University of Virginia Library

Rotch Committee Cites Plan
For Black Faculty Exchange

Faculty exchange programs between
the University and the state's
predominantly black colleges were cited
yesterday in response to the U.S.
Department of Health, Education and
Welfare's demand for a plan to ase the
de facto segregation of the state's
colleges.

William Rotch, chairman of the University's
Committee on Education and Employment
Opportunities, Obligations and Rights, said his
committee has been trying to set up faculty
exchange programs to bring black professors
here in return for sending University professors
to black colleges.

Although conceding the state's system of
nearly-segregated colleges is "a condition which
should not be allowed to exist in the 1970's,"
Mr. Rotch added "for the longer run,
integration by itself should not be considered
the main goal.

"What is important is the availability to
blacks as well as whites of strong educational
programs containing courses which are meaningful
to both races," he said.

Mr. Rotch noted that the University has
made several attempts to set up programs with
Virginia State College in Petersburg, but to date
has met little response. One committee member
said "Virginia State doesn't seem very interested,
and consequently we're turning our
attention more towards Norfolk State, which
has a more dynamic group of administrators."

The exchanges, should they be set up, would
be carried out through a pool run by public
colleges. The University would offer some of its
professors to the pool and draw some black
professors from it.

But at present no definite exchange has been
set, according to the Committee member,
although there is a possibility that one
instructor from Virginia State will be delivering
a series of lectures later this year.