1 20 7 http://s3.amazonaws.com/sc-lib-ds-bl1969/original/41f5382dd519b380419786cf2d2dd967.pdf ef4c3c7a02f506c657e2ebb334aefe1d Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Black at Swarthmore [1973] Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Swarthmore College Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 07/1970 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Delmar Thompson Franciena King Jean Marie Prestwidge Michael Hucles Rosalind Plummer (Wood) http://s3.amazonaws.com/sc-lib-ds-bl1969/original/7cc8f8cf259d0cb1dc5f737ae2813817.jpg 4365bbb25494c48349c2563a7d16fa1e Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Photos from Black at Swarthmore Description An account of the resource Photos from Black at Swarthmore, a series of pamphlets produced by the College and the Swarthmore African-American Student Society. Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Franciena King Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Black at Swarthmore Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1973 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource JPG Franciena King http://s3.amazonaws.com/sc-lib-ds-bl1969/original/fcc0c3eb8c331e9e2a7064b695aa2979.jpg 55c4bc59321d0e8419847f6d72c8ce1a Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource 1969 Sit-In Photographs Description An account of the resource Black and white photographs of SASS during the sit-in at the Admissions Office in Parrish Hall, which began on January 9 and ended on January 16, 1969. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Harold Buchanan Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Harold Buchanan Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 01/09/1969-01/16/1969 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource .jpg Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Michael Hucles, Franciena King, and Clinton Etheridge with other students Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Harold Buchanan Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 01/09/1969-01/16/1969 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource .jpg 1969 sit-in Clinton Etheridge Franciena King Michael Hucles http://s3.amazonaws.com/sc-lib-ds-bl1969/original/42ed7b48091a28279036c42fd9f3ef18.pdf 5ab14030a48e08a5fdd6245ac4aa05c2 PDF Text Text � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Black Philosophies of Liberation Course Description An account of the resource Syllabi, class notes, reading lists, and other documents relevant to the Spring 1969 student-run course "Black Philosophies of Liberation." NOTE: PLEASE READ THE DOCUMENT "Black Philosophies of Liberation Suggested Syllabus" FIRST. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Marilyn Allman (Maye) Papers Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Black Philosophy: who's doing what Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Black Philosophy of Liberation students Swarthmore Afro-American Student Society Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Marilyn Allman (Maye) Papers Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 03/13/1969 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource .pdf Aundrea White (Kelley) Bernard Green Black Studies Delmar Thompson Franciena King Harold Buchanan Holly Robinson Karen Johnson Karen Simmons Marilyn Allman (Maye) Marilyn Holifield Michael Graves Michael Hucles Russell Frisby Ruth Wilson http://s3.amazonaws.com/sc-lib-ds-bl1969/original/2e7190f1314e47a61466be4c7e006279.pdf d2c0b9fbd1d48c77f16e3f649b1fe6a3 PDF Text Text � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Black Philosophies of Liberation Course Description An account of the resource Syllabi, class notes, reading lists, and other documents relevant to the Spring 1969 student-run course "Black Philosophies of Liberation." NOTE: PLEASE READ THE DOCUMENT "Black Philosophies of Liberation Suggested Syllabus" FIRST. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Marilyn Allman (Maye) Papers Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource [First class meeting announcement, 02/05/1969] Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Black Philosophies of Liberation students Marilyn Allman (Maye) Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Marilyn Allman (Maye) Papers Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 02/05/1969 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource .pdf Aundrea White (Kelley) Bernard Green Black Studies Delmar Thompson Franciena King Harold Buchanan Holly Robinson Jannette Domingo Karen Johnson Marilyn Allman (Maye) Marilyn Holifield Michael Graves Michael Hucles Russell Frisby Ruth Wilson http://s3.amazonaws.com/sc-lib-ds-bl1969/original/437a6c67a121e7d675a09e637ba2df75.pdf b3a176f5c31567313fa288f995337523 PDF Text Text I I Swarthmore College Swarthmore, Pennsylvania 7 January 1970 Memorandum To: From: Fa cuI ty and Students Ad Hoc Black Admissions Committee The attached Memorandum to President Cross comprises AHBAC's recommendations concerning- Black admissions policy at Swarthmore. It is felt that the report will be of interest to the faculty and students. Gilmore stott Chairman �SWARTHMORE COLLEGE Swarthmore, Pennsylvania 5 January 1970 Memorandtun To: From: Subject: President Robert D. Cross Ad Hoc Black Admissions Committee Recommendations con6erning Black admissions policy The faculty action of last January which established AHBAC included in its responsibilities: "To review admissions standards and procedures involved in evaluating black applicants, to recommend standards and procedures to be applied to black applicants, and in particular to propose means for implementing black