4 OPINION Page 4 Thursday, March 8, 1984 The Michigan Daily - 4 'U' blacks still face hostilities By Patrick Louthan Much has been written and discussed in recent months about the University's commitment to increase black enrollment and to insure success for blacks who are matriculating. The University has finally hired a much needed associate vice president who is responsible for insuring that there is a significant increase in black students. This person is also responsible for recruiting black faculty and stiff that can serve as role models for these students in an effort to attract them as well as increase the retention rate. But this is not enough. It is very difficult to encourage black students, faculty or staff to come to the University when it appears that the University is not serious about its commitment to black students and af- firmative action. How can, the Univer- sity expect its black students, faculty or staff to encourage other blacks to come to the University when it is known that. they will be faced with hostility and treated like third class citizens? One only has to look at the composition of the University's job families and the attitudes of some of the decision makers to realize that the University is not serious about attracting and retaining black students, faculty, and staff. The admissions office is not to blame for the lack of black students. Trying to recruit black students to the University is like trying to recruit black students to KKK University. Think about it. Look at the lack of progress that has been made toward bettering race relations at the University over the last 10 years. It is not enough to'place a black in a position of authority if that authority cannot be exercised. If the University is serious about its commitment to black students, faculty, and staff, then there must be some drastic changes immediately. Why didn't the University make a conserted effort to retain professors Joseph Vaughn, Dee Kilpatrick, and Otelio Randall as reported in the Ann Arbor News, February 19, 1984. Why are blacks always more severly penalized for the same or similar offen- ses for which their white counterparts, are usually forgiven? Where are the der the Office of Student Services (OSS), none of which are headed by a black. There have been at least eight opportunities to hire a black director. Now that the assistant to the vice president has resigned and one director was forced to resign, we will see what 'The admissions office is not to blame for the lack of black students. Trying to recruit black students to the University is like trying to recruit black students to KKK University.' division under the OSS that has made reasonable progress in its commitment to hiring black staff. Where is it written that a vice president cannot hire staff of his race? . The University Personnel Office (ex- cept for the Medical Center) is another office that has done little to improve its racial composition, or attitudes toward blacks or minorities. There is inequity piled upon inequity regarding salaries of blacks and other minorities. While the personnel office may be aware of inequities, they will not investigate unless an employee complains. Let's face it, how many employees are going to complain and it is obvious that the personnel office is afraid to question a vice president, dean, director or depar- tment head. How many black head coaches have been hired in the major sports? While no one can question Don Canham's suc- cess, whose to say that he would not have been as successful or more suc- cessful if he had at least one black head coach? He could start with hiring a black female basketball coach. This would provide a great opportunity for ai black coach to succeed. Institutional racism is at an all time high at the Univeristy. The regents must first get their own house in order before inviting black students to enroll or before it can expect to retain those that are presently matriculating. Until the University takes some 'serious measures to correct the racial problems on campus, they cannot ex- pect present students, staff or faculty to recruit others to become a part of the University family. 4 black professionals in the Office of Af- firmative Action? How can this office monitor affirmative action when it has set such a poor example? President Ronald Reagan must be very proud of their lack of progress. There are eight major divisions un- happens. It is a little disheartening to hear that the vice president for the OSS is black and to find that he has done vir- tually nothing to improve the racial composition of his immediate office as well as the eight divisions that report to him. The housing division is the only The only way to -get to the bottom of the problem is to have an investigation team look into the racial problems. It is obvious that the present University of- fices that are responsible for doing this very thing have not been doing their job. 4 r .1 Edited and managed by students at The University of Michigan LaBan UIL Y Vol. XCIV-No. 124 420 Maynard St. Ann Arbor, MI 48109 4l Editorials represent a majority opinion of the Daily's Editorial Board Senate meddling 4 sLit r i ..l1A sz PPARENTLY THE state legislature has decided to take on the most in- ternal governing responsibilities of public colleges and universities. While the legislature's move to force univier- sities to divest of their holdings in apartheid.South Africa was justified on the grounds that the state has the power -to enforce its civil rights legislation, the latest intrusion is sim- ply taking direct power away from the regents. Republican