The Michigan Daily - Tuesday, July 12, 1983 - Page 7 JOHNSON KNOWS HARDSHIP 'U' students lack hindsight By JACKIE YOUNG a Sporting Izods and designer jeans, t some students today often forget there a was a time when racial and financial f barriers prohibited many from seeking t a college education. a Although the long fight for civil rights d has changed much of that, School of Social Work Dean Harold Johnson still g C PROILLE~ F maintains vivid memories of those A days, and says the academic com- munity often "loses historical perspec- Ca tive," taking civil rights strides for s granted. W EVEN WITH major racial and finan- m cial barriers removed, the elitist image c "scares away a significant number of So poor, minority students from thinking about attending the University," he ob- d serves. b At 57, Johnson tempers pessimism U with optimism in formulating a th prescription for many of today's social te ills. His perspective is drawn from a variety of human experiences that ac make his biography read like an in American best-selling formula for he overcoming unfortunate circumstances and rising to success. Yet Johnson cautions that his for- mula has its drawbacks and just isn't the "formula" solution which automatically works for everyone. "I CAN remember as a kid when I couldn't walk into a restaurant and have a glass of pop or a hamburger. I can remember as an adult being turned away from business establishments because I happen to be from a minority group" said Johnson adding that this has changed over the years. Many students lack historical per- spective when assessing their personal situations, Johnson said, and this is something he, as an educator, tries to instill in his students. Johnson said he often feels frustrated by the number of students he sees who fail to identify or take advantage of the existing opportunities for developing their potential. "I KNOW things have gotten a great deal more complex than when I was a kid. But as for myself, I always have wanted to be the best in whatever I do. When you have that kind of motivation, I guess it makes a lot of things easier." "I see an awful lot of people who have talent that is wasted. If people feel they are being discriminated against in some way, then they should exercise the law in their behalf - there are now all kinds of legal remedies - including internal remedies at the University," said Johnson. 'U' rejects (Continued from Page 1) Vice President Jono Soglin, and pe Treasurer David Livingston submitted (S a plan to hike the MSA fee to $6.00 faff Pr term, with an additional 25 cent in- so creases in each of the next two years. Johnson vetoed this request, ts however, recommending only the $4.50 MS fee next year and the right to increase or the fee for just one additional year in- let stead of two. Those who are being discriminated gainst should feel more than comfor- able to use legal resources that are vailable, Johnson said. "They should eel a sense of responsibility - too of- en people are discriminated against and they walk away from it - that oesn't help to improve the situation." BORN during the Depression and rowing up without a father in Windsor, anada, Johnson managed to work his ay through college by holding down wo full-time jobs - one at a Detroit ord plant and the'other at a brewery. Soon after signing on at Ford, John- on became president of his United uto Workers union local. After graduating first from a anadian college and then from Wayne tate University's School of Social 'ork, his talent for organizing and ad- inistration eventually lead him to his urrent post operating the university's cial work school. JOHNSON, appointed as social work tan in July of 1981, is one of only two ack deans of the 17 deans at the niversity. Rhetaugh Dumas, dean of te School of Nursing was also appoin- d in July 1981. At a relatively young age, he had quired numerous accomplishments human rights reform which included eading a committee that set up law for the first "fair employment practices act" in Ontario. Recently returning from a trip to China and the Soviet Union where he studied the health care of the elderly, Johnson still holds many leadership positions in organized labor and in the larger community in addition to par- ticipating in University politics. DURING the Carter Administration, Johnson was offered one of the top positions in his field, as U.S. Com- missioner On Aging, but chose to remain-at the University. In contrast, a few years ago Johnson was associate director of a Neigh- borhood Services Organization and spent much of his time in Detroit's in- ner-city ghettos, working through chur- ches, schools, and fire stations to "go out with the people" and put his education to practical use helping the underpriviledged, disabled, and depressed. "I HOPE THE people of the 80's generation see these problems as challenges and can do a better job than we've been able to do," Johnson said. But with the threat of nuclear war now looming over our heads, Johnson said he is disturbed about the "kind of work some of us elderly folks are leaving behind for the younger folks." "I'm also concerned with the inability of people to get along better than they do with each other, that ap- plies for domestic and international relations," he added. ALTHOUGH HE is aware of im- provements made to society over the last few years, Johnson said, he is worried that this trend of improving society will not continue. "I am unhappy and happy about students because it seems to me there has been a kind of shift in the direction of students over the last few years to a much more materialistic orientation, away from a kind of mission of changing or improving society, said Johnson. Society is not going to be im- proved by individuals focusing only on their own circumstances," he added. Gazing out the window of his second story office, Johnson is momentarily silent while contemplating his expec- tations of students who will soon take over the mantle of leadership. "My one hope for students who come to the University is that they leave the University with a greater sense of responsibility to their fellow man," he said ina clear, assured voice. "I think the University has a respon- sibility to inculcate that type of value - responsibility to society - because it should be an important part of an education." Profile appears every Tuesday. Harold Johnson, Dean of the School of Social Work, worked his way through college by balancing a night shift job at the Ford Motor Company Plant in Detroit and a job at a local brewery. MSA student fee hike "SCERI will be approximately a 90 a dramatic fee increase when many rcent duplication of the SOAP University units are slashing their tudent Organization, Activities, and budgets. ograms) offices in the Union," John- MSA leaders, however, say that their n said. fight is not over. Rowland said that if THE SOAP office handles the accoun- the Regents do not approve the plan for of all campus groups registered with SCERI, they will go back next fall with SA, and can provide help in another proposal. ganizing events or training group THIS MONTH'S six-and-a-half page aders. review of SCERI is far short of the 40- Johnson also said he objected to such page plan MSA had anticipated, she request said, and MSA members will spend the rest of the summer revising and enlarging their request. "Student organizations need a sup- port mechanism," said Richard Layman, a major force behind SCERI's planning. But he added that he thought SOAP did not provide students with the means to gather information on studen- ts and student life, a major function of the proposed center.