admissions policy. Specifically, the committee shall also review and make recommendations concerning the College's geographical pattern of recruitment of black and other minority group students. II "To prepare reports as it sees fit." Last spring, at the request of the Curriculum Committee, AHBAC provided comments and recommendations concerning the report of that Committee's Sub-Committee on Post-Ehrollment Education. This Memorandum constitutes a report in response to the charge from the faculty which is quoted above. Endorsed by all members of the Committee, the report is based on a working paper concerning policy prepared last summer by Don Mizell '71 at the request of AHBAC. We point out, also, that the report was prepared after consultation of numerous written materials in the field of Black admissions, and conversations between the Committee and the following consultants: Dr. Donald M. Henderson, Director, Experiment in Higher Education, Southern Illinois University, East st. Louis, Illinois 62201 425 Dr. Andress Taylor, Department of English, Federal City College, Second Street, N. W., Washington, D. C. Robert Kirkpatrick, Assistant Dean of Admissions, Wesleyan University, Middletown, Connecticut Harold Davis, Office of Admissions, Wesleyan University The Committee makes this report so as to provide a way of implementing the policy of the faculty as it is stated in the actions concerning Black admissions taken last January. If questions occur about procedures to be used in carrying out these recommendations, we ask that such questions be discussed with the Committee, and that comments about policy issues which may arise be brought back to the Committee. We encourage discussion of our report, and would respond to proposals that may be brought to us which ask for further deliberation or review~ �-2- The educational system still makes the mistake of judging students by their past, ~egardless of how miserable or hopeless it may have been, rather than on their fUtu~e or promise. Sociological sophistication and misplaced compassion may sometimes be as damaging as insensitivity and prejudice. A system of higher education resigned to failure because its potential clientele is the product of ghettoes, slums and/or broken homes becomes an accomplice in victimizing stUdents. The colleges and universities, more than any other level of the American educational systam, , have exhibited inertia, lack of inventiveness, and lack of openness to pedagogical innovation. Horace Mann Bond, Dean of Education at Atlanta University, was justified in saying there is no question that "the universities will be sorely pressed to attempt to comply with the demands of the Black students while clinging to their traditional procedures and formulations: It The Committee is not in a position to chart out what specific changes in method or content of instruction may be called for as students from this different kind of experience and background come in larger nUmbers to colleges such as our own. we do point out that inclusion of a new type of student implies serious consideration of new approaches to educational method and content. We emphasize that we sharply distinguish between this advice, and any euphemism for a predicted "lowering of standards II. The College now has some rather clearly defined standards of admission, but very few precisely stated standards of educational accomplishment. Such standards as exist, for example percentage going on to respectable graduate schools, are certainly not incontrovertible. The new situation is a ~amic situation, bringing with it opportunities to reexamine the goals of a Swarthmore education and those all-important standards of educational achievement which now remain largely undefined. This will enable us to revitalize an educational tradition which, despite acknowledged virtues, has grown too static. The new type of student asks new questions, does not take for granted the relevance of our standard forms of approach to the problems of understanding and of action as seen from his perspective, In broad outline, we understand this perspective to imply the following: this new type of student will demand a more integrated and problem-oriented curriculum -- a curriculum which combines theoretical and practical concerns and brings knowledge and methods acquired in diverse academic disciplines to bear upon the solution to specific problems confronting these stUdents. We encourage faculty receptivity to these new stimuli which we expect from the inclusion of a larger Black student group. At the same time we expect that these students, faced with the more traditional approach to liberal education now largely represented by the Collegels fac\ll.ty, will benefit from a confrontation with that approach. We believe that this will create a new and dynamic mixture of the College community which has a great potential for a more challenging and stimulating educational experience. Our admissions officers and counsellors should actively advise the faculty not simply on how we can teach these young people to learn our way, but on how their perspectives can change and enliven our way. With a new Office of Research Support, we expect its functions would include the seeking of evidence on the effectiveness of educational methods, both old and new, with respect to students of different backgrounds. Such control and feedback is of the utmost importance i f we want our program to be successful. �-3Those few colleges which have explored new criteria for determining the potential of, Black students (generally lower-class) for success in studies at White colleges, -have been pleasantly surprised with their academic