Newspapers / Black Ink (Black Student … / Feb. 28, 1985, edition 1 / Page 5
Part of Black Ink (Black Student Movement, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill) / About this page
This page has errors
The date, title, or page description is wrong
This page has harmful content
This page contains sensitive or offensive material
February 28, 1985 Black Ink Pdfit' 5 Make Tutorials Mandatory by Darlene Campbell Staff Writer A majority of Black students at the University flunk out because they don’t participate in volunteer academic programs such as tutorials which the University refuses to make mandatory, UNC Dean Hayden B. Ren wick said at a Discovery seminar Feb. 23. Renwick said of the 342 Black freshmen at the University, only 19 of them had a B (3.0 on a 4.0 scale) average while 190 of them had below a C (2.0) average. Of the 1,357 Black students at UNC- CH, only 80 have a B average whUe 553 of them have below a C average, he said. Renwick started a minority student conseling program 16 years ago with the purpose of helping minority students deal with academics. “I know that I have one of the best retention programs in the country,” Renwick said. Yet, this program is not as successful as it is at other universities in the nation because “the one thing that we don’t have like other colleges is a mandatory system,” he said. The University administrator knows that the only way these programs will work is to use some kind of mandatory plan, Renwick said. “The University refuses to create a mandatory system because it costs too much money,” he explained. “They (UNC-CH) go and hire a beautiful staff for mandatory tutorials for football players. If you are going to provide mandatory ses sions for athletes, provide them for all students.” While the University knows that the only way that these programs will work is to use some kind of mandatory plan. Black students believe that they have arrived, and that they are equal to white students, Ren wick said. “The students have got to be able to sift through what people are trying to do to them. They can’t do this—that is why students are flunking out.” Renwick siad students didn’t help their own cause when they refused to attend class or refused to pass in assignments. Some programs were not reaching many students, because they were actually running away from an education, he said. Black enrollment was dropping. In 1982, there were 467 Black freshmen while in 1983 there were 427, and in 1984 there were only 342, Renwick said. Renwick used the results of six workshops for freshmen last fall as an ex ample of the lack of student participation in the programs. Only two students of the 342 Black freshmen attended, he said. Last fall, an average of 21 students per week attended tutorials, Renwick said. That’s about four persons per session in which there were always more tutors than students, he added. “Now you think it’s ironic why Black students flunk out?” “All day, students sit on a wall that is apjproximately 50 feet from a $1 million library,” Renwick said. “The only time you can get 500 or more Black students together at one time is to have one of two things—a stepshow or a jam. “These things would not disturb me if I could tell you that Black students were do ing an average job. However, I have talked to 25 students who had less than a 1.0. One dude even flunked jogging. “The University requires that a student have a 1.5 grade point average to return the sophomore year; a 1.7 to return the junior year; and a 2.0 to graduate. Do you realize that two C’s and two D’s can give you a 1.5. Some students can’t get a 1.5. College is for academics—you can party at home.” Renwick said “mandatory” was the key word to the solution of the problem. He offered such solutions as; * Having a cut-off point for SAT scores with any student scoring below this point attending tutorial sessions. * After mid-terms, every student have a progress report issued with students not performing satisfactori ly attending tutorials. Renwick also established such pro grams as the minority advising program in which participants must have a 2.5 GPA or better. He said, “In the program’s 12 years of existence, there has never been a student who didn’t graduate, including three Rhodes Scholars.” He said one of the reasons he designed the program so that only those with a 2.5 or better could participate was because smdents should take pride in their academic performance. There is no other organiza tion outside of one sorority requiring Black students have a high GPA to participate, he said. A Minority Academic Achievement Ceremony to honor students in the Minority Advising Program and minority students with a 3.0 cumulative average will be held April 19. “I don’t know of a single program other than this one that recognizes Black achievers on this campus ... not a single program,” Renwick said. Renwick said he hoped to have a man datory reading program next year. “I will complain and raise hell but I will never quit on my students,” Renwick said. Justice Frye Gives Address The BSM Freshman Committee Presents Spring Potpourri'^ March 21, 1985 All persons interested in participating in this Talent Show should contact: Theron Mills Rhonda Baker oa-:! '3'3'in 933-4107 yjj jjjyj fyy Inarch 11 (DTH file photo Ava Long) Justice Henry Frye by Kennetfi A. Harris Staff Writer Black peqde need to establish a firm economic base in order to achieve and maintain power in the American political systan, Heniy E. Fiye, N.C. Supreme Court Associate Justice, said at the Discoveiy banquet Feb. 23. Ftye, a 1959 graduate from the University’s School of Law, spoke to afprox- imalely 150 alumni and students during the Black Alumni Rainion banquet. A strong financial backing, as well as a col lege education, will help Black pecple gain con trol in political matters, Fiye said. “Politics without economics is lite a ship on sinking sand.” He added, politics will daermine the role of Black people in tiie Mire. During the time of Reconstnidion (1860s), Blacks were active in politics in the state. Since that time there has beai a steacfy decline in the number of Blacks in the state l^islature. “During the 1890s, Blacks were very much a part of the government of the state of Nrath Cardina, and, in fkt, in many ether SoutfiCTn states,” Fiye sakl. “We had more Blacks in ttie l^lature in North Cardina in 1868 than we have today.” Fiye served in both Houses of the General Assar4>ly from 1969 to 1982. He received statewide recognition eariy in le^lative career by suggesting that the legislature adjourn in hraior of Maitin Luther King Jr. “That had little to do in making anything better for Black people in North Carolina,” Frye said. “But, first inpressions are important.” He made comparisons to the University’s racial climate during tiie 1950s and the present. He said while racism was not institutionalized, “there were two cleariy separate worids” for Black people and white peq^le. Fiye said he tried to overcome racism by establishing a n^xitation as a scholar among his piers. “I got rqjresented as being a scholar bas ed on the first examination,” he said. Black studoTts should choose a goal and stay with it according to Fiye, “because somewhere there is someone counting on you to make it.” He told the group to seek advice whenever they needed it. “WhEsi a professional offers your advice, take advantage of it,” Frye saki. In 1983, Gov. Janies B. Hunt appointed Fiye to the Court to rqjlace J. Phillip Cariton. Fiye was elected to an d^-year teim in Nov. 1984. 11 b Jussy’s Hair Design 111 N. Merritt Mill Rd. Chapel Hill, NC 942-3119 PRECISE TOUCH-UP Expires Mar. 24 regular price $40.00 discount price $32.00 save $8.00 (walk-ins only) NO LYE RELAXERS Expires Mar. 24 regular price $40.00 discount price $ 32.00 save $8.00 (walks-ins only) JAZZING OR CELLOPHANE HAIR COLOR regular price $30.00 discount price $ 20.00 save $10.00 (walk-ins only) Expires_Mar. 24 CUT Expires Mar. 24 regular price $10.00 discount price $8.00 save $2.00 (walk-ins only) SHAMPOO & BLOW DRY regular price $14.00 discount price $13.00 save $1.00 Expires March 24 (walk-ins only) If it’s your hair, we care! A
Black Ink (Black Student Movement, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
Feb. 28, 1985, edition 1
5
Click "Submit" to request a review of this page. NCDHC staff will check .
0 / 75