September 11, 1989 James Madison University Vol
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<* JMU to the T! Specialized shirt sales soaring MONDAY. SEPTEMBER 11, 1989 JAMES MADISON UNIVERSITY VOL. 67 NO. Campus racial incidents cause concern By John G. Frizzera and they are "not going on all the heard a group of people on the third "told them to be quiet." assistant news editor time," Bullock said. floor making racial slurs. "Some of them were apologetic, and In the Shorts Hall incident, Roddy Williams said, "We heard one voice as we left, we heard one of them say, Twice last week, several JMU Williams,' Carlos Boty, Richard say, 'Fuck the niggers' and that's when 'They had a right to come down. I students reported they were the targets Pceples and Clayton Slappcy said they we went downstairs." Williams said he of racial slurs. These unrelated were awakened by Peeples' cousin who and his friend confronted the group and See RACISM page 2> incidents, which occurred within days of each other, have brought the subject of racism into the campus spotlight. Early Tuesday morning, four black students said they were awakened by Poll shows racism fears thrive across nation loud, racist comments in Shorts Hall. not gone. That's one of the things four black youths were attacked by By LaBarbara Bowman left over — being in the wrong Roddy Williams is a black resident Gannett News Service a gang of up to 30 white males. of Shorts Hall who alleged he heard place at the wrong time," said Yusuf Hawkins, 16, was killed. Black Americans believe that Carson Gibbs, 84, of Detroit. other residents saying, "Blacks are just racism is a daily part of their lives About half of the people polled mad because our grandparents kicked Only black Americans were said it would be dangerous for and that racial violence could occur polled. About half of the people their grandparents' asses" and "They them to go into some sections of in their own hometowns, a poll polled live in mainly black have a whole bunch of nigger their cities simply because they by Gannett News Service shows. neighborhoods and attended organizations like the NAACP." were black. Nearly 80 percent of the 601 predominately black schools. Thursday, seven black students were .people surveyed said an incident But eight of 10 people surveyed walking down Greek Row when they like the one in New York City "The results of the poll are not also said they have a close white said they heard white students refer to Aug. 23, during which a black surprising. I think it reflects the friend. And while half thought them as "niggers." teenager was killed by a gang of tremendous extent to which some white people arc prejudiced, Byron Bullock, assistant dean of whites, could be repeated in their America is still a segregated only 6 percent thought almost all students and adviser to the Black cities. society," said Harvard University while people are prejudiced. Student Alliance, said he has seen an "It's awful tragic. A lot of people law professor Christopher Edlcy And nearly 67 percent said the increasing number of racial incidents at don't want blacks in their Jr. U.S. justice system is biased JMU during the past two years. neighborhood. All of the racism is In the New York City incident. against blacks. The incidents have been "isolated," JMU emphasizes minority facuity recruitment "Every school is doing it by choice. They know it By Laura Hutchison In Virginia schools ... staff writer . is good for their students," Ihlc said. "Minority faculty members serve as role models for all students, JMU is trying to pick up the pace of its minority 22 not just those in the minority they represent." faculty recruitment, according to the vice president for Warren agreed. "We arc not under a court order to do academic affairs. this," he said. "Wc feel that minority faculty arc very "We've talked about doing this every year, but we important to the education of all ol our students. haven't put it at the priority level we're putting it "People have a hard time getting excited about now," Dr. Russell Warren said. "What we're saying doing something mat's mandated. They arc generally a this year is that this is as high a priority as we have lot more open to doing something because it is the at this university." right thing to do." Minority faculty members at JMU accounted for Other Virginia schools also arc facing,a lack of only about 5 percent of the full-time faculty as of minority faculty. Slightly more than 6 percent of the Fall 1988. Minority students made up nearly 12 faculty at the University of Virginia arc minority percent of the undergraduate population. faculty. Sixteen percent of its undergraduates are According to JMU Affirmative Action Officer minority students. Elizabeth Ihlc, an ideal goal