Thursday, September 7, 1972 THE MICHIGAN DAILY Purge Five Thursday, September 7, 1972 THE MICHIGAN DAILY Page Five black voices By GENE ROBINSON Supplement Co-Editor In the spring of 1970, stu- dents here virtually succeeded in shutting down the Univer- sity until certain demands con- cerning blacks were met. Since that successful Black Action Movement (BAM) strike of two years ago, the campus has witnessed little activism on the part of black students. Events of last spring, however, indicate a possible revival of the black movement on campus. In 1970, faced with a strike of up to .75 per cent of its stu- dents, the University adminis- tration reluctantly agreed to in- sure that 10 per cent of its stu- dents would be black by 1974. The University is now appar- ently approaching the 10 per cent goal. Much concern has arisen bowever, over a possible lack of supportive services to aid the additional black student population. A crucial factor is the seem- ingly worsening relations be- tween black and white students. As black enrollment has ins- creased, so have incidents of ra- cial friction. Racial tensions have been particularlynacute in the dor mitories, notably South Quad- rangle. Housing 1200 students, South Quad contains a larger concentration of black students than any dorm on campus. Early this year, a group of South Quad and Stockwell Hall residents, along with the Hous- ing Office of Special Projects, formulated a proposal for the establishment of two Afro- American and African Cultural Living Units. The proposed units consisted of two houses in South Quad and one corridor in Stockwell, to be converted to multi-racial living units centered around -black culture. The measure was supported by Director of Uni- versity Housing John Feldkamp. The plan ran into opposition from several groups on cam- pus who described the proposal as "segregated housing." The plan, however, had the bless- ings of the Michigan Civil Rights Commission. Supporters of the black cul- ture unit proposal emphasized that the units would be multi- racial. A survey conducted by the housing department indi- cated that 110 whites and 112 blacks had expressed an inter- est in living in such a housing arrangement. Supporters of the plan called it no more segregated than other residence hall units at the Uni- versity, some of which are all- white. The only major objection to the plan came from the Detroit chapter of the NAACP, which called the plan separatist. How- ever, at a Regents' open hearing on the issue a NAACP repre- sentative said the group had misinterpreted the plan, and that they would probably re- verse their positions and support it. The plan was brought before the unsuspecting Regents at their March meeting. They seemed unprepared for the plan. One Regent said "I had no idea" there were racial tensions on campus. After much heated debate, the Regents rejected the plan, calling it "unacceptable." They then established a committee to investigate racial tensions at the University. At that time. supporters of the proposal vow- ed to continue their struggle for the black culture living units. The issue was again raised at the Regents' April meeting, when 40 blacks marched into the room and demanded that the meeting be halted. A group of black students has subse- quently asked the Michigan Civil Rights Commission to in- vestigate their charges of rac- ism at the University. It is currently unclear what will come from the investiga- tion. It is all too clear, however, that as black enrollment con- tinues to approach the 10 per- cent goal, such claims will be- come more frequent. The University has been far from dormant in providing some supportive services for blacks. The Coalition for the Use of Learning Skills (CULS), for example, provides black counseling services. The literary college's depart- ment of Afro-American studies, while it has been called inade- quate, does offer some interest- ing classes concerning different aspects of black history and cul- ture. The Center for Afro-Ameri- can and African Studies, among other duties, provides lectures and seminars on black culture. However, many have already claimed that these services are inadequate for the present level of black enrollment, and will be obsolete when the ten per- cent goal is reached. The University had formed a committee to look into such services, but the group is now inactive. Thus, for the present at least, many blacks here - re- main isolated from the main- stream of the campus commun- ity, and run the risk of missing out on many of the benefits of campus life. The issues discussed on this page involve large minority groups who have recently gain-. ed some solidarity in demand- ing opportunities equal to those of the American majority. Their struggles have been dif- ficult; their accomplishments often sparse. But the real issue involved- more significant than the mere elimination of discriminatory University policiesd-is the cre- ation of a community based on understanding and involvement. We live fragmented into a multitude of other