn from 79 Goddard students because of the college's refusal to sign the student dissent reporting agreement. During the past fiscal year, the college expended $50,000 to help these Pennsylvania students.