FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 1978
THE BENNETT BANNER
Page Three
Historical compromise for minorities
Bakke decision affects you
by Marion Johnson
On Wednesday, June 28, the
United States Supreme Court
handed down a decision concern
ing the controversial suit of the
Regents of the University of Cali
fornia versus Allan Bakke.
The suit challenged the consti
tutionality of an affirmative ac
tion program that reserved 16 out
of 100 places in the freshman
medical class at Davis for disad
vantaged and minority applicants.
On that Wednesday the nine
Supreme Court judges split al
most down the middle and offered
a compromise to the affirmative
action dilemma. The decision stat
ed two things; first, that quotas
based on race alone were to be
prohibited; and secondly, that race
can justifiably be a fundamental
principle in judging applicants to
universities.
In a 5 to 4 decision, the Supreme
Court maintained the lower court
order to admit Bakke to the med
ical school at Davis because the
affirmative action program was
an infringement of a person’s
right according to Title VI of the
Civil Rights Act of 1964. But in
another 5 to 4 decision the court
announced that universities and
colleges may continue to consider
race as a factor for admission to
the school.
The Justices were torn through
out the deliberation of the case
and Justice Lewis Powell was the
man in the middle. Justice Powell
sided with associates Chief Justice
Warren R. Burger, William H.
Rehnquist, John Paul Stevens and
Potter Stewart in upholding the
California Supreme Court decision
in Bakke’s favor.
Powell also allied himself with
Justices Thurgood Marshall, Wil
liam Brennan, Harry Blackmun
and Byron White in maintaining
the second segment of the court’s
decision. The question remains,
however, who is the true victor of
the court’s decision? Is there a
victor?
In his dissenting opinion Justice
Blackmun said, “I yield to no one
in my earnest hope that the time
will come when an affirmative ac
tion program is unnecessary and
is, in truth, only a relic of the past.
“I would hope that we could reach
this stage within a decade at the
most. But the story of Brown ver
sus the Board of Education, 347
U.S. 483 (1954), decided almost a
quarter of a century ago, suggests
that that hope is a slim one.
“At some time, however, be
yond any period that some claim
is only transitional in equality, the
United States must and will reach
a stage of maturity where action
along this line is no longer neces
sary, Then persons will be regard
ed as persons, and discrimination
of the type we address today will
be an ugly feature of history that
is instructive but that is behind us.
“I suspect that it would be im
possible to arrange an affirmative
action program in a racially neu
tral way and have it successful. To
ask that this be so is to demand
the impossible. In order to get
beyond racism, we must first take
account of race. There is no other
way. And in order to treat some
persons equally, we must treat
them differently. We cannot —
we dare not — let the Equal Pro
tection Clause perpetuate racial
supremacy.”
Justice Marshall, the first and
only black person to ever serve
on the Supreme Coui't, stated,
“While I applaud the judgement
of the court that a university may
consider race in its admission
process, it is more than a little
ironic that, after several hundred
years of class-based discrimina
tion against Negroes, the Court is
unwilling to hold that a class-
based remedy for that discrimina
tion is permissible.
“In declining to so hold, today’s
judgement ignores the fact that
for several hundred years Negroes
have been discriminated against,
not as individuals, but rather sole
ly because of the color of their
skins. It is unnecessary in 20th
century America to have individ
ual Negroes demonstrate that they
have been victims of racial dis
crimination; the racism of our
society has been so pervasive that
none, regardless of wealth or posi
tion, has managed to escape its
impact.
“It is because of a legacy of
unequal treatment that we now
must permit the institutions of this
society to give consideration to
race in making decisions about
who will hold the positions of in
fluence, affluence and prestige in
America. For far too long, the
doors to those positions have been
sliut to Negroes.
“If we are ever to become a
fully integrated society, one in
which the color of a person’s skin
will not determine the opportuni
ties available to him or her, we
must be willing to take steps to
open those doors. I do not believe
that anyone can truly look into
America's past and still find that
a remedy for the effects of that
past is impermissable.
“It has been said that his case
involves only the individual,
Bakke, and this University. I
doubt, however, that there is a
computer capable of determining
the number of persons and institu
tions that may be affected by the
decision in this case.”
