DIY History | Transcribe | Campus Culture | University of Iowa Committee on Human Rights policies, 1958-1986 | 1968-11-15 University Human Rights Committee to President Howard Bowen Page 2

Transcribe
Translate

University of Iowa Committee on Human Rights policies, 1958-1986

1968-11-15 University Human Rights Committee to President Howard Bowen Page 2

-2-

in both spring and the fall, it is not inconceivable that the holding of University of Iowa Night at West High might convey to black students the impression that the University has made a judgment that college material is more likely to be found at a virtually all-white school. Messages like this one, more or less subtle, are communicated to potential Negro college students every day. Their effect is complex and cumulative. It is unlikely that their cumulative effect can be undone in the absence of a sustained and deliberate recruiting effort.
   The Waterloo illustration certainly suggests that this so, and the University's present Negro enrollment strong reinforces the idea. The plight of the University with respect to black students is perhaps best illustrated by the fact that there are 179 such students now on campus compared with about 200 in 1940 2 when the University has only 6,667 students. If we were to have the same percentage of black students today as we had in 1940, there would have to be some 564 on campus. In eight or ten years, when the University will be approximately 25,000 there would have to be 750 to maintain the same percentage. Even if the 1940 percentage were taken as reasonable interim goal, we would have a long way to go. And it will be costly to achieve even this goal. 
   Nevertheless, there are strong reasons for exerting the effort necessary to increase the non-white component of the student body. The goal of increasing this Negro representation is important for at least two reasons. One is practical. Our national policy requires Universities receiving Federal funds to take affirmative steps to insure that their students, faculty and staff lose their monochrome hue and more nearly 

2. Information supplied by Dean Philip Howard

Saving...

-2- in both spring and the fall, it is not inconceivable that the holding of University of Iowa Night at West High might convey to black students the impression that the University has made a judgment that college material is more likely to be found at a virtually all-white school. Messages like this one, more or less subtle, are communicated to potential Negro college students every day. Their effect is complex and cumulative. It is unlikely that their cumulative effect can be undone in the absence of a sustained and deliberate recruiting effort. The Waterloo illustration certainly suggests that this so, and the University's present Negro enrollment strong reinforces the idea. The plight of the University with respect to black students is perhaps best illustrated by the fact that there are 179 such students now on campus compared with about 200 in 1940 2 when the University has only 6,667 students. If we were to have the same percentage of black students today as we had in 1940, there would have to be some 564 on campus. In eight or ten years, when the University will be approximately 25,000 there would have to be 750 to maintain the same percentage. Even if the 1940 percentage were taken as reasonable interim goal, we would have a long way to go. And it will be costly to achieve even this goal. Nevertheless, there are strong reasons for exerting the effort necessary to increase the non-white component of the student body. The goal of increasing this Negro representation is important for at least two reasons. One is practical. Our national policy requires Universities receiving Federal funds to take affirmative steps to insure that their students, faculty and staff lose their monochrome hue and more nearly 2. Information supplied by Dean Philip Howard