Black Student Finds Demands Necessary

              Black Studen t Finds
Demands Necessary
ByJEANPARVIN  >
Last month violence erupted
at Duke University and student
discontent poured over North
Carolina. Black students'
demands are a common source
of disruption at schools
throughout the country. Here in
North Carolina black students
are finaUjt beginning to clamor
for their own rightful
consideration.
Duke's 100 black students
represent barely 1% of the 8,000
undergraduate student body.
They occupied the
administration building
February 14 trying to gain
immediate action on 13
demands. In October they
proposed ten changes to the
administration but claimed that
only token promises resulted.
Tear gas and other violent
measures used by police against
protesting black students
encouraged white students and
some 60 faculty members to
rally to the black students'
cause.
Charles Hopkins, a leader of
the Afro-American Society,
declared that "Two-and-a-half
years of negotiation with Duke
administration and faculty had
had.. .no meaningful results."
Therefore, the following
demands were presented:
1) The establishment of a
fully-accredited department of
Afro-American studies.
2) The right to establish a
black dormitory on campus.
3) A 29% black enrollment at
Duke by 1793 (equal to the
percentage of black population
in the U.S. Southeast)
4) The reinstatement of black
students who were unable to
achieve the required academic
standing and were forced to
leave the University
5) Financial reassurance for
black students—decreased
scholarships threaten to limit the
number of students returning
next fall.
6) A black advisor selected
only by direct consultation with,
black students.
7) Use of student fees paid by
blacks for a black student union.
8) High academic achievement
to be the criterion for black
students for admission to the
University
9) Non-academic employees
to have the power to determine
the basis for their working
conditions, rights, and other
employment matters.
10) An immedidiate end to
tokenism of black representation
in University power structures.
11) An immediate end to
police harassment of black
students and protection of all
black students at Duke.
12) The end of grading for
black students.
13) Total amnesty for all
black students involved.
At East Carolina University
two weeks ago the black
students' list of "positive
actions" was published in the
campus newspaper. Many of
their demands were similar to
those at Duke.
They called for black
instructors in proportion to
black students in the same ratio
as white professors to white
students, black instructors to
teach in all departments, and a
black studies program. Black
students on the dbmmittee to
form the black studies program,
more financial aid for black
students, and recruitment of
more black students suggest
further progressive reforms.
Discontinuation of all negative
racial practices on campus, equal
application of housing rules
according to printed University
codes, and penalty for
instructors for overt racial
discrimination in classrooms
aimed at eliminating obvious
prejudices on campus.
N on-student blacks were
considered by requesting
improvements in the
maintenance department. Black
speakers on campus, legalized
participation in Civil Rights
demonstrations, and financing of
black students to attend
conferences representing East
Carolina by the Student
Government Association
completed the list of actions of
East Carolina's black students.
Johnny Williams, president of
the Society of United Liberal
Students (SOULS) emphasized
that "Most of these demands
have been presented to this
campus before. These grievances
ire long standing and we are
tired of waiting for action to be
taken on them."
Establishing Afro-American
studies is a primary goal of
nearly all black students, but at
UNC-G the chairman of the
History Department, Dr.
Richard Bardolph, declared that
the only hindrance in instituting
a black studies program at
UNC-G is lack of student
interest. UNC-G is considering a
possible exchange program with
A&T and hopes to have a black
studies program of curricular
nature by next fall.
A&T Student Government
Association president Calvin
Matthews earlier this month
discussed problems at that
university. "A&T is basically a
Black University. It has an
Afro-American Culture Center
and one course in Negro
history." He emphasized the
inadequacies of the "established
channels" and said, "It is a sin
and a shame when Black
students at a Black University
must resort to disruptive tactics
to get a Black Studies
department." He expressed the
willingness of the students to
work with administration and
faculty to help establish needed
reforms at A&T.
Black students at Guilford
remain neither apathetic nor
passive. BASIB (Brothers and
Sisters in Blackness) tried to
express its goals to the Guilford
community in the March 7 issue
of The Guilfordian. The group
asked for the support of the
student body on their proposals:
Afro-American History taught
by a black professor (giving
black students first priority in
taking the course); a course in
black literature and writing, and
a course in African art; full-time
black professors and counselors,
more financial aid for all
students and an increase in the
college activities program.
Members of the faculty and
administration listened to the
black students and apparently
were receptive to the ideas.
BASIB asked for "some viable
indications of progress, in action
instead of words, by the
beginning of the next term."
There are complications, of
course, such as the difficulty in
attracting a black professor due
to the high demand for them
(Continued on page 5)