No jobs; students are angry
nrioH chnnlH hpen Bras^pf “a mess.” Acki
by Donna Meacham
There are some angry and dis
appointed students on Bennett’s
campus, victims, as it were, of a
breakdown of communication be
tween two vital offices on campus
—the Residence Life office and
the Office of Student Affairs.
Students were, during last se
mester, instructed to forward ap
plications for positions as resi
dence assistants and assistant dorm
directors to Ouida Scarborough,
director of Residence Life. And
they did.
When appointment time came,
however arrordinp- in., Dean—oi^
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applicants.
There is no question of the
choices that he made. The extra
time and manpower expended in
selecting them would indicate that
they are indeed qualified. B'ut
what of the original applicants
who also took their qualification
for the positions very seriously,
and who thought that their appli
cations were being reviewed over
the summer?
None of them received so much
as a letter of rejection or even
explanation.
What does one do after hearing
nothing concerning the progress
of an application filed two months
previously? One pays dearly in
long distance phone calls to the
college to find out exactly what is
going on, according to applicant
Beverly Randolph, a senior from
New Haven, Connecticut.
Beverly also said, “I think qual
ification for each position and
inanclal assistance!
m generously
pledge card and a brochure to the
alumnae explaining the matching
challenge grant so they will fully
understand the proposition that
the Bush Foundation has made to
Bennett.
Ms. Browning stated, “We try
to get at least $100,000 from 1000
alumnae members.” She added
that Bennett has four different
awards clubs, the Century Club,
the Silver Bell Club, the Golden
Bell Club and the President’s
Club.
In order to be a member of one
of these clubs, the alumnae must
give a certain amount of money.
The Century Club consists of
alumnae members who give a
total of $100.00 to $199.00, the Sil
ver Bell Club consists of alumnae
members that give a total of
$200.00 to $499.00, the Golden Bell
Club consists of alumnae members
that give a total of $500.00 to
$999.00 and the President’s Club
consists of members that give
from $1,000 up.
Some other donors who support
Bennett are the United Methodist
Church, the United Negro College
Fund, corporations, foundations
and others who work together to
help keep Bennett alive.
financial need should have been
given equal consideration. There
were many people qualified, but
there were even more who were
qualified and really needed those
tuition-paid positions (such as as
sistant dorm directorships). I hate
to think that it’s who you know
that gets you anything at Bennett.
The whole thing was handled very
badly.”
Another applicant, Romona
Reid, also a senior and a native
of Philadelphia, Pa., said of the
situation, “The procedure that was
used to make the present choices
is totally unclear to me. I have no
idea of what criteria were used,
because past procedures were
either discarded or ignored. It was
very unfair. Someone should have
informed us of something regard
ing our applications, one way or
the other.”
These sentiments were echoed
by Deborah Tillman, a senior
from Washington, D.C. “I feel
cheated. I always thought that no
matter whether you received ap
pointment to a job or were re
jected, that you should receive
something in the way of corres-
spondence. I happen to know that
I received the proper recommen
dations for the job, and met the
job specifications. I would feel bet
ter if I weren’t qualified. I prob
ably wouldn’t feel the animosity
that I do now. I feel that I was
overlooked due to some inside dis
organization, and I resent the mis
handling of my application.”
When asked for comment con
cerning the appointments, Ms.
Scarborough replied only that she
made none of the appointments
this year and that questions con
cerning them should be directed
to Dean Bragg’s office.
When asked whether she had
been contacted by the Office of
Student Affairs for the purpose
of procuring a list of student ap
plicants, Ms. Scarborough replied,
“No, I was not,” adding that she
had received a communication
that a conference would be sched
uled to discuss the appointments.
Thereafter, she said, no communi
cation followed specifying any
thing further.
Such a lack of communication
between two offices essential to
stdent life takes its toll on every
one involved, especially the stu
dents. The housing situation in the
dormitories is, according to Dean
Bragg “a mess.” Acknowledg
ing the problems he said, “We
have a messy situation for
students which should not have
been and is inexcusable. Students
have enough hassles witliout our
imposing unnecessary additional
burdens on them. We have had
problems with residence assign
ments for eight years, and eight
years is enough!”
