The Cavalier daily :: December 10, 1968 :: University of Virginia Library

"For those deeply involved in
the drive for a black student
recruiter, the best course of action
seems to be to make this positive step
the more attractive of the
administration's alternatives," said
Martin F. Evans, Student Council
president, yesterday.

Mr. Evans told The Cavalier
Daily that "the issues of aggressive
black student recruiting is a
political one. Taking such a step
would inevitably offend some
members of the state legislature as
well as some alumni, while the
present non-committal policy of
non-discrimination offends few and
accomplishes little."

Aggressive Drive

The drive for more aggressive
black student recruiting, and
particularly for the hiring of a
Negro in the admissions
department, was supported last
May by the Student Council and
reiterated in a recent resolution,
which said that "It is even more
essential than it was last year to
have a black admissions officer with
responsibility for black students,"
and urged university President
Edgar F. Shannon to hire one as
soon as possible.

The president's policy,
according to Mr. Evans, has been to
adopt a neutral attitude to keep
from offending the state legislature
and alumni.

"Recruiting is complex and the
object is not always swiftly
accomplished," wrote Mr. Shannon
to Mr. Evans last spring. "The
important point is that the
University is sympathetic and is
making a genuine effort in this
direction. Several of our own black
students were recently requested to
communicate with 18 prospective
Negro students; nine of those 18
accepted. That kind of personal
effort accomplishes positive good as
opposed to the negative effect of
demonstrations."

Positive Step

"Mr. Shannon recognizes
positive good in personal effort,"
countered Mr. Evans, "yet falls to
take the positive step of hiring a
Negro admissions officer who could
recruit on a personal level."

The answer from the
administration was that several
Negro faculty members were
scheduled to be added this fall. Mr.
Shannon noted that "It is my
intention to enlist their assistance
both for the advising of our own
Negro students and for recruiting
visits to predominantly Negro high
schools in the fall."

Unrealized Plan

Unfortunately, said Mr. Evans,
this plan has not been carried out,
as only one full-time Negro
professor has been hired, Wesley
Harris of the aerospace engineering
department. "He simply doesn't
have the time to undertake much of
this program," he added.

"The University has shown that
it admits the need for a black
recruiting drive by asking Negro
faculty members and student to aid
in getting the Negroes to apply and
accept here. But these students
came here to learn, not recruit
the University should hire a black
recruiter itself," he said.

At a symposium on black
students held at St. Paul's Episcopal
church Sunday night, Mr. Harris
said he could provide a list of
people from whom a Negro
admissions officer could be chosen.
At that time Paul J. Saunier,
director of University relations, said
that "We'd rather hire on a
non-race basis, though there are
pressures against us."

"It appears then, that those
people who are committed to a
more aggressive recruiting policy
aimed towards Negroes have to
apply enough pressure to make the
taking of this positive step more
attractive than staying
non-committal," Mr. Evans said.

Several Months

"It has been seven months now
since the Martin Luther King
Chapter of the Council on Human
Relations marched on the Lawn on
behalf of more aggressive recruiting.
Something should have happened
by now, but the administration has
failed to move."

"The sort of pressure that can
be brought to bear on the
administration include letters to the
state officials, petition drives, and
publicity, so the alternative of
encountering bit entrenched
reaction becomes more desirable
than the bad publicity of
continuing student unrest. The
logical answer to prolonged
inactivity by the administration
would be escalation of student
pressure."

Another Argument

"Another argument used by the
administration, according to Mr.
Evans, is that men are appointed to
the admissions office from the
faculty departments. That may be
true, but none of the three men
there now is teaching, and Mr.
Warlick hasn't taught since the fall
of 1966. It would be very simple to
appoint a full-time admissions
officer as a member of the
University staff."

Mr. Evans continued, "The
administration says the best man
should be hired, regardless of his
race or color. We feel the hiring of a
recruiter qualified to deal with
Negroes is essential; it isn't an
answer, but it is a necessary step
towards getting black students to
come here."