performance. Doxey Wilkerson, educational research specialist at Yeshiva University, has observed that IfThe early experiences of these colleges show that the black students they considered high risks have quite frequently performed as well as did their regularly admitted classmates. Clearly, many of these students lack the money, the test scores or the high school preparation to compete on an equal footing for space in college. There is far less evidence to indicate that they lack the ability, the talent or the desire to succeed at college -- even according to the standards by which college is so generally determined. '~oreover, evidence mounts to prove that the 'cultural deprivation' hypothesis is bankrupt. Like its predecessor, the doctrine of 'genetic inferiority', it is untenable as an explanation for the prevailing academic retardation among students from the ghetto. When provided with learning experiences appropriate to their developmental needs, these students, despite their impoverished economic background, do learn effectively. Their academic failure must be attributed in large measure to inappropriate learning experiences in school. If (from Compensatory Education for the Disadvantaged) In addition Kenneth Clark, in a study done for National Scholarship Service and Fund for Negro Students, found that SAT scores either fail alto~ gether to predict academic performance of Black students at integrated colleges, or else underestimate their performance as compared to W hites. We should not, however, dismiss tests as completely irrelevant, as they do give some minimal indication of basic skills for reasoning with words and numbers that a student has acquired, presumably as a consequence of having gone to school. If he appears to be deficient in these skills and if we believe such skills have some relevance to success in college, then it is important that we become aware of these deficiencies, so that we can take specific remedial action as early as possible. We add the caution, however, that the standard pre-college tests do not offer information about these students' total potential, and offer no more than limited information about academic potential; such tests therefore should not be used to deny admission to a disadvantaged Black student, though they may serve as a guide for the nature and direction of our support programs. If -- as is argued by most of our consultants and the various sources we have explored -- tests reflect a strong cultural bias, i.e. White-middle class, then they are not adequate for measuring the potential of candidates whose experiences fall outside the tests' orientation. What, then, are some functional alternatives. The Committee's information indicates that colleges have to re-examine some fundamental assumptions about talent, creativity, and ability, and how these factors are related to admissions decisions. One question we should consider is whether we seek candidates whose records and credentials point only in the direction of academic achievement, or whether we are interested in those candidates whose priorities are more creatively oriented. �-4" The committee believes we will find greater success, including 'academic success , if we concentrate ,on the latter type candidate. There is latent academic talent and creativity tha~is not shown at the high school level, because such accomplishments are not as much acknowledged and praised by peers as other endeavors. If a Black candidate has heretofore been applying his talent and creativity effectively in other areas, this does not mean he cannot do satisfactory academic work at Swarthmore. The current admissions process slights emotive and motivating factors in favor of intellective factors; but the former ' are equally important, frequently more important, to the success of the Black s tudent. We suggest that our predictive criteria' .should consist of both intellective and non-intellective factors; and that our predictive criteria have broader concerns than academic achievement alone. The goal should be more than possession of superior aptitudes and abilities, and more than superior academic achievement; it should include actualization of the self in accomplishment. In the long run we want to identif.y those who in their own way will succeed. We wish to promote the self development of young people who will create and contribute to the improvement of the system -- not merely conform to it. That is to say, we are interested in the potentially scholastically competent who are also creatively oriented. Wallach (a Swarthmore graduate) and Wing, in a book called The Talented Student, comment: "Scores on achievement tests respond to systematic, intense, enlightened instruction and encouragement ••• but ••• such an authoritarian atmosphere, firm in discipline and over-control in children in more 'privileged' families may stifle creativity ••• (whereas) ••• the greater independence and non-conformity of the disadvantaged who succeed academically enables them to grasp the meanings and implications of experience •• " Locating such talent necessitates taking into consideration the ecological field in which the candidate must operate, and the obstructive forces preventing him from realizing his full capabilities. Kenneth Clark writes: "Academic aspiration, achievements and creativity are not only a function of intellect but in a more complex and definitive way, a function of the individual's image of himself, what he has been told about himself, what is expected of him, and what he has accepted as the essence of his identity from childhood through adolescence. There is a complex relationship between expectation and social