Dialogue to address racial problems

Seeking to identify racial problems, the Michigan Student Assembly is sponsoring a town hall meeting on race relations tonight at 7:30 in the Michigan Union Ballroom.

The dialogue is part of President Clinton's Initiative on Race, a sweeping plan proposed by the president about one year ago to enhance the educational and economic opportunities of all races.

"Today, I ask the American people to join me in a great national effort to perfect the promise of America for this new time as we seek to build our more perfect union," Clinton said in June of last year. "That is the unfinished work of our time, to lift the burden of race and redeem the promise of America."

Judith Winston, executive director of the President's Initiative on Race, will speak along with other panelists, including University administrators, faculty and students.

MSA Rep. Brian Reich, who organized the event, said he planned the meeting in response to concerns he has heard from fellow students. Reich cited the separation of the races in the University's dining halls as an example of existing racial tensions.

"We're very diverse in numbers, but actually we're self-segregated," Reich said. "I think it's a shame. I can't imagine how much we could do if all the student groups felt comfortable with each other. I think dialogue is the first step."

Reich, who said his White House connections helped him bring to campus the initiative's highest ranking official, said the event will not solve racial problems, but will attempt to define them.

"There are no concrete goals," Reich said. "We will leave the discussion with a better understanding of what students need to understand and work with each other. I would like to start us down the road to a constructive resolution of these big problems."

The dialogue is part of what has been designated Campus Week by Initiative officials. Yesterday, a town hall meeting was held at Howard University and will later be televised on C-SPAN.

David Chai, a spokesperson for the race initiative, said the University was chosen to host the dialogue because it is a prominent and a diverse institute for higher education.

"Michigan, in a sense, leads this country in many aspects," Chai said. "We have done work with the University before. We're excited about the activities and events that have been going on here on campus."

Chai said the Initiative has worked on creating education empowerment zones, stopping housing discrimination and encouraging broad dialogue on race.

04-07-98