As freshmen at Bennett begin
their undergraduate academic
journey, as sophomores and jun
iors enter deeper into their per
spective majors and as seniors
patiently await for acceptance let
ters from graduate, medical or law
schools, the B'akke decision cer
tainly affects each and every stu
dent. In this day and age where
affirmative action programs are
geared for minorities and women,
the effect of the decision hit
Bennett students in a two-fold
manner.
Due to the outcome of the case,
the question still to be dealt with
is, “Will it still be as advantageous
in the job market as well as in
entering graduate level schools to
be a black women, as many per
sons now believe?” Now, more
than ever, Bennett students as as
piring doctors, lawyers and other
professionals must maintain high
academic standards, an elevated
level of motivation and an acute
sense of black pride.
If students harbor a defeatist
attitude concerning Bakke and the
decisions deriving from his case,
then the accomplishments of civil
rights leaders Martin Luther King
Jr., Jesse Jackson, Rev. Ralph
Abernathy, and many others will
have been in vain.
Vernon Jordan Jr., executive
director of the National Urban
League summed it up well in re
marks in the August issue of
“Forum” magazine,
“The issue of affirmative action
is still alive, still very much in
danger from insensitive jurists
and a hostile public. All of which
means that government, educa
tional and business leaders must
provide the leadership in imple
menting and enforcing effective
affirmative action programs and
in explaining their need and their
use to a public that is misinformed
and prey to racism,”
Dean’s, Probation Lists compared
by Deborah Tillman
Over a three-year period, 1975-
78, there has been a great correla
tion between the Dean’s List and
the Academic Probation List, ac
cording to Chelsea Tipton, dean of
the college.
As the Dean’s List decreased, 55
for 1975-76', 46 for 1976-77 and 45
for 1977-78, the Academic Proba
tion List fluctuated, 67 for 1975-76,
93 for 1976-77 and 88 for 1977-78.
According to the dean, there are
several explanations why this cor
relation has occurred. One reason
is that the total class enrollment
changed during the three years,
597 for 1975-76, 632 for 1976-77,
and 621 for 1977-78. The increase
in the number of those on the aca
demic probation list between the
years 1975 and 1977 can be par
tially attributed to the increase in
enrollment.
Another reason is that Bennett
has accepted more Special Ser
vices students. But regardless of
these reasons, Dean Tipton says,
the core of the problem is that
many students fail to strive for
higher grades. They look for better
social activities.
DEAN’S LIST
(Based on academic achievement for the Spring Semester 1977-78)
The students whose names appear below have been placed on the
DEAN’S LIST because they have achieved the academic averages
indicated in terms of the 4-point scale in the Spring Semester of the
academic year 1977-78 without having any grades below “C” and/or
incomplete (“I”) grades.
Sophomores, 3.20 or above
Adenike Adejunmobi sj
Linda Faye Anderson
Alisha Dionne Coachman
Earlinda LaRue Elder
Lisa Ann Johnson
Sharonlyn Jones
Tina Ruth Jones
Regina Ann Kiser
Dino Michele Bradley
Angela Vernet Briley
Guila Betena Cooper
Melissa Lee Graves
Joann Mecheal Harper
Debra Ann Hodges
Melinda Renee James
Frances Penelope Kay
Valerie Eileen Littlejohn
Christine Elvira Lloyd
Eva Ablorh
Loretta Denise Bryant
Bertha Kay Dolberry
Belinda Jewell Foster
Marion Adair Johnson
Tonya Kristen Martin
Nomathemba Nkomo
Estalinda Joyce Roberson
Beverly Ann Rumley
Doris Mae Sealey
Mary Jane Simpkins
Tonni Yvonne Sullivan
Angela Marie West
Juniors, 3.30 or above
Loralyn Suzette Morman
Pamela Jean Morris
Barbara Gail Murphy
Laura Marie Perry
Jacqueline Almeda Ransom
Linda Beatrice Smith
Gwendolyn Denise Speight
Julia Lee Williams
Edwina Christine Wilson
Natalie Diane Young
Seniors, 3.40 or above
Marcella Angela Miranda
Hattie Lynetta Purnell
Deborah Denise Tillman
Brenda Kay Watkins Tyson