Accra, Ghana 

Both students and administrators at the University of Ghana have had to pay a price to have the university reopen. It was closed Oct. 30 for two weeks after a series of riots on the campus at Legon, near Accra. The riots began Oct. 20 as demonstrations against the suspension of four undergraduates for publishing material considered obscene in the student magazine, Siren. A fifth student editor was disciplined when his degree was withheld for a year. The university was closed when the authorities came to believe that the students were determined to eliminate all out- side authority and establish a rule by “student power.” When the 2,400 students were allowed to return to the campus, they had to sign a pledge to observe all university rules and to do nothing that would bring discredit upon the university.
Punishment Reduced For their part, the university administrators accepted the recommendation of a study committee by reducing the punishment meted out to the five students that sparked the rioting. Alex A. Kwapong, the university’s vice chancellor, said when the university reopened that he had reduced the sentences, which ranged from one academic year to 41 days, to 28 days. The fifth student’s degree was granted this month instead of next June. Professor Kwapong also out- lined major changes in university regulations and lay down the law on future demonstrations and publications. According to the new regulations, students wishing to demonstrate will have to give 48 hours’ notice in writing to a three-man administrative committee.

Rules for Publications
The vice chancellor’s approval must now be obtained by all publications. A copy of each issue must be given him on the day of publication, and each issue must name its staff. The members of the editorial board will be held responsible for the entire contents of the publication. Ghana’s three universities – Legon, Kumasi University of Science and Technology and Cape Coast University College – were built with public funds and are maintained by them. Virtually all students receive scholarships.