Students, profs give plan tempered support

Although minority faculty members and students agree with the general direction of University President Judith Rodin's campaign for minority permanence, they said some specifics of her plan fall short of the mark. Rodin's plan seeks to spend an additional $10 million dollars to increase the number of minority faculty and students at the University. English Professor Houston Baker said Rodin's proposals are well thought out but do not substantially differ from her original proposals last November in her "Agenda for Excellence." "There's nothing particularly new or different about what the president is doing," said Baker, who also serves as the director of the University's Center for the Study of Black Literature and Culture. But he added that Rodin "has been particularly courageous and has defied what I think of as the current trend in higher education by launching this initiative." History Professor Robert Engs said he thinks the effort warrants more money. Engs, a standing member of the African American Studies Program, added that the University's previous fund raising effort for minority presence left the pool empty after only a few fruitful years. History Professor Lee Cassanelli said he hopes the University takes this opportunity to promote international scholars for added diversity. Cassanelli added that Rodin's proposed $250,000 for diversity research "might be a bit of overkill." But he said he approved of the general direction of the plan, because it stresses the importance of fostering a "lively, diverse and bright" student body. Minority student leaders expressed tempered enthusiasm as well. "I think the agenda is in the right direction, but students organizations like the [Black Student League] must be highly involved in implementing the plan for it to work properly," BSL President Obinna Adibe said last night. The College senior added that the agenda will not work in practice if students are not consulted. In the same vein, United Minorities Council Chairperson Susie Lee, who first heard about the proposal from The Daily Pennsylvanian last night, said it "sounds like a good plan but I'm going to wait and see what concretely happens." Lee, a College senior, said the UMC will meet with Rodin to discuss specifics, including how the money will be spent. She added that if Rodin spends the money wisely on important programming, the plans will be successful. Baker mentioned recent rulings against affirmative action in Texas and California, noting that for the University to focus on minority permanence is a bold step. "I think we lead the country and I hope that other Ivy League institutions will get the message," Baker said.