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Housing plan:
The case
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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 1972
NIGHT EDITOR: ROSE SUE BERSTEIN
Ending classified research
FOUR YEARS AGO, University students
and faculty members r e b e11e d
against what they viewed as an unten-
able situation on tpis campus.
While the University had become a ma-
jor center of anti-war activity, research-
ers working behind closed doors were
a i d i n g counterinsurgency operations
around the world and playing a leading
role in the development of the emerging
concept of the U. S. Army's "electronic
battlefield."
At that time, Senate Assembly, the
faculty representative body proposed a
set of restrictions which was subsequent-
ly adopted by the Regents. The policy
forbid 'the acceptance of any federal con-
tract for classified research "whose spe-
cific purpose . . . is to destroy human
life or to incapacitate human beings."
Shortly thereafter, a committee was
formed to enforce the new policy by re-
viewing all classified contracts and
weeding out those which were judged to
be in violation of the policy.
THE REGENTS' ACTION was hailed as
a significant step in curtailing Uni-
versity complicity with the U.S. defense
establishment. In practice, however, it
was seen that the research limitations
were practically meaningless.
Few contracts were rejected by the
committee, and most of those decisions
were subsequently overruled by Vice
President for Research A. Geoffrey Nor-
man-who maintains to this day that
the committee's decisions are made only
"in an advisory capacity."
In that light, it seems hardly surpris-
ing that in the past year the University
community has fought so hard to have
a new, more enforceable classified re-
search policy enacted.
Seemingly, the Regents too should be
eager to adopt a new policy which would
effectively ban most of the war research
which they went on record against in
1968.
BUT AS THE Regents prepare to con-
sider the latest Senate Assembly re-
search proposal, one which would ban
more classified research from the cam-
pus, a number of barriers have arisen
which are threatening to leave the new
policy as impotent as its predecessor.
First, Senate Assembly has not de-
signed a mechanism to enforce its pro-
posed policy. While some migh argue
that it was implicit in Assembly's action
to have its proposed guidelines strictly
adhered to, it was the failure of the
present committee to properly enforce
and interpret the 1968 policy that left
is a meaningless, paper resolution.J
In fact, it was the review committee's
insistence on a quite liberal interpreta-
tion of the words "specific purpose"
which allowed it to approve almost all
the military contracts which it 'was
called upon to review.
IN ADDITION, implementation of the
new policy has been slowed by a tac-
Editorial Staff
ROBERT KRAFTOWITZ
Editor
JIM BEATTIE DAVE CHUDWIN
Executive Editor Managing Editor
STEVE KOPPMAN.............Editorial Page Editor
PAT MAHONEY. Assistant Editorial Page Editor
tical blunder on the part of classified
research opponents. Instead of square-
ly confronting the, issue of war research
as a moral issue, they chose to fight it
under the dubious banner of "academic
freedom"-which, in the past, has been
used by the faculty to justify everything
from prosecuting student demonstrators
to minimizing their classroom teaching
hours.
Apparently, the leaders of the anti-re-
search drive felt that making academic
freedom the central issue would help
draw support from "liberal" faculty
members.
The result of this tactic, however, was
that research proponents were given the
opportunity to force the extension of
the "freedom to publish" issue to indus-
trially-sponsored proprietary research,
which also frequently has restrictions on
the open publication of its results.
Consequently, the Regents will be
dealing with the two distinctly different
types of research as though they were
one.
This not only obscures the intent of
the community to simply end war-related
research, but it also may result in a
"loose" interpretation of whatever policy
is finally adopted, in order to preserve
much of the politically inert proprietary
research.
ON ANOTHER LEVEL, it is not clear
what the substantive long-range ef-
fects of a ban on campus classified re-
search would be.
President Fleming has stated that the
University will do all it can to transfer
Willow Run Laboratories to, the control
of an outside agency. The labs, which
perform almost 90 per cent of the Uni-
versity's classified research projects,
were the primary target of the anti-re-
search movement.
Should Willow Run Laboratories leave
the auspices of the University, it will not
be subjected to any restrictions on its
activities, and consequently, may be able
to substantially increase its military re-
search load.
It is extremely unfortunate that the
president of this University can single-
handedly bolster $6-7 million worth of
war research, but given the structure of
the University, that is exactly the case.
NEVERTHELESS, it is essential that the
Regents give their approval to the
Assembly proposal - and immediately
delegate authority to the Assembly to
implement a mechanism to actively en-
force the policy.
Although the proposal is by no means
perfect, it represents the overwhelming
feeling of both the students and the fac-
ulty, and thus, deserves to become the
official University stance on the issue.
