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Minority alliance group outlines demands for `U'

Declaring that the University has not done enough for students of color, the Alliance Four Justice, a united coalition of minority organizations, issued a list of demands to the University at a press conference Friday.

In an open letter to the University community, the Alliance stated that, "We come forth with these demands at this moment in the course of our education, out of a frustration stemming from the continuous refusal to dialogue and address these issues amongst our communities."

Johnny Su, former chair of the United Asian American Organizations, said the Alliance has made several unsuccessful attempts to meet with University President James J. Duderstadt.

The Alliance formed on the heels of the National Day of Action to Defend Affirmative Action on Oct. 12. Uniting the four major minority groups on campus -- the Black Student Union, Alianza, the Native American Student Association and UAAO -- the Alliance decided to "pull our resources together and do more things at home," said Andrew Adams III, an LSA senior and NASA member.

He added that the Alliance felt it was necessary to present a list of demands "because all of us have seen a deficiency of initiative by the administration and administration offices to do their jobs in terms of providing programming or funds we need as students of color at the University."

One of the Alliance's main concerns was the lower retention rate of minority students as compared to white students.

Sherise Steele, speaker for BSU, said that despite the increases in the number of minorities, the University has failed to provide a welcoming environment for students of color.

"We can't even walk down South U. and see (restaurants) with food we like to eat," she said. "It's completely white here and white students are very happy so they don't understand why we're so offended."

On Martin Luther King Jr. Day, the Alliance placed signs renaming University buildings with names of minority activists. In reference to these signs, Steele said that "we ask for the tiniest crumb on the piece of pie -- we ask for one (fraternity or sorority) house on a street and we get laughed at."

Vice President for University Relations Walter Harrison defended the University by pointing out that the Michigan Mandate has played a large role in increasing the number of minorities on campus.

"This is a new high for the University and something we are very proud of," he said.

Calling the Mandate a "marketing tool that goes against minority students," Steele said the University forgets the school is still 75-percent white.

Su said the University's statistics do not paint a complete picture.

"There is a fundamental difference between how students of color feel on this campus and what the administration actually tries to implement through these programs," he said.

"Perhaps we're not doing the right things," Hartford said.

Hartford was unable to attend the press conference because she was at a meeting of the University Board of Regents.

Both John Matlock, director of the Office of Academic and Multicultural Initiatives, and Harrison have also expressed interest in meeting with the Alliance.

The Alliance also demands an increase in services to student of color organizations, Native American representation in OAMI, guaranteed funding for student of color organizations and the creation of Latino/a American and Asian American studies departments.

"All for one -- we're like the four musketeers. If we're going to have one representative we're going to have four," Steele said.

"This is multiculturalism in action," said Wayne Wolbert, co-chair of Alianza.