An Administrative View: "Willing to bend over backwards"

An Administrative View: "Willing to bend over backwards"

Black Students, Black Student Union

Mathew Custer defends the school administration and criticizes the black student group's demands.

Mathew Custer

Quad Angles Vol. 37 No. 24

West Chester University Quad

May 6 1969

Angela Grabosky

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JPG Newspaper Scan

English

Student Newspaper

"Willing to bend over backwards" By MATHEW CUSTER What do you do with a "nonnegotiable" demand? Before the advent of Student Power groups, demands that couldn't be discussed were thrown in the waste basket, their propogaters doomed to political oblivion. Indeed, that is what has happened at many institutions, where con- The Block Student's View frontations with the student body, or a reasonable facsimile thereof, have been violent affairs. Decision to Negotiate So when West Chester State College was handed its first, and probably not its last, list of "nonnegotiable" demands, the administration decided to do a rather extraordinary thing: they decided to negotiate. To this day, the administration has "bent over backwards" to try to come to an agreement with the activist' splinter-group."The reasons for wanting to negotiate are easily stated. First of all, the demands that are not too vague to be interpretated, are, at least, impossible to fulfill. No student committee, much less a "minority splinter-group" can, under the present educational system, have power over the academic heads of the college. Yet, the black activists have proposed that a predominately black-student Review Board be set up, and that "Department heads (would) be subordinate to this board." Progress Concerning Culture Courses The administration may also be justified in citing a great lack of qualified professors as the reason for slow progress concerning African Culture courses. This, along with the drastically reduced budget which West Chester has had to function on, is the reason why we do not have sufficient coverage in this field. But the most detrimental aspect of the demands is the simple fact that they have been termed "nonnegotiable." Since the demands have not even been explained to the administration, much less discussed with it, action cannot expect to be taken on their fulfillment. Tried to Improve Negro Situation West Chester's administration has already tried to improve the Negro situation here. Four new courses are scheduled for next year's catalogue which will pertain to African culture and the Urban ghetto. The administration has already allowed the Human Relations Council to use the Public Relations department in order to bring a better understanding to the Negro community about West Chester State. But most notable of all, the administration has never refused to communicate, to negotiate, to discuss. The black activist "splintergroup," or whatever they call themselves, have refused to even talk about the situation. There can be no successful ventures of this type without communication. And there is no love in an ultimatum.

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