We're veterans of peaceful protests at UT. Here's what Hartzell can do to ease tensions.

We join as former leaders of the student body of the University of Texas to urge UT President Jay Hartzell to lead the university community to a more productive and peaceful exercise of freedom of speech and dissent at UT.

Both of us have participated in the right of peaceful protest during the time of tensions concerning the securement of voting rights, educational opportunities and use of places of public accommodation for black citizens during the 1950s and 1960s.

We urge Hartzell and others responsible for safety and security at UT and the infusion of the high values of our democratic society in personal relations to seek avenues of reconciliation that will de-escalate tensions in a manner that minimizes the likelihood of arrests, physical injury, intimidation and obstruction to students, faculty, administrators and those charged with maintaining order while allowing for dissent and educationaldialogue to occur on campus and beyond. UT can become an example of wise administration, a true exercise of power for the common good, starting here and changing the world for the better.

We urge Hartzell to use resources available to him —the American Civil Liberties Union for evaluation of campus protest rules and methods of enforcement; I-ACT, the local interfaith entity for means of reconciliation among faith groups; the county judge for areas of cooperation in dealing with the county attorney; the mayor of Austin for cooperation with the chief of police on criminal law enforcement off campus.

The main point is this—look outside of structures currently engaged in acrimonious relationships on campus for advice and counsel from persons and organizations dedicated to fostering goodwill.

We also urge Hartzell to use the considerable educational resources of the University of Texas to educate the student body and the wider community in the world at large on the history and development of the State of Israel and the personal and institutional relationships within Palestine and beyond, with special attention to the generation of violence in the region.We stand ready to assist Hartzell in any way that is productive of full exercise by students and others of the right of protest and dissent in the tradition of American democracy.

A former mayor of Austin, Cooksey was the University of Texas student body president in 1959. Lipscomb was UT student body president in 1964.