ego learning." If a student is rewarded for accomplishments as a leader but finds no such responses as a scholar (given the remnants of the internalized inferiority complex derived from insecurities about the integrity of differences projected by White culture), he will consequently excel at being a leader, which of course does not eliminate the possibility of academic talent. Dr. Don Henderson points out that often the student lacks perspective on what colleges can mean. This lack of perspective, and consequent need for an extended period of adjustment, have all too often been mistakenly interpreted as lack of motivation, as low aspiration or absence of self-confidence on the part of the stUdents. It seems likely, then, that a talented student who is operat. ing from this vantage point may only seem to be an unlikely prospect for Swarthmore. ---- �-5" kind of qualities should we look for in a candidate coming from a background sC? different from the usual applicant? The Committee proposes that the most productiv~ method of assessing talent is by evaluating the person as a whole. A student who displays confidence, self-assurance, self-assertiveness in situations of his own choosing; a student who has high levels of energy channeled effectively in whatever endeavor; who is vigorous and spontaneous, persistent and resourceful in the face of social obstacles; who can be realistic about himself, seeing himself objectively and analytically so as to assess the si tua tion when "things go wroni"; such a . student is a good prospect for Swarthmore. This, generally speaking, would be the candidate who achieves via independence as opposed to the one who achieves via conformity. We should seek to answer questions such as: how has he fared relative to his environment's needs and standards? what has he achieved? what is his image of himself? what impression does he make on others (recommendations should, however, be used cautiously unless the person evaluating the candidate has a good knowledge of Swarthmore)? ~\fe should look for personality factors such as a) motivation, b) toughness, c) sense of self-adequacy and self-knowledge, d) ability to argue a point effectively (either orally or in writing), e) creativity, f) originality, g) an inquiring habit of mind, h) sense of identity, i) sense of destiny, j) likability, k) imagination, 1) aspiration -- placing no pre-conceived priority on one of these qualities over the others. 3ecommendation 1: The criteria indicated above should be given priority in reaching decisions concerning Black admissions. There should be heav,y reliance on interviews and letters of recommendation which give evidence of the personality factors which have been described. Adhering to the criteria described above rather than to conventional 'standardized' criteria will we believe produce a student who has the capacity to make it here, but who may initially be deficient in some skills. It is our view that active recruitment of such lower-income academically disadvantaged youth does not need to lower standards at all, if a transitional adjustment period is provided prior to the undertaking of regular course work. There is no need to lower standards if we postpone application of the standards until the students have made a reasonable adjustment, after which the regular standards can be applied. We propose, therefore Recommendation 2: Establishment of a summer pre-enrollment program which would be required of all students judged to be in need of it. The summer program would be designed to increase proficiency in reading, writing, concept mastery, and argumentation; to ease difficulties of social and academic adjustment; and to instill confidence for the coming year. The program ought to emphasize understanding of the Black experience, in an attempt to combat same of the destructive information the student has internalized about himself; and this process will enhance the student's ability and willingness to learn. By making the program directly relevant to the student's experience, he not only gains information but also sharpens the skills necessary for college studies. l~t �-6If it "is feasible, we would favor undertaking such a . .sununer preenrollment program in cooperation with Haverford and Bryn Mawr. It is felt that a combined p~ogr~· might well be more stimulating and more socially interesting than a program limited to our own students. In budgeting for such a program, we point out that for same students an allowance, to help compensate for summer employment foregone, would be desirable. Because the problem of I stigma I. cannot exist until the rest of the student body is present, a fairly structured, intensely academic program can be implemented. We recommend that it be de-centralized and personalized, emphasizing tutorial instruction. 1{hen the fall term begins, support would shift to a flexible program built around individual tutoring, under the supervision of the counsellor to Black students. While the sununer program would have a strong academic emphasis, counselling on a personal level would be provided to counteract the negative anddestructive elements in the lives of the students; indeed, some argue that this emphasis is likely to be more productive in preparing the student for college than any other effort. It is imperative that during the adjustment period the students have capable and continuing support in bridging the gap between themselves and the Swarthmore system. The difficulties to be encountered are products of varying combinations of factors, and within a given sub-group ~he circumstances and contributing factors may vary as much as they do between subgroups. Individual counselling is essential. Finally, some words of caution:., 1) Swarthmore must not ask of them a degree of change far greater than any Swarthmore is willing to make to respond to their needs. . 