 | The Cavalier daily. Monday, November 25, 1968 |  |
Council Clarifies
Discrimination Policy
Discrimination by race increasingly concerns us as members of the
University community.
One of the most hurtful kinds of discrimination and one that
affects the individual student most directly is discrimination in
housing. This can take two forms: 1) a refusal to rent an apartment to
a Negro and 2) a refusal to rent an apartment to a white person who
might have Negro guests.
As a result of university-wide interest in this issue last spring and
summer, the University Housing Office has clarified its position on
both these points. Each landlord is now required to sign a statement
agreeing to abide by certain general principles. Among these are the
following:
Properties which do not meet the University's physical
requirements or the University's expectations of a wholesome
atmosphere for students without regard to race, color,
religion, or national origin, will not be approved.
The University of Virginia does not discriminate with respect
to race, color, religion or national origin and requires that
establishments approved to serve its students do likewise.
In regard to discrimination against student guests, the policy is as
follows:
Arrangements for entertainment of guests obviously are
important to student life. A lessor is, or course, free to
indicate to student lessees, as a part of the lease, restrictions
on guests as to the hours during, and the frequency with
which, guests may be entertained; the sex of such guests; and
their age. However, any effort on the part of a lessor to
restrict guests by race, color, religion or national origin,
whether by an oral discussion or by a written lease, would
necessarily be considered by the University to be discrimination
contrary to University policy and would result in
students not being permitted to reside in the accommodation.
At times, landlords have raised quoted rent prices in an apparent
effort to discourage Negro rentals. University policy expressly
prohibits this.
Changes in rental charges from those filed with the Off-Grounds
Housing Bureau must be reported to the Bureau
before approved property is offered to students. In the event
that a rental property is quoted to a student at a price higher
than that listed with the Bureau, students will not be
permitted to reside there until the matter can be resolved in a
satisfactory to the Bureau.
A landlord who fails to carry out these policies can be removed
from the approved housing list and forbidden to rent to students. If
you encounter non-compliance with any of these statements, we
strongly urge you to report the situation to: Mr. Chester R. Titus,
Director, University Housing Office, Page House, University of
Virginia, and to: Housing Committee, Martin Luther King, Jr.
Chapter, Virginia Council on Human Relations, c/o Greg Hurray,
504-D Brandon Ave., Charlottesville, Va. 22903.
Our committee feels that, as concerned citizens, we must act
responsibly and conscientiously to uphold the right of every student
to find suitable off-grounds housing. University policy on this issue is
now clear and unequivocal, but it can only be effective if, we, as a
community, are willing to support it. Please help by reporting housing
discrimination whenever you find it.
Martin Luther King, Jr. Chapter
Virginia Council on Human Relations
| The Cavalier daily. Monday, November 25, 1968 | |