Being Black at University of Michigan organizers threaten 'physical action'

[Gator88NE]

<p>An update:</p>

<p><a href=“University of Michigan VP: Black Student Union leaders were 'smart, committed and passionate' in meeting - mlive.com”>University of Michigan VP: Black Student Union leaders were 'smart, committed and passionate' in meeting - mlive.com;

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The students clarified in later interviews that physical actions referred only to non-violent actions such as sit-ins, marches and other demonstrations.

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<p>Since they plan on holding additional meetings, and the university seems open to some of the demands, I don’t expect any “physical actions” will be happening in the near future. </p>

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The seven demands include increasing black enrollment on campus to 10 percent, moving the Trotter multicultural center onto central campus and increased funding for the Black Student Union.</p>

<p>“With each of the items we talked about what might be some of the next steps,” Harper said. “Some of the next steps are exploring, some are data collecting and some are things we can do right away.”

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<p>I wonder how the university will deal with the question of self-segregation.</p>

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Forcing that type of cross-cultural engagement once students arrive on campus is one area that Proppe sees plenty of room for improvement at U-M. </p>

<p>“What I hear from a lot of people is that groups are segregated. There’s not a lot of interaction between some different groups including minority groups and that’s something that has to be worked on,” he said.</p>

<p>“So you have an enrollment problem, but then once everyone’s here you have an inclusion problem. They’re linked, but they’re separate.”

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<p>In 1993, 60 Minutes did a segment on self-imposed segregation (at Duke University), “Equal but Separate”. This is an issue that’s been around for some time. </p>