minorities-- the conservative and the radi-. cal, the rich and the poor, the aged and the young, the Ameri- can and the foreign born, the ugly and the beautiful .. - The true value of our four- year learning experience is found not entirely in the aca- demic classroom, but within the University community where we can gain an understanding of people different from our- selves. I wome voices By JAN BENEDETTI Change occurs slowly at a large institution like the Uni- versity. This disturbing slow- ness becomes apparent when reviewing the University's pro- gress - and glaring lack of progress - in eliminating wide- spread sexism in employment practices. The University was charged two years ago with sex discrimi- nation in its employment prac- tices by the .Department 'of Health, Education and, Welfare 4HEW). HEW then temporar- ily withheld an estimated $350,- 000 minimum in federal con- tracts to prompt the University to act on the issue. The University subsequently submitted an affirmative action plan, including goals and time- tables for increased hiring of women, which was never ap- proved by HEW. A Commission for Women was also established to watch the progress of the plan. One major controversy began when President Robben Flem- ing and four other college pres- idents were appointed in No- vember by the American Coun- cil on Education (ACE) to serve on an advisory committee to HEW. The committee was formed to coordinate affirma- tive action plans throughout the nation. These appointments received severe criticism from many ob- servers. The ACE appointees seemed questionable choices for a committee designed to over- see employment bias, since most of them represented colleges charged with stalling or block- ing HEW's guidelines on ending sexism in employment prac- tices. The Commission for Women "noted with dismay" Fleming's appointment. PROBE,na group of Univer- sity women, filed a complaint with the federal government soon after the ACE appoint- ments, citing "manifest defici- encies in the affirmative action program." 'PROBE had filed the original complaint which led to HEW's first charge of sexism in Uni- versity employment. Fleming denied the validity of the complaint, terming, the charges "inaccurate" and un- fair. Another major development was the formulation last sum- mer of a complaint appeal pro- cedure for non-academic and non-union employes in cases of alleged sex discrimination. The case of Cheryl Clark - the first woman in the nation to demand back pay from a uni- university on charges of dis- criinination - represented the first case heard under the pro- cedure. This case was seen by many women's groups as an import- ant test of the University's will- ingness to award back pay to employes who are the object of sex discrimination. The conclusions of a Com- mission - sponsored survey of all woman employes conducted to evaluate the progress of the University towards the increas- ed hiring of women emphasized the lack of any real progress to- ward achieving that goal. Three separate file reviews to- uncover salary inequities due to sex discrimination have yield- ed mixed results. One review, ordered by Vice President for Academic Affairs Allan Smith, resulted in sal- ary adjustments for 52 women in academic positions. The re- view was criticized as unfair since the adjustments were re- commended by the employes supervisors - who in many cases might have been respon- sible for the inequity in the first place. An additional 48 women in non-academic positions received salary adjustments due to file reviews, scheduled to end last July. conducted by the Comn- mission andby the Personnel Office. The Commission's review, limited to only non-academic positions, was also plagued by a lack of cooperation from the University to furnish necessary data, according to Commission members. The Personnel Office review resulted in an extremely low number of adjustments. Though 424 non-academic women em- ployes were identified as 10 per cent or more below the median salary in their respective job classifications, supervisors re- commended that only 13 receive an adjustment. The Department of Labor's Revised Order No. 4, which sets guidelines for, most federal con- tractors, introduced the possi- bility that one single affirma- tive action director would be appointed to monitor the pro- gram for both women and oth- er minorities. Although the University as a public institution was not re- quired to comply with the or- der, the administration decided to follow it. Fleming announc- ed in April that he would ap- point 'a single officer, while re- taining the Commissions for Women and Minorities in an advisory capacity. -1 UNIVERSITY FLOWER SHOP OPEN MONDAY-SATURDAY 9-5 __ _ TH CTO OEUNESS.. 