Certainly, the time for ending campus
classified research is long overdue. The
electronic battlefield, which was only, a
dream in 1968 when the present research
policy was adopted, is now the key tool
in the expanding air war in Indochina.
QUITE SIMPLY, it is time for the Uni-
versity to take substantive action to
end its ties to the military and its com-
plicity in the war effort, and instead,
focus its greatest expenditures of time
and energy on the educational goals that
a -University should be concerned with.
ALAN LENHOFF
By GEORGIA WILLIAMS
DURING THE PAST few weeks
the media has been laden with
reports concerning the living units
proposed for University students
interested in Afro-American and
African Culture.
Unfortunately, many of the re-
ports have distorted the facts in
regards to the underlying con-
ception of the proposals, and the
primary objectives which the ori-
ginators of the proposals have con-
tinuously emphasized to the Spec-
ial Programs unit of the Housing
Office.
Little attention has been given to
the most important features of the
proposal for the Afro-American and
AfricanCultural Living Unit. The
originators of the proposal, com-
posed of representatives from
South Quad, Stockwell, The Inter-
national Center and The Black
Concerned Women of OSS, with
housing office personnel providing
assistance, spent many long agon-
izing sessions attempting to find
solutions to the negative racial
climate which exists in the living
units on this campus, especialy
South Quad and Stockwell.
It must be noted that the pri-
mary feature, which most oppon-
ents have overlooked, is written as
follows in the proposal for the
Afro-American and African Cultur-
al living unit:
"That the Black Cultural resi-
dence would assume a primary re-
sponsibility as an outreach facil-
-ity for other blacks residing in
predominately white residence
halls through programmed fire-
side chats, forums on minority
concerns, and social activities, and
counseling services.
"After an initial black conscious-
ness development within the resi-
dence, outreach activities would
also be advocated which w o u 1d
bring minority people into inter-
actions with the majority to pro-
mote greater understanding and
more livable co-existance with each
other."
IT IS IRONIC that, though the
black students are primarily con-
sidered as the culprits who create
the racial tensions, they in fact
have devoted more time and ef-
fort in attempting to create a more
harmonious living environment
than either in-residence staff which
is almostdtotally white, or the
white student populace.
Historically, black people have
been called upon, be it within t'ie
academic ivory towers, or ghetto
communities, to assume the great-
est bulk of the responsibility to al-
leviate their state of victimization.
The racial climate in S o u t h
Quad, Stockwell, or any o t h e r
living unit on this campus is little
different from that climate pre-
valent in the outside milieu, i.e.
any mixed community where black
people are in the minority.
In fact it represents a micro-
scopic example of a living situation
On today's page.
LAST THURSDAY, the Office of Student Services' Hous-
ing Policy Committee passed the first reading of a
proposal to create Afro-American and African Cultural
Residence Halls within South Quad and Stockwell.
The proposed housing units, which have stirred con-
troversy in the University community, is intended to be
open to anyone showing an interest in Afro-American
culture, regardless of race.
The proposal comes up for second reading at they
Housing Policy Committee today. If passed, it must be
approved by the Regents before being implemented.
The articles on this page reflect the opinions of three
segments of the University that have been involved with
the proposal.
where diverse lifestyles, cultural
differences and ethnocentric atti-
tudes exist with few members
skilled in and/or committed to
finding workable solutions for
peaceful co-existence.
My personal assessment of the
racial climate is based upon long
and sometimes heated sessions
with both black and white stu-
dents, and staff in the residence
halls, where racial attitudes have
been exhibited; racist responses
and opinions have been given, and
coping techniques have been em-
ployed in an attempt to deal with
the situation.
The irrational racial clashes be-
tween whites and blacks are not,
new, neither are they unique. Now,
the black students have c o m e
forward with a constructive, posi-
tive attempt to provide a rational
solution to an irrational situation,
The proposed cultural living unit
is one example of the black stu-
dents' search for solutions.
This proposed concept has been
distorted on the part of many
whites, while they (students and
staff) continue to sit in subsid-
ence, offering no other alternatives
which do not in fact oppress the
minority.
THE PROPOSED unit was not
conceivedhas a separatisttmove-
ment. The University, with i t s
concern for the attrition rate of
black students, must understand
that such a negative and oppres-
sive climate within the residence
hall - characterized by endless
complaints from white students
about "noisy and wild blacks, loud
music, card playing, fear of blacks
congregating in more than groups
of five" - complaints which go
all the way to the president's of-
fice, and the endless hours which
blacks have to spend in response
to these complaints, can no longer
be tolerated.