of the recruitment plan The minority faculty at the College of William and would be to eventually have an equal percentage of Mary also makes up only 6 percent of its total minority students and minority faculty. full-time faculty. Ten percent of its undergraduates arc While this push is consistent with the goals of minority students. Governor Gerald Balilcs and Secretary of Education As part of a campaign to raise JMU's percentages, JMU UVa W&M GMU Donald Finlcy, Warren said, he and Ihlc want to make the JMU Affirmative Action Office distributed a Figures as of Fall 1988 it clear that no Virginia schools arc being forced to Staff graphic bj WEKTV WARDEN. rif; ! ully. See RECRUITING pane 2> Page 2, The Breeze, Monday, September 11,1989 Racism >■ (Continued from page 1) Jenkins said. The incident did not result in judicial charges, because didn't mean what I said'" Williams "there was no way to find out who said. they were," he said. But, according to Willliams, another Bullock said, "These are the kinds of of the group said, 'I know I meant things that we arc not going to tolerate what 1 said.'" on campus. The resident adviser for the floor was "This university is truly a notified, and he called the police. microcosm of the real world, and The next day Williams, Slappcy, racism exists in our society," he said. Pceplcs and Boty met with Phil But, "we are not going to divorce Riordan, assistant director of residence ourselves from racism on this life. campus." "I told them to try to come up with "We want to keep the issues up different kinds of solutions and a —^ front. Everybody has a right to be here. response and pass them on lo ... There arc a number of people, both Bullock and come up with an answer black and while, who don't condone - together," said Riordan. this kind of activity," Bullock said. * "They are presently working on Powell said, "A lot of racial that,'' Bullock said. incidents go unreporled. We need to H^e Riordan said he simply wanted the say something now. If we don't, it group to bring its response to could get out of hand." "somebody who could say it was good These two racial incidents arc not the or bad." first at JMU, Powell said. The Office of Student Affairs would Last year, he alleged, a black female not comment on the incident because it student was "verbally assaulted at [PC] involves judicial charges. Dukes and called a nigger." In the Greek Row incident, Gary Because this campus is Jenkins and six female JMU students predominantly while, a lot of black were walking back from a picnic and students think they are supposed to decided to walk down the Row. accept racism, he said. Jenkins said the group saw three men "Ultimately, it comes to educating walking out of a sorority house. people about the past. Ignorance such » - The three men then met up with as this should be absent from a another group of people. As they university like this that has such an TSr:fe* walked by, Jenkins and his friends outstanding reputation for education," Staff photo by MARK MANOUKIAN allegedly heard someone from the he said. Human bean group say, "Hey, look at that nigger." Angie Dyson, president of the Black Jenkins said he went to Chris Student Alliance, said, "JMU racially Senior David Harris enjoys Sunday's late afternoon sun as Powell, vice president of the Black is fine, but we can't let little incidents he studies on the Quad. Student Alliance, and told him what like this go unnoticed. had happened. "I'm sure that the Black Student "An organization needs to be founded Alliance will have to take a stand one to deal with these kinds of situations," way or the other," said Dyson. Campus police reported the charged Aug. 27 with driving following: under the influence. Non-student Recruiting Pedro Espinoza was charged Sept. >■ (Continued from page 1) overall decline in the number of JMU student James R. Miskcll 2 with driving under the influence. faculty recruitment handbook last students, especially black students, was charged Aug. 30 with driving Non-student Oxo Slayer was going on to graduate school to receive under the influence. Student Neil charged Aug. 14 with driving spring which outlines five steps that have proven most effective in the advanced degrees that colleges and R. Waranch was charged Aug. 28 under the influence. universities look for. with driving under the influence. Incorrect information appeared in recruiting minority personnel. These Non-student Brett A. Crown was Thursday's edition of The Breeze. include the establishment of a search committee to seek out qualified minority faculty members by calling "We are not prospective applicants, visiting applicants or placing ads in journals or under a court yfeCBteeze magazines known to have a large order to do Founded 1922 minority readership.