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(PAID ADVERTISEMENT)
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If you apply to the Medical School, you must state on the application
blank your religion and your nationality, and you must submit a photo-
graph.
We believe these questions are unnecessary, and could be used for
discriminatory purposes. Therefore, we talked to an official of the Medical
School on March 8, to see about having them removed.
He refused. He said that we have not given "a single good reason"
for their removal.
We think we have.
You be the judge.
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Here are our reasons:
1. The Report of President Truman's Commission on Higher Edu-
cation calls these questions dangerous.
2. The American Council on Education calls these questions dangerous.
3. The people of three states - New York, New Jersey, and Massa-
chusetts - have decided these questions are so dangerous, they have made
them illegal.*
4. The Medical Schools of the University of Illinois and Northwest-
ern University have recently removed these questions from their appli-
cation blanks.
5. Therefore, we believe, that the continued appearance of these ques-
tions on Medical School applications, places the University of Michigan
in a very bad light.
We are not charging and have never charged that the Medical School
discriminates in its admissions policy.
But the President's Commission writes: these questions "constitute
all but prima facie evidence that such information is being used for dis-
criminatory purposes."
Can a public university afford to continue practices that cause such
suspicions of discrimination - especially when a Medical School spokes-
man has said these questions could be removed "without immeasurably
hampering" its admissions committee?
Do you think this is a reasonable case?
The Medical School's representative does not.
He called our campaign "silly."
This was not his only defense. For example, in explaining the ques-
tion on religion, he stated, "It opens an avenue for further inquiry at an
interview into the personality of an applicant, and his ability to defend
his views logically."
But, we pointed out, there is discrimination in our society. Conse-:
quently, minority group members cannot know the spirit in which these
questions are asked. We feel they are therefore subject to tensions which
place them at a disadvantage during an interview.
The representative answered: he has heard that a certain minority
group suffers under the delusion that it is being seriously discriminated
against in American society.
This is not the whole story.
We were informed that our specific objective - removing potentially
discriminatory questions - is "unworthy."
The spokesman described us as a "vocal minority" making trouble
for the University by our "agitation."
He finds the whole matter "hard to take seriously."
These are grave charges.
But - you be the judge .. .
The Student Legislature recently voted, 30 to 6, to seek the removal
of "potentially discriminatory questions." (The Medical School's repre-
sentative said: the 30 who voted in favor "probably didn't think the matter
through.")
The people and legislators of three states have made the use of
these questions punishable by law.
Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt has declared her support of our campaign.
The dean of American philosophers, John Dewey, has written us
that he is "disheartened at seeing the questions put to those desiring to
enter."
Noted scholars such as Alvin Johnson, Alfred McLung Lee and F. O.,
Matthiessen have also given us encouragement and aid.
President Truman's Commission, which was made up of many of
America's most distinguished educators - including men like President
Conant of Harvard - was unanimous in its condemnation of potentially
discriminatory questions. The President of the United States endorsed its
report without qualification.
The American Council on Education held a special conference dur-
ing which they unanimously denied that these questions have any place on
an application form. (The Medical School's spokesman replied: he's seen
conferences unanimously pass resolutions which no one present under-
stood, and which they would all oppose if they had).
And on this campus, many faculty memberes and students are now
signing petitions expressing disapproval of these questions.
Clearly, a wave of resentment against potentially discriminatory ques-
tions on applications to public and private universities is rising throughout
the nation.
Therefore, we think our request that the questions be removed is a
responsible one.
It is a serious matter.
The Medical School should take it seriously.
The Medical School's representative says that we have been unfair to the Medical School by "not giving the true facts
of the matter" to the public. We are not aware of being guilty in this respect.
However, to clarify both our positions, we will be glad to discuss the issues in public with any official of the Medical School
as soon, as possible.
Certainly that .seems to be the best way by which public opinion can be made better informed about the respective merits
of the Medical School's stand and the Committee to End Discrimination's.
The COMMITTEE TO END DISCRIMINATION is composed of 30 recognized student organizations, including religious,
political, social and residence groups. It is now engaged exclusively in an attempt to have potentially discriminatory
nuetinns remnvd from nnnlicetion blanks to schools of the Universitv. It holds onen meetinas every Fridav at 4:15
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