The Michigan Daily-Friday, June 29,1979-Page 13 IMPERSONAL A TMOSPHERE CITED Minority attrition presents challenge to 'U' (Continued from Page 3) which provides academic support ser- vices and classes geared towards minority students; minority offices within the individual schools and colleges; and student organizations geared towards minorities. PAM GORDON; former Michigan Student Assembly (MSA) vice- president for minority affairs, sent a survey of minority student services to a random sample of 300 minority studen- ts. "Some people thnk they're doing their best, other people have complain- ts," said Gordon. There is a disparity between ad- ministrators and the counselors providing the services, she said. "On certain levels are administrators who are verbally saying things," said Gordon. "I personally feel distrustful of their sincerity. Some people on the level of dissemination, trying to do coun- seling, are pretty sincere." "THE MINORITY student is liable to look at the majority white campus and say 'nobody cares,' " said Davenport. "Underlying all of this is still a latent discrimination." William Cash, assistant to Interim University President Allan Smith, said he "doesn't think of any barriers" to higher education for minority students. "It all depends upon the individual," said Cash. "I don't believe that the University of Michigan places any un- due barriers for minorities. Some don't like minorities like some don't like women." CASH ADDED that some black students transfer out of the University because they "would prefer going to a totally black institution." LSA freshman Jimmy Fussell said he "hasn't come in contact" with any racial bias yet. "As far as most of the people and the atmosphere are concerned, I like it," he said. But he said a number of his frien- ds had complained about bias. JANICE O'NEILL, a graduate student on the Black Matters Commit- tee, said a number of undergraduate students have mentioned problems with racial bias on campus. "As a result of a number of un- dergrads I've talked to and that have complained to me, there quite clearly are some problems," said O'Neill. O'NEILL SAID the "treatment students encounter after coming here" is one reason for minority attrition, and therefore declining enrollment. "If students who initially came here report back to their former counselors, and younger sisters and brothers, that they have been treated negatively, these people are going to be predisposed not to avail themselves of the same treatment," she said. George Goodman, director of the Op- portunity Program, said "the reason a minority versus a non-minority, drops out is probably the same," but "you lose more minority students in terms of the environmental background." THE ATTRITION rate for Native Americans is by far the highest of the groups mentioned in the February report to the Regents John Concannon, Native American recruiter for the Undergraduate Ad- missions Office, said most Native Americans come from a non-college- educated family and "don't know the ins and outs of a college education." Concannon added that bringing any student with a weak academic background into the competitive University environment is "an in- justice, because we don't have strong supportive services." EVEN SUBTLE aspects of an academic program could discourage a minority student, according to Trotter House's Potts. "The experiences and perspectives of blacks and Third World peoples have been excluded from mainstream cour- ses," he said. He cited the syllabus for Political Science 160, which is World Politics. He said the reading list contained nothing written by "a person of color." "HALF THE blacks dropped it. You feel you are not a factor in world politics - nothing could be further from the truth," he added. But LSA junior Sherrie King main- tained that "the problem isn't academic at all - it's money. It's just the impersonal atmosphere of the University." King added that' many students are forced to leave the University because they can't foot the bill. Many students who need a job which may, for exam- ple, supplement work/study, can't find time to keep up with the academics, she said. KING, WHO is starting to organize a group to "unite black students on cam- pus" in the fall, said the organization will provide supportive services to students. "The programs here to help black students don't really help black studen- ts. When you go in there and ask them to answer a question, they really can't help you," she said. Minority programs are feeling the pinch of budget cutbacks, according to King. "WITH CUTBACKS, the first programs they will be getting rid of will be those programs. They're slowly get- ting rid of the black programs." David Robinson, assistant director of Undergraduate Admissions, began a recruitment program, called Each One, Reach One, in which minority students currently enrolled in the University were asked to recommend other minority students for recruitment. But King echoed the Black Matters Committee's O'Neill. If minority students aren't happy at the University, she explained, they won't recommend anyone for the Each One, Reach One program. pool." TOP OFFICIALS claim the Univer- Charles Allmand, acting director of sity's recruitment efforts will increase, Affirmative Action Programs, said his even though they ,admit past efforts office is "encouraging every program have not led to a minority enrollment to recruit. A lot of activity is currently proportional to the population outside being done." But, he added, "We feel the University. we have to do more." "I think the University has made an Potts said the University has "set no intense effort," said Vice-President for precedent historically" to increase Student Services Henry Johnson. "This minority student enrollment. University was one of the first - other "There has been a big campaign to Universities have gotten into the get them to increase enrollment - to resource pool - while the number of try to see if they'll do something about minority students has soared, you're it. Whether or not it takes place dealing with more bidders for that remains to be seen," said Potts. THIS WEEKEND ONLY HADRIAN VII a staged reading of the Broadway play Friday and Saturday, June 29 and 30 8 p.m. at CANTERBURY LOFT 332 SOUTH STATE STREET-second floor $2 general admission beginning at 7:30 p.m.