Page 8, The News Argus, April, 1982
Students View Consent Decree Unfair
By Dwight Jones
Winston-Salem State University,
along with 15 other universities in the
University of North Carolina system,
has had to revise its 1981-83 catalog,
and audio visual production to reflect
the consent decree’s minority presence
policy.
This policy has drawn much criticism
on WSSU’s campus. The catalog and
audio visual presentation had to be
revised to contain more pictures of
minority students. A minority student
at WSSU is a white student.
“The catalog makes ‘State’ look like
a white university, and it’s not fair to
our black university’s image,” stated
junior Ellen Harris.
The catalog consists of class re
quirements, student life on campus and
pictures of other campus activities. “A
white female living on campus is ab
surd,” stated junior Isiaette McArn.
She also commented that there is a
white male living on campus and the
catalog photographers should have
chosen him to represent the facts.
According to Felecia Jones, assistant
public relations director, General Ad
ministration selected the pages where
white students were featured.
The audio visual production was
established during the ’70s as part of
WSSU’s general recruitment efforts.
This presentation was revised to imple
ment a racial balance among students
photographed. According to Marilyn
Roseboro, university director of public
relations, the audio visual presentation
delivers a more accurate image of life
on WSSU’s campus.
The audio visual presentation is
basically a film script production of
life on WSSU’s campus and, as of this
date, WSSU has 22 cassettes of the
production. They are distributed to
North Carolina high schools that have
an enrollment greater than 500
students. The production cost for the
audio visual presentation was
estimated at $13,000-514,000. An addi
tional maintenance fee of $591.75 will
be assessed WSSU for each nine-month
high school year.
Another item from the consent decree
included the Minority Presence Grant
Program. The purpose of the Minority
Presence Grant Program is to attract
white students to WSSU. Mr. Clifton
Graves, university affirmative action
officer, stated, “The university
Minority Presence Grant Program at
WSSU must be continued indefinite
ly.” He also commented that by 1986,
there must be 17 percent white enroll
ment on WSSU’s campus.
Other universities that had to revise
their catalog and audio visual presenta
tion included: Fayetteville State
University, Pembroke State Universi
ty, and North Carolina A&T State
University. These universities, like
WSSU, had to have some pictures
revised so that they contained a racial
balance among students.
All in all, the integration policy of the
consent decree is a legally binding
document for the 16 universities. “Our
office will do its best to maintain the
heritage of our traditionally black
university,” stated Mr. Graves.
Lyceum Events
Fine Arts Series
Begins April 13
Or.
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