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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (May 1, 1968)
Deadly Halls of Ivy Can Blacks Receive Good Educations? By BARB FIELDS or the Emerald Editor’s note: Once a week under the heading “Deadly Halls of Ivy,” the Emerald will be running articles and columns dealing with educational reform at the University. Today’s ar ticle investigates the attitudes of White students on campus to the educational difficulties of the Disadvantaged. Can a Black student get a good education at this Univer sity? This was the question asked of students and teachers Mon day as the Emerald gathered opinions about disadvantaged students on campus. The “man on the street” in terviews were done in connec SARA LEE BENEDICT . . everyone’s college” tion with the two day confer ence on “The University and the Disadvantaged.” This event, held Monday and Tuesday, fea tured four major speakers and several workshops. The purpose of the interviews was to find out what attitudes University students have about the discrimination against dis advantaged students (Black as well as other minority groups and lower class Whites) and opportunities of this group on campus. Discrimination Not So Bad Although expressed in indi vidual ways, the main thought which seemed to be on the minds of persons interviewed was that the discrimination problem on campus wasn’t as bad as it has been reported to be. Most students felt that if discrimination on campus exist ed, it did not affect appreciably the educational opportunities of the disadvantaged. “There is not as much dis crimination as it seems or as much as the Negro thinks there is,” was the opinion of Bill Nor ris, a graduate in the business school. Unconscious Discrimination “I think Black people are be ing discriminated against just by the fact that people realize they are different. I think many people discriminate witho u t meaning to,” added Jim Schwei gert, a junior in the social sci ences. “Based on my experience,” related marketing graduate stu dent Tim Jerhoflf, “There is no discrimination that I can see on this campus.” Specifically in the classroom, Phyllis Whittier, a lecturer in the English department said, "I can’t imagine an instructor dis criminating against disadvan taged students. Universities are supposed to be humane places.” “However, I expect students to take the initiative in seeking extra help," she said. “I may suggest that a student see me about a particular problem, but it is his decision to come or not.” Schweigert saw a different side of this issue and comment ed, “I don’t think that they’re gettting the same quality of education as the average mid dle-class White student but it is because they don’t have the same amount of motivation. They lose their drive when they find out they are being discrim inated against.” Their Own Fault An echo with a variation, Bif ford Crane, a first year law stu dent, feels that “If disadvan taged students aren't getting a good education, it’s their own fault.” One concept which was ap proved of by all of those in terviewed concerned the policy of the State Board of Higher Education to admit a certain percentage of any given college class under state scholastic standards. These would be high school students who do not have a 2.25 high school GPA or have not taken the “right” high school courses. “As long as higher education is paid for by the state, all the residents of the state should be able to get a chance at college,” was the feeling of Saralee Bene dict, a junior in psychology. Most students seemed to feel Conference Panel Claims University Students Suffer By MARGARET CAMPBELL Of tk» Kmeralrt "What’s good for the Black people is good for everyone.” Harry Edwards of San Jose State asserted yesterday that “as long as the Black People are on the bottom no one is go ing to survive.” Edwards was one of four members of the panel presented Tuesday during the “Univer sity and the Disadvantaged” con ference. Speaking of change, another panel member, Arthur Pearl, director of the Upward Bound program at the Universiay said, ‘There are no legitimate chan nels of institutional change, WEARING YOUR SIDEBURNS LONG? Have them personalized ADAM'S BARBER PARLOR Across from Maxie's 344-1714 I ~ therefore anything is legiti mate.” Differences between the ille gal and the illegitimate were pointed out by Edwards who commented that “any act which grants a restricted power some degree of power is a viable means of change.” Among the other members there was open dissatisfaction with the present university sys tem. James Garrett, author of the Black Studies Institute at San Francisco State stated, "The university political definition is to make the student a produc tive member of society.” Garrett continued. “But since all ex pression of humanity must be White to be considered legiti mate, how can the Negro at the university express himself?” Pearl agreed: “The university is totally obsolete, it no longer turns out