University of Virginia Library

Black Students Face Housing Problems

By Brian Siegel
Cavalier Daily Staff Writer

Despite a genuine effort by the
University and long thought-out recommendations
by the Department of Health,
Education, and Welfare, the atmosphere
at the University is still "generally
forbidding to the Negro community,"
according to many of the black students
on the Grounds.

Shades of discrimination have been
experienced in the classroom, in the
dormitories, in the fraternities, and on
the athletic field by black students in Mr.
Jefferson's academical village. Outside the
University black students find a cold
community that resents the black Virginia
gentleman.

In one blatant instance, a teacher at
the University asked the only black
student in his class to leave, declining to
give any reason for his request, according
to the student.

This happened after the student
complained about a test problem which

Second in a Series

was graded unusually hard. That is, more
points were taken off his paper than
other students who had missed the same
problem.

When asked if he was prejudiced, the
teacher did not respond. Through other
teachers in the department whom the
student knew, he was able to change
sections.

The HEW report investigated and
commented upon the University's low
Negro-white faculty ratio; however, they
had no way of investigating the prejudiced
behavior of some of the white
faculty now employed by the University.

In the dormitories for a student to
obtain a room change, he must first talk
to his counselor, then the counselor must
speak to the senior counselor.

If the problem isn't worked out by
this time, both students write letters to
the Director of Housing, Ralph Main. Mr.
Main is then supposed to talk to the
counselor and decide whether to authorize
the room change. The whole process
takes from 1 to 2 weeks, according to a
counselor who has been involved in the
procedure.

It is also general policy to have no
room changes during the first two weeks
of school, the counselor said.

In light of this it seems odd that two
room changes occurred in Emmet House
the first day. In one case, the student and
his parents wanted his room changed
because his roommate, a black student,
smoked cigarettes. In the other, the
change was made because the student
reportedly couldn't stand the pressure
and tension of having a black roommate.

This student was then moved into
Page House and put into a room with
another black roommate. His room was
changed for a second time.

In another instance, a student was
moved from his black roommate because
he didn't like the dormitory.

In order to find some other atmosphere
in which to live, at least 19 of
the 22 black first-year men rushed
fraternities. As was reported by The
Cavalier Daily previously, many of the
rushees were treated badly at several
houses.

Out of Rush, came five fraternities
that took black pledges. Also as a result
of rush, the Governing Board of the
Interfraternity Council established an
Inquest Board to investigate discrimination
in admission policies of fraternities.

The University will not sanction any
fraternity discriminating. It is now up to
this board to determine cases brought
before it and to recommend to D. Alan
Williams, Dean of Student Affairs, the
withdrawal of University recognition to
any fraternity that it feels has discriminated
solely on racial grounds.

No charges have yet been brought
before the Inquest Board.

In the words of one black student,
"This board really can't accomplish
anything because they have their hands
tied and cannot investigate because of the
blackball system."

Robert Canevari, chairman of the
Committee on Fraternities, said that this
Inquest Board shows good faith to the
black rushees. You cannot change a
person's attitudes, only his behavior, he
added.

Steve Jacobs, a Governing Board
member, said he believes the "Inquiry
Board will stop blatant behavior; however,
the only way to stop prejudice in
the fraternity system is to throw out the
system."

When asked why the IFC didn't
investigate the instances publicized earlier,
Mr. Jacobs said the IFC was negligent
and that he could offer no real reason.

Mr. Jacobs said "it is important to
remember that the Inquest Board is only
concerned with discrimination in the
admissions policy of fraternities." They
can do nothing about discrimination
representing individual fraternity members.

Of the 19 to 22 black students who
rushed, only five joined fraternities — 25
per cent of the black first-year class. This
is considerably less than the 60 per cent
of the white first-year students who
rushed.

Clearly black students are becoming
more accepted into the fraternity system.
There is still a long way to go.

Last week the IFC recognized a new
social club on the Grounds, the "Splibs."
This club was formed by 15 black
students in order to provide a social life
that the University doesn't otherwise
offer. They are planning a rush for next
semester in order to increase their
membership.

One aid to the black student coming
to the University is a list of the black
women at neighboring schools and the list
of University black students sent to these
schools. The purpose of these lists, sent
out by Mary Whitney, Dean of Women, is
to provide personal contact among black
students.

The Black Students for Freedom, a
social and service organization, is helping
the University in changing its image with
the Charlottesville black community.

The black students involved in this
organization are trying to help the
community and by doing so, reducing
what HEW calls the "forbidding image"
of the University.

At University football games, all the
black students are annoyed by the
playing of "Dixie." Furthermore, black
guests at the football games are also
bothered by the choruses of "Dixie."
Assuredly, this does not aid the University
in dispelling its "forbidding image."

According to Luther Sherman, a
first-year black student, President Shannon's
statement that "the student population
of the University does not reflect the
former de jure racial identification and
shows a significant departure from it," is
not true.

Last year the University approved
housing list was depleted to almost
nothing when the non-discrimination
pledge was required. Now a private list is
used by students needing approved
housing. Many of the people on this list
say they will not keep a black date in
their house.

Because of such things as this, many
black students have expressed an interest
in transferring. They say they would enjoy
the more comfortable atmosphere that
exists at schools such as Hampton
Institute.