University of Virginia Library

Students Seek New Channels

It was evident, in the college at least, that
student controlled representation at the faculty
level was also desirable. It is important because
the faculty affects students in the vital areas of
who teaches them, what is being taught and
how. Several students during discussions expressed
dissatisfaction with large classes and the
lack of seminars. There should be channels
established where students can work to better
the situation, they said.

The needs and problems of the black man at
the University had as much if not more rhetoric
devoted to it as any other issue raised at
Mountain Lake. Much of it was generated by
John Thomas who outlined a threefold program
for improving the situation.

Blacks Are Welcomed

The first phase involved changing the image
of the University of Virginia. Many blacks in
the state simply do not know of this
University's existence. Those that do believe
they cannot gain admission because of outlandish
admission standards. Many still picture
it as a place only for bourbon swirling Southern
gentlemen. Mr. Thomas recommended that this
be changed by actively informing blacks that
they can attend the University and 'are wanted
and welcomed here.'

The next phase of Mr. Thomas' program
dealt with the need for more active and more
effective recruiting. He pointed to other schools
which have multi-membered staffs recruiting
blacks compared to the part time recruiter at
the University. He attacked the "sweet
numbers" of admissions standards which fail to
take account of the tremendous motivation and
personal drive which blacks now exhibit
towards education. He was primarily interested
in increasing the pool of black applicants in the
most expedient manner possible. Creating a
good social atmosphere was of secondary
importance, he said. Blacks were here to get
educated first.

Significant Idea

Perhaps one of the most significant ideas
generated in the recruitment area was Mr.
Thomas' suggestion that black students
themselves be allowed to recruit. With the
established channels of admissions personnel
contacting high school counselors "what you
have is an adult talking to another adult." Mr.
Thomas recommends a black talking to another
black. He pointed out that many black students
simply do not have the desire to discuss plans
with their high school counselors. In keeping
with the "spirit" of Mountain Lake, no
decisions or commitments were made, but
everyone seemed enthusiastic over;this new
recruiting idea.

Dean Ernest Ern of the Admissions office
told of efforts his staff had been making and
the problems they faced. There is fierce
competition with other schools and here is a
problem of educating high school counselors
that the University does indeed want black
students. It was apparent from the discussions,
however, that the admissions office is understaffed
and overworked. It needs more
recruiters and more money.

The present ethnic studies or Afro-asian
studies was attacked by Mr. Thomas as being
irrelevant. What is needed, he said, was a
program which dealt with the experience of the
black man in America. It should be headed by a
black man. Period.

Administrators then told of efforts being
made in this field. A new faculty committee in
the college has been appointed to explore some
sort of black studies program. A course dealing
with the black experiences in America is
expected next semester. Dean Shannon pointed
out the difficulty in obtaining a black professor
in this field. A faculty member responded by
saying that this is an area in which we "Ought
not to quit and ought not to wait." It was
learned that the Shannon duo made a trip to
Virginia State this summer to discuss the idea
of a faculty exchange program. As usual, more
study is needed in this area.

It should be pointed out that during the
discussion of the black recruiting problem,
much of the conversation concerned the August
report of the Committee on Educational and
Employment Opportunities, Obligations, and
Rights. Assistant Dean of the College John
Graham, a member of the committee, outlined
a number of the proposals put forth in the
report which were treated with enthusiasm by
most members of the conference. (An in-depth
look at the report will be contained in the next
Monday edition of The Cavalier Daily.)

The last comment of John Thomas: "I will
be deeply disappointed if nothing comes of this
conference."

Coeducation Discussed

One of the last issues discussed was
coeducation. Frank Hereford Jr., Provost of the
University and chairman of the committee on
the Future of the University, gave a brief
run-down of the rationale for the admission of
women through 1980. One of the most
important aspects of the plan was the fact that
it had to consider Board of Visitors' edict of
not cutting back on the number of qualified
men admitted to the college. A plan was then
proposed which would see a ratio of approximately
65 per cent men to 35 per cent women
by 1980. In the fall of 1970 there are to be
approximately 400 women admitted to the
college - 225 in the first-year class, and the
remaining in the upper classes.

Several persons asked if the plan was in
effect a quota system. This was vigorously
denied. But one student member of
the committee said that the plan was indeed a
quota system which was based on "rigged
reasoning." (A full report on the plan for
admission for women will be explored next
week in The Cavalier Daily.)

There was also discussion of the human
aspect of coeducation, Dean of Women Mary
Whitney and others said that women must stop
being overlooked at the University. They stated
that women cannot simply be "added on" to
the existing structure of the University.
Coeducation means that the University community
must in some ways change. Women must
stop being thought of as "on the fringe of the
University" but recognized as an integral part
of it.

***************

Mountain Lake. Impossible to report on,
impossible to summarize. Aside from the
rhetoric and ideas of the discussions, there was
raw emotion, both beautiful and distasteful. It
is unfortunate that remembered most is the
feeling of mistrust and the one incident which
seemed the epitome of that feeling. It occurred
when a "faculty administrator" questioned the
sincerity of a student leader's love for the
University because the student had dated to
propose that all was not as well as it might be
with the University. We remember the bitterness
in the accusation, the flushed faces and
bowed heads about the room, and silence. And
the silence was deadening.