Tour talk

'U' visit could benefit national race dialogue

Tonight, the University community will have another chance to discuss the state of race relations on campus and in society as a whole when the Michigan Student Assembly hosts a Town Hall Meeting on Race in conjunction with President Clinton's Initiative on Race. The meeting will feature a panel led by representatives from the Clinton administration - including Judith Light, executive director of the initative - and from the University's faculty and student body, as well as an open dialogue on the subject of race relations. University students should attend this meeting to voice their opinions on diversity and on the direction and results of Clinton's race initiative.

The meeting is not intended to focus solely on affirmative action. Although affirmative action remains an extremely important issue at the University, it is not the only issue regarding race worth discussing. Affirmative action can ensure diversity on campus, but it does not neccessarily provide for calm, productive race relations on campus. And while the University is succeeding at creating a multicultural community, it is notorious for having a socially segregated atmosphere. But this problem is often forgotten in the wake of the affirmative action controversy - even though bad feelings can often develop as a result of the University's admissions policies.

While this forum is a place for open debate, it is important that it does not become a shouting match, as has happened at more than one past University event involving race relations. The most important factor in improving race relations is dialogue, not bickering. People on all sides of the issues must be allowed to speak openly if the dialogue on campus and the nationwide initiative are to succeed.

Bringing Clinton's race initiative to the University may help to foster constructive discussion of racial issues. But that does not change the fact that the initiative has lacked direction and commitment since its inception last year. The college campus tour, the portion of the initiative of which today's discussion is a part, is intended to produce a report from the president at its conclusion. While the report will likely detail race-related problems that universities across the country are facing, it will not have a significant impact unless specific recommendations and suggestions are made.

Since it has not been well-promoted, Clinton's race dialogue has had little effect on the state of race relations in the nation. While it is almost impossible to set tangible goals for a program intended to promote discussion and understanding between races, it is still important that the initiative at least gets people to talk openly about improving race relations outside of the initiative's discussions.

The race relations forum could help foster constructive discussion at the University and give students a chance to address their concerns about racial issues. It is also a good step toward establishing some direction for the race initiative; this forum also gives students a chance to ask questions about the initiative and to voice their expectations. It is important that University students take advantage of this opportunity to engage in a constructive debate.

04-07-98