Constructive efforts to bring,
black and white students together
can not continue concomitantly
with the racial clashes. The unit is
an attempt to provide some relief
for those students (non-white and
white) so that less painful efforts
can be exerted to create in o r e
positive living environments.
AS I SEE IT, there are two ma-
jor characterizing features of the
racial climate in living halls which
have propelled black students to
the request for Afro-American and
African Cultural Living units.
These are: racism on the mart of
staff, and students, and the in-
ability of University staff person-
nel to cope with the situation. Rac-
ism is reflected both as attitud-
inal, and behavioral (institutional).
This is not new to the Univer-
sity. Perhaps new, is the more
constructive and rational means
which black students have chosen
to deal with the situation. In
terms of the attitudinal racist
practices, both black and w h i t.e
students find themselves, in many
ways, as victims of circumstanc-
es.
That is, the problems are inher-
ent in the system. Many of the
following situations are not new
to the University, and efforts have
been made and will continue, to
correct these:
* Haphazard selection proced-
ures for the selection of in-resi-
dence staff positions, where stu-
dents have often exploited their
participatory rights by failing to
adhere to agreed upon set proced-
ure and instead utilizing a "bud-
dy" system to select resident dirtic-
tors and resident advisors.
* The structural make-up of the
student government council and the
procedure for selecting representa-
tives which provide little opportun-
ity for the minority to make decis-
ions about policies and practices
which affect them.
0 The employment practices in
some halls, which do not adhere
to the affirmative action program
and which tend to limit opportuni-
ties for part-time employment for
minority students.
* The reluctance on the part of
some staff to respond in a sensi-
tive way to the cultural differ-
ences and thus unique social situa-
tion of black students.
HOWEVER, the incongruency (*n
the parts of many whites is
astounding. Many ,opponents 'f the
Letters to The Daily should
be mailed to the Editorial Di-
rector or delivered to M a r y
Rafferty in the Student Pub-
lications business office in the
Michigan Daily building. Let-
ters should be typed, double-
spaced and normally should
not exceed 250 words. The
Editorial Directors reserve the
right to edit all letters sub-
mitted.
ror...
proposed living units have indi-
cated that they agreed with the
concept, but whites would be afraid
to walk in that area.
What more evidence do black
students need of the stereotyped
syndrome operating in the minds
of many whites?
Other opponents 'claim that they
can not accept the allusion of seg-
regation, yet these white opponents
have not come forward to indicate
that they would want to live in
such a unit. It seems to me that
the challenge rests with the white
student populace.
Are there some white students
who are sincerely interested in
promoting an educational, eultur-
al, and social identity with Afro-
American and African life=5t yles?
The proposed unit will provide this
opportunity.
An even larger challenge rests
with the University administration.
Blacks are not blind. We see the
efforts and committment which the
University has exhibited in allev-
iating discriminatory practices
against women.
The Women's Commission in
many respects represents a' moni-
toring example of these activities
and which should have as it's
counterpart, with comparable staff
and University sanction, a com-
mission to deal. with such- issues
presented by black students on this
campus.
ARE THE RIGHTS of black
people, no less important?
Georgia Williams is.Assistant
Director for Special Pro-
grams in the housing office,
and has provided administra-
tive assistance in the formu-
lation of the special residence
hall proposal.
#:
O*
1'
Building a black power
base in the dormitories
*i
By LEE GILL
WE OF THE South Quad Minor-
ity Council have proposed and
stand behind the establishment of
an Afro-American and African
Cultural residence hall.
In doing so, it is not our wish,
nor our aim to voluntarily segre-
gate ourselves, as so many peo-
ple have said. Instead we are by
our efforts only trying to move
from a powerless position to one
in which we have a power base.
Blacks are spread throughout
the housing system, they are out-
voted in dormitory and house
meetings, their voices are gone un-
heard, their wants unmet, their
feelings uncared for.
The only way we are going to
be listened to and channels de-
veloped to redress our grievences
is to have a base of power, other-
wise there is frustration and frus-
tration solves no problem.
We are not by our actions tak-
ing a segregated stand, but what
we are doing is unifying ourselves,
developing our own talents and our
own potentials, and thereby in-
creasing our psychological, socio-
logical and intellectual develop-
ment, so that we will 'cetter be
equipped and able to deal . with
the larger system.
We as Blacks have heard so of-
ten from other races and ethnic
groups the statement. '7)u people
have to get yourselves together like
we did."
Now that we are trying to do
just that, we hear opposition. Our
question is, "Are the rules of the
game being changed iow t h a t
Blacks want to play?"
EVEN IN OUR choice of loca-
tion one can see our rationale of
wanting to be a part of the larger
system. We chose Bush and Gom-
berg houses which are the middle
floors of the South Quad Complex.
