BEYOND THE HEDGES: White student denied admission to black-only class, sues university
The plaintiff, Janice Camarena, claims that she was the subject of racial discrimination when she was allegedly told by the instructor to leave an English 101 section she attempted to attend. She said that she was denied admission on the sole basis of her race.
Camarena claims that such programs violate the U.S. and California constitutions by racially segregating students.
College officials disagree with several points of her claim.
The class she cites is part of a program called Bridge, which was created to encourage students to transfer to four-year universities by offering tutoring, counseling and assistance with writing skills.
The program is aimed at black students. A similar program, called the Puente Project, is offered for Hispanic students.
According to San Bernadino and California college officials, while the programs are tailored for these minority groups, they are not closed to other students.
Officials said that the programs have special counseling aspects that deal specifically with problems of these racial groups. In addition, the course description states that instructor permission is required for participation. They also point out that few students of other ethnicities try to enroll in these courses and that this is an isolated incident.
Camarena claims that no such courses exist for other students, but David Mertes, chancellor of the California Community Colleges, said that equivalent programs are offered for other groups deemed in need of assistance, such as low-income students and people with disabilities.
Camarena also claims that she "suffered humiliation, embarrassment and extreme mental anguish" when she was asked to leave in front of the class. The instructor said that he did not tell her that she could not attend the class.
Instead, he informed her in private conversation that the course was designed for black students and suggested other counseling and tutoring programs.
Mr. Mertes has sent a memo to all the community colleges advising them to review their courses and to reword course descriptions to show that all courses are open to any interested student.
Source: The Chronicle of Higher Education, March 31
Tenure study launched
The American Association for Higher Education has recently launched a two-year study of the system of tenure for college and university professors.
The impetus for the examination was criticism of the system from outside the field of academia. Russell Edgerton, president of the association, said, "We thought it was unhealthy that outside the academy, people were raising questions about tenure, yet inside the academy, tenure was a bit like sex in the Victorian age -- untouchable."
The A.A.H.E. study will proceed in two parts. The first will include a series of reports on creating more flexible career options for doctorates who would like to pursue research in different disciplines, including non-academic work. It will also consider the role of tenure in the balance of personal and professional lives for professors.
The second part will examine the more controversial issue of alternatives to tenure.
Studies will be conducted at institutions that have broadened tenure requirements, such as the University of California system, have never had tenure, such as Hampshire College, or have recently abolished tenure.
The A.A.H.E. hopes that its study will result in more flexibility in academic careers.
Opponents of the study, mostly tenured professors, see it as an administrative move to undermine the economic security afforded to them by tenure.
They claim that recently more tenured positions have been cut in favor of part-time jobs. They also cite tenure as being important for academic protection.
Others, though, say that such protection is unnecessary today.
"Would that we lived in a world filled with explosive, adventurous, risk-taking thought, then you could say tenure has been successful," said Elizabeth Coleman, president of Bennington College.
Mary Burgan, secretary of the A.A.H.E., said that the study should examine not only alternatives to tenure, but should also look to offer tenure to more candidates, especially those whose main interest is teaching.
Source : The Chronicle of Higher Education, March 31
This item appeared in the News section of the April 7, 1995 issue.
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