Services available to counsel students By KAREN KLEIN and KATIE WILCOX Leaving home for the first time can be a difficult experience, and some students have difficulty adjusting to high academic pressure and Univer- sity life. The University's Counseling Ser- vices on the third floor of the Michigan Union tries to help students, adjust to their new surroundings. THEY OFFER short-term in- dividual and group counseling and educational workshops, and the initial visit is free. They also provide infor- mation and referral to other campus and community resources for long- term or specialized counseling. All counseling sessions are con- fidential, but the staff works as a team by meeting regularly and collaborating on each case. The 35 professional workers see ap- proximately 1,300 new students every year and between 5,000 and 6,000 returning students. Most clients are undergraduates. MOST PROBLEMS that the coun- selors deal with are stress related. Anxiety about grades, sexuality, and socializing are the most common concerns. "(The University of) Michigan requires that you grow up in a hurry. It's common for people to feel like just a social security number. There's no one here to hold your hand," said Dr. Cy Briefer, director of the University Health Services. HOMESICKNESS OFTEN appears in the form of fatigue, headaches, or depression, Briefer said. A substance abuse program is also available at Counseling Services. As a See SCHOOL, Page 13 The Michigan Daily - Thursday, September 5, 1985 - Page B3 Recruiters try to boost minority enolilment By MARLA GOLD and CHRISTY RIEDEL Low minority enrollment, which has plagued the University for over a decade, has recently prompted of- ficials to step up recruiting efforts to attract more minority students. "What's starting to occur...is a move to develop a strategy through which the whole University gets in- volved" (in increasing minority enrollment), said Monique Washington, assistant director of ad- missions. WASHINGTON SAID that the ad- missions office has set up numerous programs which involve faculty, alumni, and University students to fight low enrollment. Students are the most important asset, she said. "There is a real need to get students more involved in these efforts. Students are our best recruiters," she added. One program which involves students is "Each One Reach One,'' sponsored by the admissions office, in which minority University students correspond with perspective minority students who are seniors in high school. LAST YEAR THE University recruited 14 students through this program. Although the number soun- ds like a handful, each number makes a difference, said Dave Robinson, an assistant admissions officer. The interest in minority enrollment was spawned from the Black Action Movement strike of 1970, when students and faculty boycotted classes, held demonstrations, and picketed in protest of the low black enrollment figure. University officials pledged to increase black enrollment to 10 percent by 1973. That goal has still not been met. Black enrollment peaked in 1976 at 7.6 percent, but has fallen off to the 1984- 85 figure of 5.1 percent. NOW, BLACK STUDENT enrollment is only part of the concern. The University is also striving to in- crease the numbers for Hispanics and Native Americans. Last year, Hispanics accounted for 1.7 percent of the enrollment - the highest ever for this group - and Native American enrollment was 0.4 percent. Asian students, who are not considered an underrepresented minority, comprised 4 percent of total enrollment. Economics is one of the factors that forces students to shy away from the University. Robinson said that although admissions "is knocking it- self out" to get minority students to attend the University, inadequate financial aid packages often discourage minorities from choosing the University. "THEY CAN GO TO schools that are more competitive and get sub- stantial financial aid funds," Robin- son said. The lack of minority faculty as role models, and the image of the Univer- sity as a cold, racist institution also discourage minority students from at- tending. Black students complain of finding racist comments in bathroom walls and in study carrols at the library. They also speak of being the target of racial slurs and of being harrassed because they are black. OTHER MINORITIES say they feel isolated and often are unable to fit into the mainstream. Although recruitment is important, retention is equally important. For black students, little over 50 percent will ever graduate. The reten- tion rates for Hispanic and Native See 'U', Page 11 B t pDaily Photo by DAN HABIB Bottoms up University graduates "booze it up" during their commencement ceremony. 7,000 students graduated with the class of 1985. ? 4" {:iv : :}i' :?{+2{"} f }'.?i:"":":{;:jj+'titi ii >. ;:;:",:;$:; {;:_:;:;:;:j :i}Siiiii;;{{{?Ji;:;:;:;'r,:$i;::isii$'jjiii$ii:?.:::.: ....:........:"