We did this merely because we did
not want to be isolated or segre-
gated, but wanted to be in a place
where interaction and involvement
was guaranteed.
We have also said repeatedly
that this Cultural living unit will
not be limited to Blacks alone, but
will be opened to anyone who feels
that they can genuinely gain some-
thing from such an experience.
Does this sound like segregation?
It should be pointed out t n a t
while there are many who are
quick to criticize and attack our
proposal, no one else has even be-
gun to present alternative solu-
tions.
The fact is that we, as the Minor-
ity Council have found ourselves
placed in the 'position where we
have to come up with solutions to
various problems, while the ma-
jority does nothing.
As an example of this, because
of the racial tensions'in our dormi-
tory we proposed to the Housing
office and to the South Quad Coun-
cil that they work in conjunction
with us to develop what we eall a
series of "Let's Get Together And
Rap Days", to foster' human rela-
tions and better communications
between blacks and whites in the
South Quad.
It's important to note that no
other group came forth with alter-
nate solutions.
The cultural residence unit is yet
another solution. It's a combina-
tion of many things in one; it's
social, it's political, and it's edu-
cational.
HIGHER EDUCATION, as part
0i
of a social system, must respond 5
to the needs of the social system.
It is our belief that if the Uni-
versity is serious about its Minor-
ity students, it will respond ac-
cordingly to our wishes.
Lee Gill is Chairman of the
Minority Council of South
Quad, one of the groups in-
strumental in formulating
and advocating the proposal.
4:
Daily-John Upton
.And the case against the Afro-A merican
units
0I
By BARBARA MYER
ALTHOUGH WE, the women of
Bush House, fully recognize
and understand the need for spec-
ially designated Afro-American
housing at the University, we take
strong exception to the plan cur-
rently before the housing office to
deal with this need.
Our objections are concerned not
only with the choice of location,
but also with the equity and feas-
ability of certain sections of the
proposal.
Primarily, we are concerned
that the establishment of an Afro-
American Culture House in the
dormitory community of South
Quad would be extremely detri-
mental in the area of race rela-
tions, and would only serve to fur-
thor nn'Io.i,70 *hn .ao ,within +the,
student with the opportunity to
come into contact with other peo-
ple from a variety of cultural, rac-
ial and religious environments and
backgrounds - contact in a living
situation whereby the student may
grow as a person.
We have found among our own
house members, both black a n d
white, that many students nad had
little or no person-to-person con-
tact with a member of another
race until they associated a n d
formed friendships with one ano-
ther through community life on
each corridor.
Thus, it is our opinion that the
.establishment of an Afro-American
Culture House within south Quad
would completely defeat the pur-
pose of the concept of dormitory
housing.
It was not until Jan. 28 that
the women of Bush House and
men of Gomberg house were in-
directly notified of the current
proposal to convert their houses
into the Afro-American Unit. No
prior consultations had been held
with residents or officers of these
houses; and no official written
communication from the housmg
office was received by either Bush
or Gomberg until Feb. 1.
Needless to say, we are rather
concerned not only about this sud-
den change from self-contained
building units to a dormitory set-
ting such as South Quad, but also
about the lack of communication
and consultation with the 'esidents
involved prior to the drafting of
this proposal.
A gY'TVFV' AN.TQT'L'TV'T by.,RA
tural Houses, 42 per cent said yes,
58 per cent no, indicating a total
return rate of only 16.6 per cent.
In addition to the survey results,
residents of Bush House h a v e
specific reservations regarding the
proposal.
* Whereas it is generally recog-
nized that many of the conflicts
between races stem from differ-
ent hours, different life styles,
varying degrees of noise tolerance,
etc., we are concerned that next
year these conflicts will intensify
and be concentrated on a floor to
floor basis, creating inter-house
tension rather than the one-to-one
corridor conflicts we sometimes
have now.
* Justifiable or not, several wo-
men have expressed anxiety at
having to pass through the fifth
* Last, the women of B u s h
House are concerned about losing
the priority on their rooms, espec-
ially singles, which are limited in
number and in great demand.
Many of these women have two
and three years of seniority in
the house, which would be can-
celled along with their room prior-
ity.
ANOTHER MAJOR CONCERN
of our house is the equity of cer-
tain sections of the proposal. In
particular, we fail to see the equity
of 300 students in two houses hav-
ing the same "rights and author-
ity as the larger South Q u a d
student government council," as
the proposal requests. The larger
council represents the remaining
six houses and 90 students of South
Oiiarl - Daily-+-John Upton
Daily4-John Upton