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Two years too lateMedical School must recruit, satisfy minoritiesAlthough the University's Medical School has earned a world-class reputation, a significant portion of its students and faculty say more can be done to improve the atmosphere in the classrooms and laboratories. The Medical School released a report last week that indicated minority students and faculty were discontented with the Medical School's handling of minority affairs. A separate report was released in June 1994, which cited similar problems. Since there has been no noticeable improvement, Medical School administrators must act to confront the complaints of minorities constructively.Medical School Dean Giles Bole should have done more when the first report was released in June 1994. At that time, Bole received letters of discontent from minority Medical students about their discomfort at the school. One student told The Michigan Daily that "the attitudes of some of the faculty seem to deter minority students from succeeding." Despite previous exposure of the problems, the Medical School has taken more than two years to formally investigate the possibility of discrimination. The school has done little in the meantime to bolster minority students' and faculty's confidence in the Medical School. Last week's report captures the same feelings of discontent. The report said, "Black students/House Officers, work in an institution where a significant number of people believe they were admitted under different (or) lower standards and consequently are not as smart as their white colleagues." Ironically, the report may create a friction between white and minority students -- adding to the discomfort rather than alleviating it. Also, the report recognizes one of the main reasons for the current ethnic imbalance: Minority representation of faculty is well below the national average. Without role models and mentors, minority students are unlikely to succeed among white students with plenty of support. But with more minority faculty support, students would feel reassured that Medical School faculty and administrators were listening to their concerns and opinions. Bole and others must work to actively recruit minority faculty members. Furthermore, the Medical School should design aggressive programming to more directly address the students' concerns. "Luncheon dialogue groups," which were discussed in 1994, seem to have had little impact on the students' confidence. The school could develop peer mentor programs. The Medical School must improve existing programs -- which are obviously ineffective -- as well as explore other new initiatives. A spokesperson for the Medical School said school officials are willing to develop ways to make minority students and faculty feel more comfortable. And the Medical School deserves credit for putting some tough realities into print. However, identifying the problem is not enough -- it must act quickly to improve the atmosphere. |