Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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McMillia By GARY WEST . (Second in series on University services.) "We try to serve the basic needs and concerns of minority students, such as injustices in classrooms and injustices in dealing with black students," said Charles McMillian, coor dinator of Minority Student Affairs. "For a real change to take place black students must be accepted as black students and real people. Many professors say, 'I wouldn't have noticed there were any blacks in here if you hadn't mentioned it.' The moment a black enters the clas sroom, they recognize he is black and they are not willing to accept these differences, McMillian says. McMillian expressed some of the basic needs that minority students at Carolina are faced with. "We're basically interpreted as a service just for blacks, but there are students also that have the same the same needs. Most of the students we see are black, but international stu dents are.a minority and we do see some African, oriental and Indian students," said McMil lian. He also indicated that the University does not fullfill the i 3 \ Upinte-opo Cr fotal ufe. h yU yelltng To the Cg beef, shrimp a Ia newl Eat on 4 n: accei needs of black or minority stu dents. "Blacks receive no spe cial funds or special conces sions. Aitually the university does not fullfill the needs of blacks. We need an increase in black faculty members, black administrators and an active recruitment of black students not on a horizontal plane, but from a plane of upward mobil ity," McMillian said. No identity for blacks "Look at the total student population, there are 992 black students enrolled on the main campus. This is not a represen tation of the black population. I foresee a tremendous need of an effort to increase black staff, there is no identity for blacks and people fail to identify and fail to understand. Blacks are capable in any field, but the accomplishments of blacks are not put in the proper perspec tive of history, the history blacks is therefore biased, said McMillian. He said there are very few organizations on campus that serviced blacks. "We have the Afro American- Studies prog ram and we're hoping to get one or two blacks sororities on cam pus and two black fraternities. Concerning the needs of minority students other than blacks he said. "They have a dif sta crowd up for the gem lina Restaurant from 4:30 ood is really something tc urns. Please. $3.50 for a berg, barbecued pork, the :ampus. University Dining >t bIack. ferent kind of need, an addi tional need which is more pater nal, such as asking directions and correct procedures. It's a problem of adjustment and a problem of language and under standing which is unique to them." The coordinato of student affairs indicated that many uni versities are too beaurucratic and fail to reach the individual students. 'Fog and dust' "In many instances we can't see the student for the fog and the dust. Many times we forget the students are our business and we should be more con cerned with them," said McMil lian. "We constantly hear of courses that are being offered, but rarely do you hear of courses being offered other than the area of Afro American Studies. You don't hear of courses meeting the needs of black students. "There is a difference in the spending of money, blacks have different economic needs. Actually all of the courses are the same as before, most of the courses at USC have not changed since blacks were first admitted here." Many white people think of this university V' worksr Svi ce I as real McMILLIAN as 'our university', but blacks have been paying taxes for a long time too, McMillian said. McMillian stressed the emphasis of student involve ment with people. "When stu dents leave the university they will be involved with people and they better become involved with people here or they won't make it. The classical example is the teacher training program. They haven't changed their method of training. .Need for re-education "We need a type of re education of those in the power structure. In the high schools, so, you have a message for someone special. Personal ads in the classifieds communent,~ people teachers are instructed to become involved, don't push the students across the room, come in contact with them. This theory is fine but it is no good unless it is applied. There is a need for a practical application of education. "There will be no change until black faculty with tenure and black administrators that make decisions are installed here. Changes must not be on a hori zontal plane of authority, but for those qualified for the next position. So you get the position not by a token type thing, but because the person is qualified for the position." and pad\ dean &c~wr. ...or. o t :4