Newspapers / Black Ink (Black Student … / March 28, 1985, edition 1 / Page 6
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Page 4 giack Ink March 28, 1985 news Mandatory Tutorials; Possible Solution To Freshman Problem? by Laurie Willis Stajf Writer When Hayden B. Renwick, UNC dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, began his Minority Advising Program in 1973, he envisioned a program that would help Black students succeed at the University. And his program has been quite suc cessful in helping many students. Students participating are liaisons bet ween the College of Arts and Sciences and the Black freshmen. But one aspect of the program has room for improvement from the freshmen’s side, he said. Black freshmen refuse to attend the weekly tutorials in Peabody Hall, Ren wick said in a recent interview. “1 think the tutorials should be made mandatory for freshmen who don’t do well academically...We have 342 freshmen and 190 of them had less than a 2.0 grade point average last semester.” Winfred Cross, a master’s student in the School of Journalism and graduate assistant to Renwick, who agreed tutorials would alleviate Black freshmen problems, said there was at least one obstacle to the establishment of man datory tutorials. “Before tutorials become mandatory, the University will have to establish an Office of Minority Affairs. “Such an office is needed to handle what will be a large volume of students who will need help. An Office Of Minori ty Affairs would also show that the University is genuinely concerned with keeping minorities here.” Cross should know. As a graduate assistant to the program, he sends out academic warnings to students with below C averages at midterm first semester. The Faculty Council has recently taken up the issue. On March 15, the Council remanded the issue to a commit tee for further study. But if you ask Renwick and D.R. Croslan, assistant dean in the College of Arts and Sciences, how the rest of the program is doing, they’ll tell you its working well. Although the program has 45 ad visors - only five are male - any sophomore, junior or senior with at least a 2.5 grade point average can apply to partcipate. But Croslan added, “We don’t accept anyone with less than the 2.5.” Students must send in two recom mendations supporting their application. Once considered for the program, students then must go through two inter views — one with Renwick and Croslan, and the second with a graduate assistant to the program. Croslan said Renwick and she looked for several attributes in advisors: “We want students with good interpersonal relations skills...and persons displaying genuine concern for the welfare of others.” She said students planning to pledge a fraternity or sorority or become resident assistants in dormitories shouldn’t apply — advising takes time. Each of the advisors have about 10 advisees who they see twice a month. And the advisors are often previous ad visees. For example, Rhonda Hubbard, a sophomore broadcast major, said she wanted to be an advisor because Marion White, Hubbard’s advisor freshman year, was so much help. “He would come by and discuss my classes with me, give me advice on how to talk with my professor and help advise me about which courses to take.” She said her American history grade improved considerably as a result of White’s help and the tutorials. Chris Wilson, a freshman business major, said he thought the program was worthwhile too. “I feel comfortable with my advisor because she’s a student like me,” he said. “If my grades drop, we talk about it and try to find out what my problems are.” However, Wilson said he had not at tended a tutorial session. Black Students On Campuses Lack Solidarity: Activist Environment No Longer Helpful by Suzanne Jeffries Staff Writer Black students at predominantly white universities lack solidarity because universities fail to replicate the activist environment that is reflective of the 1960s, Professor Phillip L. Clay said in a lecture on March 18 in Hamilton Hall. Clay, a University of North Carolina Alumnus, is a professor of Urban Studies and Planning at M.I.T.. His lecture, “Blacks in Predominantly White College and Universities: Twenty Years of Ex perience and Reflections,” was spon sored by the curriculum in African and Afro-American Studies. Clay said students of this generation do not have a cause like the Civil Rights Movement or leaders like King or Ken nedy to give them a sense of mission and purpose. So a decline in the advancement of the Black race results, he said. In 1964 Clay and twelve other Blacks entered UNC as a part of the freshman Class of 2,004 Students. “The Civil Rights Movement was at its height and I felt each day was a daily encounter with activity. There were no dull days as I recall,” Clay said. UNC was a sanctuary for old radicals and a place for new radicals also. Clay said. form each other, local people, family and friends at home and the local NAACP chapter. “The new generation of Black students do not seed support and inspira tion from each other,” he said. The old generation is looking for the new genera tion to “expand the frontier and take risks” for the Black race. “The Yuppie phenomenon has taken over as the driving force of the new generation,” Clay said. Competition for jobs is great and opportunity is more variable so students of the new generation tend to deny the presence of racism which is a mistake, he said. “Many may be fooled by the changing externally of racism but it has a solid core,” Clay said. Today racism takes shelter in institutional forms when the individual form has been outlawed. Another issue facing Blacks from predominantly white colleges and univer sities is the reality of the Black and white world, Clay said “You must be in touch with the reality of the two worlds that you are a part of,” he said. Those individuals with deep roots in the Black community will be more successful that those with ‘shallow roots’ Clay said. “Those people with shallow roots will have a tough time defining themselves to both Blacks and whites.” Clay credits the Reagan Administra tion’s rhetoric with creating division within the Black race and between Blacks and whites. This growing schism based on class and generation in the Black com munity is another issue that Black students must confront. Clay said. The number of middle and low income Blacks is expanding. The gap and tension bet ween these groups are great, he said. Relations between Blacks and whites on campus must become better. Clay said. “In the old days there were two kinds of whites - those that were part of the problem and those that were part of the solution,” he said. “Now there is a large number of unengaged whites who are eager to help and befriend one Black at a time, but their actions do not help group treatment of Blacks that is most im portant,” Clay said. Dip’s Country Kitchen 405 W. Rosemary St. 942-5837 ''Put a little South in your mouth. Meals Hfs.—7:30 om-10 pm Lote Nite Hoppy Hour Thurs., Fri. G Sot. 10-12 Free Munchies 50^ off! Delivery order of $4.00 or more
Black Ink (Black Student Movement, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill)
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March 28, 1985, edition 1
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