Sections

Making concessions

Alliance, Duderstadt take steps toward dialogue

The Alliance's letter contains many legitimate grievances that needed to be addressed. For example, it orders funds for the William Monroe Trotter House, earmarked for programming and renovations. Because fraternities and sororities of color do not have the affluent alum base of either Greek houses have, they have trouble raising the funds for a house. Trotter House serves as a meeting place for black Greek functions, as well as the many other multicultural programs it is designed to house. It is an important resource -- the University should give it wholehearted support.

However, other parts of the letter beg clarification. The letter demands that the University increase its percentage of faculty and students of color. It also asks the administration to bolster its efforts to retain faculty and students of color. The administration has responded to past requests -- but it could take a more aggressive approach.

If the Alliance can outline the ideal approach, the University would benefit. Recruitment is tricky; retention is more than difficult. As long as the University is making the effort, the Alliance needs specify how the University should proceed.

The letter also asks the University to provide organizations of students of color with free access to photocopying and mailing labels. It also demands that the University provides guaranteed funding for these organizations and "state-of-the-art computer workstations." Other student groups do not receive University hookups. Unless the Alliance can justify a special need, the demand seems frivolous.

The letter also demands increased funding and guaranteed autonomy for the Center for African and African American Studies Library, which should be properly funded. But guaranteed autonomy from whom? If the library is in danger of being compromised, the Alliance needs to state what else can be done.

In addition, the letter requests the establishment of more ethnic-specific libraries as well as Latino/a, Native American and Asian American studies departments. If the Alliance can justify use of the funds for these items, then the University should provide them. Besides a lack of role models and financial resources, a general atmosphere hinders retention of minorities -- Black Student Union Speaker Sherise Steele told The Michigan Daily that the University community felt too "white." The University should work to make all its students feel at home.

Duderstadt must keep an open mind. Alliance members need to come with specific plans, and reasons to back them. The meeting will give the Alliance the appropriate audience to hear its demands.