productive people.” White students as well as Black students are being deprived by the system, since "the system is defending the indefensible,” according to Pearl. Edwards, in agreement that all students are suffering at the hands of the system, said, "Black student changes are not going ~ I RAMSEY LEWIS IN CONCERT MacARTHUR COURT Sunday, May 5th, at 7 p.m. General Admission Ticets $2.00 Reserved Seats $3.00 Tickets on Sale at the EM Main Desk to benefit White students un less they wake up and over come the novocain effect.” In reference to the awareness of the Whites, William Sommer ville, assistant to the chancel lor at the University of Califor nia defined a liberal as "one who acts when a crisis arises.” Garrett, on the other hand, classified a liberal as someone who promotes change within the system. "The liberal is the person who wants change but doesn't want to be personally stirred or touched.” Pearl, speaking for the entire panel, stated that it is no long er possible to sit back and ride. "If you don't get involved and initiate change you will still be moved.” Two alternatives are open to the White, according to Garrett: either carry out Black demands or kick all the Blacks out of the University. ihe question involves more than mere change in the college community. Edwards sees the struggle as the survival of the Black people. In terms of power he said. "The Black people had the pow er to endure suffering in 1960. the power to disrupt in 1965, and now in 1968 the power to control and to ultimately take over to our advantage.” When questioned concerning the vote as power, Edwards stat ed, "The whole process is mean ingless: voting helps perpetu ate the myth of the system.” HOT PIZZA PlEIBO'S CAMPUS AREA DELIVERY SERVICE Check Our Schedule Call 726-4415 that their disadvantaged class mates deserved a "break. Ideas were expressed that, given a change of environment and a chance to mature and get used to the system, most dis advantaged students would be able to do at least average work. "They have to have special treatment because they were at a disadvantage in high school,' said Judy Goodman, a liberal arts sophomore. Crane thought it was a "great idea because many people don’t have a chance to adequately pre pare for college.” BSU Unknown Many other students were concerned that this program of admitting persons who were be low standards was treating the effect and not the cause of a bad educational problem. There seemed to be little knowledge of the philosophy and workings of the Black Stu dent Union (BSU), or the de mands they have presented to the administration. Jim McClain, a senior in politi cal science had this to say about the BSU: ‘‘They show a more radical viewpoint. I don’t know how representative they are of the Black population on campus in terms of how many Black students are in it. I think they have been discriminated against for a long time and now the pendulum is swinging the other way.” Hollering Athletics “As far as their demands go, it almost seems as if they are throwing in a lot of extra things so that they will have something to compromise with in order to get the goods they really want,” he added. Jerhoff (the second person quoted in this article) said "I think probably they are holler ing about a lot of things where they do get good treatment, primarily athletics. “They are hollering about the wrong things. The things they should be concerned about are equal job opportunities, equal acceptance into departmental graduate work and other things.” Schweigert said, "The BSU is useful to the Black student. Al though it is a bit radical, it is a necessary radicalism that will point out discrimination on cam pus.” The Oregon Daily Emerald is pub lished Monday thru Friday, Septem ber to May, except during exam and vacation periods. Bi-weekly June thru the first week of August, once a week the last three weeks of August, by the Publications Board of the University of Oregon. Second-class postage paid at Eu gene, Oregon 97403. Subscription rates « per year, S3 per term. i Gil Dunaway, a junior in speech, spoke out against this radicalism, saying, ’‘I don’t like the radicalism. It shows as much discrimination as does that of Whites against Blacks. Instead of bringing people together, it pulls them apart. If they had a Black and White Student Union, I’d like it.” BIFFORD CRANE . . own fault” Car Buffs do it! Inglish £eather„ ■ l*or men who want to be where the : action «. Very racy. Vary mascu- i :IHW. ALL-PURPOSE LOTION. t*2J50. *4.0Q, *6S8 Prom the com-1 plate array of ENGLISH LEATHER ' m*Ri» toilBtries. *| A l»OOUCT or MtM COMPANY, INC., NOtTHVAlI. N. I. 0*0 M A Y 6 Eugene's excellent public school sys tem is one of the University's great est assets. Our schools help make our community a good place to live and work. Support the public schools by approving the Eugene School Dis trict 4 budget. VOTE YES ON MAY 6 Pel. Adv. Lay Citizens for the District 4 Budget Mrs. Edwin Smith, Chairman 2695 Emerald St., Eugene