Story: U. 'hostile' place for blacks

The University may be a more "hostile" place for black students to go to school than Temple University. That's according to an article in this month's "Atlantic" magazine, written by Nicholas Lemann, that focuses on black nationalism and assimilation on the two college campuses. In comparing the two universities, Lemann describes Temple as having "the feeling of being part of a black neighborhood," while the University, he writes, "has the feeling of being threatened by a black neighborhood." Lemann added in the article that he thinks many black students on the University campus feel they are "in an essentially unfriendly white environment." University graduate Treasrea Cornelius, one of three University students quoted by Lemann, said in the article, "I have a couple of white friends. But we don't start on the same level. You're coming from different planets. You can't tell somebody what it's like to be black." Valarie Swain-Cade McCoullum, assistant provost and assistant to the president, yesterday dismissed the article's claim that the University is a "hostile" environment. "I believe that this University is at the forefront of the issue of how to celebrate the plural community," she said. "We haven't solved all the problems, but this University is in the best position to be a model for how people of good will, who adamantly disagree about what the best course might be, eventually reach an important consensus." McCoullum added that she attended both Temple and the University as a student. "All the universities are having this debate [over living in a multi-cultural community]," she said. "Our greatest strengths, however, are our students and faculty. There is such a willingness to engage in the debate and not accept the status quo." Wharton junior Robert Smith, who was interviewed by Lemann for the article, said last night that he feels Lemann's intention was to define black nationalism. "I thought the author's intent, having subsequently done some research on the author, was to define a term that has been used very loosely in describing African-American ideology," he said. Smith added that he does not entirely agree with Lemann's perceptions. "I don't think his definition is all-inclusive," Smith said. "He took dialogue and used that dialogue in such a way that it appears to prove a certain journalistic point of view." He added that he feels Lemann's story is somewhat accurate, but his definition of black nationalism "shut out too many other perspectives." "From my point of view, black nationalism means the creation and ownership of African-American institutions and communitites by African-Americans, specifically economic institutions," he said. "Ideally, black nationalism would be African-Americans owning their homes and owning a business in their communities."