Senator Alan Cropsey has proposed a bill which, in rough form, prohibits universities from requiring student fees or donations to "any political advocacy group or non- profit organization" without prior written approval; It is good that the state Senate is so concerned about students getting charged a few dollars here and there for political groups they may not support. But there isn't any real evidence that this is a problem university regents or trustees cannot handle. The University's supposedly autonomous governing body, the Board oftRegents, has not even had a chance to meet and discuss the issue. Could it be that public colleges and universities, traditional liberal strongholds, have students which are supporting political causes that the now Republican-controlled Senate doesn't want funded? It seems strange that Cropsey or other senators would step in so quickly to correct a problem that hasn't even been identified by students or univer- sity officials. Robert Gardella, a Michigan State University sophomore who is working to promote the Cropsey bill, said it is not aimed at restricting student gover- nments. Instead, he said it is aimed at political interest groups outside the University which, he says, some MSU students are forced to fund. But if, in fact, some MSU students are being coerced into funding political organizations unconnected to the University, why haven't they taken this complaint to their trustees? No student on this campus is required to fund any political organization unconnected with the University. But the wording of this bill seems to have the potential to restrict such mandatory fees as those imposed by the Michigan Student Assembly which gives out money to student organizations that are often political. It appears Cropsey has jumped the gun. Why such a bill when students have not yet brought the issue to their autonomous governing body? How does Cropsey know where most studen- ts stand on this issue anyway? Senators did a good job of keeping out of University budget-cutting procedures but now they want to decide on an issue that the regents haven't even discussed. They should stick to defending more obvious violations of students' rights if they are going to go over the regents heads. 4 14 4 LETTERS TO THE DAILY: Hart rejuvenates Democrats to the Daily: I'd just like to express my views on a topic of recent in- terest, the startling victory of Senator Hart in the New Ham- pshire primary. I , like everyone else except'"Gary's Guerillas," was ready to concede the nomination to former vice President Mondale and had resigned myself to political boredom until after the conven- tions. However, I have felt for some time that Hart is the best Democratic candidate, and has the best chance of beating the president in November. Hart certainly has a better chance than Mondale, who is connected with failed policies and any special interest that can af- ford a post office box; Glenn, who induces such deep slumber in his supporters that they won't wake up in time to vote for him; Jackson, whose rhymed couplets cannot disguise his lack of political expertise, not to mention a sense of tact on par with James Watt; and McGovern, the man who carried Massachusetts, who can only be described as the most masochistic American policitian since Harold Stassen. Apparently Democratic voters, esneciallv the vnner nnes have embalmer, but I'm sure they're working on this. Second, his campaign strategy is almost perfect for running against a popular incumbent. If you tell people often enough that you have new ideas, many are bound to believe you. Kennedy himself did very well with the theme of "getting the country moving again." Hart's vagueness would make Jimmy Carter proud and also help focus attention on image at the expense of substan- ce. Alas, if he does manage to get nominated, that substance will be examined under the hot, bright light of the media and Hart will be found to more nearly resemble "Son of McGovern" than "The Great Innovator." He will also be missing Carter's main advantages which were running against the ghost of Nixon embodied in the man who pardoned him and being able to attacka stagnating economy. For the time being, however, we should all be grateful to Hart for restoring Democratic Party politics to its rightful status as the most amusing spectator sport on the planet. - Thomas Arrison March 3 4 Cieerless cheerlead To the Daily: It recently came to my atten- tion that the Michigan Athletic Department has decided that the four cheerleaders who did not at- tend the Purdue basketball game over spring break will not be allowed to cheer in post-season games. I find this apalling. These individuals have been practicing since last spring, through the fall and winter, for this season. For missing one game, these in- dividuals will probably be replaced by football cheerleaders who will reap the benefits of the others' hard work for post-season play. To my knowledge, these cheerleaders were not told that the Purdue game would be man- datory to cheer until the week before the game. Some of the cheerleaders had been planning their spring break vacations for months on the basis that the ers spring break games would not be mandatory since they were not the year before. It should be noted cheerleaders volunteer their services. They do not receive credit for their work like the pep band members, nor do they get varsity letters. I won der whether the pep band will at- tend the post-season games since the W.C.C. Jazz Band replaced them for the Purdue game. - Glenn Smith March 2 by Berke Breathed BLOOM COUNTY 7 1 I I I