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Black students, faculty
What are the roles, problems, expectations?
By Carol Lewis
and Bernadine Ward
Drs. Bishetta Merritt Williams, Lee
Greene, William Anderson, Blyden
Jackson, and Dean Harold Wallace—five
faculty members and administrators on
UNC’s campus. They make lesson plans,
teach classes, and talk to students, like
others in their position. They are Black
and have a special interest in Black
students and the BSM.
All five agreed that faculty should
assume a supportive role only, towards the
BSM. English Professor Lee Greene put it
this way, “I don’t know what the role is. I
think it should only be supportive because
it is the Black Student Movement. I don’t
think it should be to the extent that faculty
make decisions, but they should lend
support any way they can to the
organization.
“They should participate in an advisory
capacity only when invited to do so.”
According to Dr. Anderson, faculty
should serve as “resource and en
couragement” to the BSM. At the same
time, he feels the organization should be
criticized'when wrong.
Bladi faculty, Jackson said:
“I thought I had to see to it that there
were others like me. Coming here alone as
I did, I think I have done a pretty good job,
for which I have not received credit.”
Jackson doubted that there were two
BSM meml)ers who could recognize him as
the first Black member appointed to the
faculty with equal rank, in the history of
the school. “There have been others
brought in since, but the program is very
slow, and it will take a few years,” he said.
For these reasons, Jackson has a
“special, sentimental desire for BSM to
succeed.” He feels that members fully
dedicated to the organization should
contribute to the movement in ways that
will not harm their private hopes and
expectations.
Since the campus is integrated, Jackson
hoped the goals of the BSM are towards
working to put itself out of business. 'That
is, to accomplish all that was set out to
accomplish and see that there is no more
work to do. In addition, he doesn’t think
that BSM should encourage segregation in
public places; that should be left up to the
individual.
The majority of the Black faculty feel
that BSM is necessary, at least according
donH know what it will take to get
Black students and Black faculty into
a relaxed atmosphere. Maybe it wonh
take a major catastrophe,’
A professor in psychology, Anderson has
served on several university conunittees
to improve Black-white and faculty-staff
relationships. Currently, he is doing
research on Black student morale to see
how they feel about their experiences here.
Drs. Allen, Frierson, and Whitehead are
working with Anderson, and results should
be ready by May.
“Faculty,” according to Anderson
“should support students in their efforts to
become all that they can become. At the
same time students can be supportive of
Black faculty, especially when that faculty
is trying to teach courses in such' a way
that the student’s experience is
validated.”
Williams has attended orientation
programs, Afro-American Studies open
houses' and Black Caucus meetings.
Events by the Black faculty always try to
include a representative from the BSM.
Many times the faculty are present and the
students fail to show up. If students are
present, they are largely the ones already
known to faculty.
“I don’t know what it will take to get
Blade students and Blade faculty cm this
campus in a relaxed atmosphere. Maybe it
won’t take a major catastrophe,” Williams
said. An instructor in Uk radio, television,
and motion picture department, she is
willing to give the BSM as mudi support as
it desires.
“I volunteered to help with budgeting
because I have experience in getting
money out of people when they won’t give
it to you. I was president of Blade
Graduate Students when I was in graduate
school.” The BSM has failed to contact her
cm this matter, but she is still willing and
available to respond.
Participating in student organizations is
not new to Black faculty. Most are
relatively young, and were involved in
civil rights activities during their
university day.
Dr. Blyden Jackson, Special Assistant to
the Graduate Dean, received his AB in
1930; he arrived at Carolina 39 years later.
First Black professor at UNC, he came
when the BSM was in its formative stages.
Commenting on his role in increasin^^
to Dean Harold Wallace. Wallace works
with Special Programs out of Steele
Building. “I think an organization that
represents a broad range of students is
necessary. Most of the progress on
predominately white campuses has been
because of organizations that press for
change,” he stated.
The BSM chairperson is automatically
ex-officio member of the Black Faculty
Staff Caucus. While the two groups have
worked together, Wallace thinks more
needs to be done, and that the two should
be frwr with each other.
Wallace is one of the faculty advisors for
the BSM. “Some of the faculty are not as
aware of what is going on as I am. There
has been discussion about what criterion
the BSM uses for its leaders.”
Along with the others, Dr. Greene has
been racouraged by BSM activities and
views the organizaUon as “a mechanism
through whidi Black students can express
the wide variety of talent here.”
However, he cautions, “The BSM should
sponsor activities that are less en
tertaining and more enriching, especially
things concerning Black culture.”
“I think the BSM does the best it can
under the circumstances, but there are
very few activities, unless entertaining
and political, that pull students together as
a group.”
One tactic used by the BSM to express
the group’s opini(»is is the march. A case
in point was the sUent demonstration on
University Day, over the Bakke case and
UNC’s rejection of HEW’s desegregation
proposal.
As Dr. Anderson proceeded out of
Memorial Hall on University Day^, he said
he looked up and saw Blade students and
smiled. “I was very happy to see Black
students there. I agreed with the Chan
cellor that the demonstration was done
with a great deal of dignity.”
Williams too, supported the protest
because the students conveyed to the
University and to the community that they
were dissatisfied with UNC’s response.
But, at the same time, she believes that
there was not enough preparation done so
... ■ » ; f
.. r / j ( (Continued, on page 5) .
Henry Foust and Margaret Clark give one another a little moral
support in between the grind of Monday-Wednesday-Friday classes.
Staff photo by Wayne Lomax. '
Academic, grad affairs
plan list of tutors, typhts
Editw’s Note: The foUowing column Is
provided as a service of the Mack Student
Movement Academic and Gradnate
Ajfairs Committees.
The Academic Affairs and Graduate
Affairs Committees of the BSM are
c(»npiling a list of persons willing to tutor
on both the graduate and undergraduate
level fw Spring 1978. Having recognized
the need for occasional academic support,
these committees are encouraging
students to help each other by providing a
txxMet listing tutors in all subjects.
Previous attempts to organize formal
tutorial {n*ograms have failed because
many students only need occasional help
and not regularly scheduled sessions. The
booklet is intended to provide a handy
reference to bring those seeking help and
those offering it together. If you offer your
name as a tutor it is not a commitment to
teach on a regular basis. (That is the job of
prdessors.) Rather, it is a conunitment to
help someone over the rough spots in a
particular course. Arrangements of time
and meeting placet! will be left up to you.
We appeal to eveiyone to offer help where
. they^can and to seek hel^,,where they need
M- V'"
In addition to providing a list of tutors,
the booklet will also include a list (tf per-
%ns who can offer their services as
typists, as this too is an area of pressing
ne^. Again arrangements for payment in
such instances where applicable are left to
individual students.
If you are interested in being listed as a
tutor or typist (even if you can only help in
one course), please fill out the form below
and return it to the B^ office (Suite B) or
to your dorm representative by Dec. 1.
Any questions should be directed to brenda
Pugh (933-6372), Karen Stevenson (967-
1533), or Dianne Jones (933-6376).
Name
Year
Major
Typist: YES NO
Address
Phone
CptirsM' y'dii cm tutor: