Black count disputed

Black count disputed

Black Student Union, Black Enrollment

This article was published in the student Newspaper, "The Quad Angles" in 1971. It discusses the 1970 estimate of the number of black students enrolled at West Chester University. The Assistant Director of Admissions claimed that approximately 10% of students were Black, but many are disputing these numbers and seeking a more accurate method of determining the demographics. The interest in these numbers occurred due to the government orders to increase black enrollment.

Nancy J. Holt

Quad Angles Vol. 40 No. 1

West Chester University Quad

1971-09-14

West Chester University, West Chester University Special Collections, Francis Harvey Green Library, Black Students Lives Project, Angela Schaefer, Angela Grabosky

Digital images in Library Services' Digital Collections are issued by Special Collections, Francis Harvey Green Library, West Chester University. Images are provided for non-commercial, educational, and personal use only, and are not intended for reproduction or redistribution. For the above purposes the user may reproduce these materials (by download, printing, etc.) without further permission, on the condition that proper attribution of the source for all copies is provided by clearly acknowledging the name of the Library, the title of the web page or resource and the URL at which it was located, please credit as follows: Special Collections, Francis Harvey Green Library, West Chester University, West Chester, Pennsylvania. For questions regarding use of digital materials contact Special Collections (libspeccol@wcupa.edu or 610-436-3456). Special Collections assumes no responsibility for direct, indirect, consequential, or incidental infringement of copyright by content users.

http://digital.klnpa.org/cdm/ref/collection/wcnp01/id/14214

TIFF Newspaper Scan

English

Student Newspaper

Black count disputed By NANCY J. HOLT The November, 1970 figure estimating the number of black students enrolled at West Chester State College was as realistic as estimation methods available at the time would permit, stated Herbert Lee, the principal man involved with the estimate. Lee, Assistant Director of Admissions, said that he was able to estimate the number of black students in the summer school qualifying programs and the Higher Education Opportunity Program (HEOP), because he said that when dealing with a small number visibility is apparent. Working as an administrative admissions assistant, Lee said that West Chester also accepted approximately that equal number of blacks as regular full-time students. Two other administrators were also involved in arriving at a final estimate. As reported in the Philadelphia EVENING BULLETIN 2 wks. ago, West Chester along with the other state-owned colleges is under state and federal orders to increase black enrollment. The latest official figure released last November showed that West Chester had 607 full-time undergraduate black students out of a total student body population of 5,874 or 10.4%. Black Student Union Chairman Larry Doudy contends that there were 134 black residents and possibly between another 50 and 75 who commuted. This would total 2.5% of entire student population. BSU conducted its survey last October and November by going to the dormitories and off-campus houses. Lee stated that the 607 figure "tends to be an estimate with no true allowance for attrition," that is black students who withdrew from the college or trans- ferred. When asked why he thought the administration's figure was inaccurate, Doudy said, "At the time West Chester was called upon by Harrisburg to state their figures in black enrollment, the method used was from the projection of 1968 figures. These projections are not accurate." Lee stated that a more accurate method for arriving at these estimates must be found. "I am aware that a more accurate method need be arrived at for determining the number of minority students, and I hope in the future, federal guidelines are written to permit the establishment of a more accurate method, but until such time, I am open to fruitful recommendations."Mr. George Marshall, special assistant to the Secretary of Education stated that West Chester does not get program funds according the estimated number of black students. He went on to say that the funds are allocated on a program basis and that the guidelines for allocating program funds are not wholly, established yet.

Microfilm