7 Nickels Arcade 668-8096 or 665-6073 _ . . .. s 1 - a a a - a .1 _L TODAY'S GAMES for TODAY'S PEOPLE f Ecology ! Dirty Water ! Trial Smog " Diplomacy 0 3M Bookshelf * College Daze r Population Games t Wiff N' Poof 0 Equations " Tri-nim * Women's Lib 0 Onsets 0 Blacks & Whites * Confrontation * Queries & Theories * Group Therapy Learn about today's problems CHOOSE A SPECIAL GIFT through games FOR THAT SPECIAL OCCASION Make your own decisions about how to solve the situation wood-ceramic-lucite-plastic- magnetic-3D--aluminum Facts and FUN CHESS BOARDS-CHESS PRIMER 224 So. Main 663-0310 CHESS SCROLL i i Indian voices By MARCIA ZOSLAW Protesting a "gross neglect" of American Indian needs and the "demeaning" stereotyped In- dian image, local Indians last summer began their campaign for equal rights at the Univer- sity. Paul Johnson, grad, filed suit last August against the Univer- sity on behalf of three Indian tribes. The suit charged the Uni- versity with an obligation to pro- vide.the Chippewas, Ottawas and Potowatomies with financial aid and increased educational oppor- tunities to compensate for land given to them under the Fort Meigs Treaty of 1817 to establish the school. Johnson's suit asks for an in- crease in Indian admissions and culture courses at the Univer- sity. While there are over 22,000 Indians in the state, Johnson points to the "under-representa- tion" of only 30 Indian students at the University. Last year half of those stu- dents received specific Indian scholarships for housing and tui- tion from the University's gen- eral fund. Johnson says he is willing to follow the suit all the way through the courts as a matter of principle. The suit, however, has been stalled, first by a dispute over Johnson's validity as a true In- dian representative and later by a motion by University legal ad- visor Roderick Daane to change the case from state to federal jurisdiction. Following the suit, a civil rights complaint filed by Ameri- can Indians Unlimited (AIU) last May charged the campus Michi- gamua honorary society wish racism. The all-male- society, formed in 1902 to recognize student lead- ers, sponsors an annual initia- tion on the Diag where incoming members are . doused with red brick dust. These newly initiated Michigamuans then engage in other activities that impersonate Indian culture. AIU contends that these ac- tivities are an i"insulting cari- cature" of their people. How- ever. Director of Housing John Feldkamp, a Michigamua spon- sor, says the society seeks only to honor the Indian heritage of the area. Indian students were also ac- tive this past year with an In- ' dian teach-in and an open forum on Indian affairs-both notable for articulating local and na- tional Indian grievances. On the national level, those speaking for the American In- dian movement cited a lack of Indians on the Bureau of Indian Affairs, a need for Indians to resist "homogenizing" American , culture, and a need to culturally upgrade the education of Indian children. While University administra- tors credited the open forum , with "commencing dialogue" be- tween the University and the In- dians, Johnson commented one , month later that, "As far as I can see they're not going to do anything until they have to and only the suit will force them to do that." By GLORIA JANE SMIT I Supplement Co-Editor The University environment, with its sprawling staircases and narrow doorways, was cer- tainly not designed with the handicapped student in mind. Several organizations have criticized the University for their reluctance to improve ex- isting conditions, citing inac- cessible buildings and lack of transportation as major prob- lems. The Student Activities Bldg., the General Library, Rackham Bldg., and the Economics Bldg. are specifically noted as ob- stacles to those who "employ a different means for mobiliza- tion." In an Office of Student Serv- ices memo last fall, Vice Presi- dent for Student Services Rob- ert Knauss said that until fur- ther improvements are made in building accessibility and edu- cational programs, that - he "would not recommend wide- spread publicity and encour- agement be given to handicap- ped students to attend the Uni- versity." Leonard Greenbaum, chair- man of Mayor Robert Harris' Committe6 for the Handicapped has argued that the University can fund more improvements in this area "if people are willing to assign it a high enough pri- ority." A massive campaign to sensi- tize the University to the prob- lems of handicapped students was initiated last year by the Student Government Council Committee for the Physically Handicapped. Highlighting the SGC. project was a "Sensitivity Day" in early February when four Regents and several other University ad- ministrators spent one day in wheelchairs. The participants were asked to perform typical student activities, such as go- ing to a class in Angell Hall. Reactions to the day were sympathetic. 0 n e professor spoke of the severe isolation one experiences in a mobile chair. And one SGC member reflected on how different she would See HANDICAPPED, Page 8 handicapped' voices cmw P )E BUY OUR LEVI'S AT SAH'S STOR E hiI/N*i I 1 , I ! i ! i li t1 You spec will find :our store Tally equipped to supply 'r I you with LAW case books and supp Sies. Our LAW section is staffed by law students to assist you. " - Mw -W- - - 'I a a~ FAPIS lftAftAftmffA"7qpAIftlF ! ii I I II