2) We must discard the notion of these students being pathological deviants. They are different. They have strengths and vleaknesses. Let us recognize the strengths and eliminate the weaknesses. We suspect it will be found that this group does not exist as a unitary group but as a multi-variant group. 3) We must avoid seeing them as potentially middle-class stUdents. They are different, but they can gain the skills necessary to succeed here in whatever manner they deem feasible. We can analyze some of the compensatory programs already in operation to determine the specific character of ours. If we see the cogency of the above proposals, we must be aware that reaching and recruiting this kind of student will necessitat.e some changes in admissions procedure. Experiences of Black students prior to college are generally quite different £rom those of White stUdents. This fact strongly implies that these differences hinder a fair admissions process so long as the process selects candidates with a single set of criteria in mind. A more constructi veapproach would be to compare the strengths and qualifications of Black students within the Black applicant group. We therefore propose: Recommendation 3: That changes in admissions procedures be made which are necessary to ensure admittance of the best qualified applicants identified by this process. Applicants in this group should be compared with each other, and the criteria applied should be relevant to the experiences of the applicants. �-7Such an approach would be a positive step toward assessing the adequacy of the aforementioned variables for predicting success for this type cf student. By selecting a student on the basis of his qualifications compared to those who have had fairly ·s~ilar experiences, we can be assured of enrolling the most promising candidates. At the same time we would further explore an area that has as yet to yield hard and fast data on more relevant criteria for judging Black students. We should not, however, simply select students on the basis or how they look when compared to others in the applicant pool. We should also be concerned with how a student fared relative to the conditions he was faced with. Finding a balance between inte~ and intra-evaluational criteria will probably result in a stronger Black student population. The committee recognizes there are certain limitations on the number of unconventionally qualified students that can be admitted. This circumstance should not, however, place limitations on the total number of Black students admitted to the College, many of whom will be part of the larger pool of conventionally qualified candidates. We propose: Recommendation 4: That the practice of admitting unconventionally qualified Black students be continued. Recommendation "5: That conventionally qualified Black applicants be offered admission regardless of the target number for Black students for a particular year specified in faculty actions of January 1969. Our new directions may, however, meet with frustration if we are unable to attract Black students to attend Swarthmore. This is a definite possibility, since 1) Swarthmore lacks charisma in the Black community, and 2) other colleges are making increasing efforts to recruit. We therefore propose: Recommendation 6: That there be more comprehensive recruitment to increase Black admissions candidates; and that there be use of student help to make this possible. This Admissions Office should utilize more fully the resources of the Black student population through their organization, SASS, to encourage such students to attend here. Designated individuals, for missions agreed upon, should be paid for their services. The rationale is simple: Black students have an intimate knowledge of the kinds of experience of young high school Black students, and subsequently of their concerns and questions about college in general, and White colleges in particular. Moreover, they can convey their impressions of what it is like to be Black at Swarthmore in a much more effective and persuasive manner than would be possible for someone who is not a Black student. Wesleyan, Northwestern, Br,yn Mawr, Antioch and Harvard have adopted this method and the results have been impressive. Recruiting forays into the South, Southeast and Northern urban. ghettoes ought to produce many more applicants per year. We should contact at least 3,000 students a year. But physical recruiting is only one aspect: correspondence with prospective students, hosting them when on campus and evaluating them in interviews are all avenues that students ought to be involved in, for greater results. �.... .. " -8In addition, alumni and lihite students might be used more extensively when Black candidates turn up in their respective areas. When "possible we should encourage the students and their guidance counselors to visit the campus, making funds ~ avail~ble for on-campus meals and lodging. This latter especially will enhance our visibility and charisma in the Black community. If we are dealing with a candidate from a school with which we have had no previous contact, and if we find the candidate unacceptable for admission, we ought to explain why, so that we keep lines of faith and communication open with the people who recommended him, in order to have a source for future reference • . , ~, As a postscript to the matter of recruitment, we mention as a point of information that during the past summer Don Mizell '71 wrote, at AHBAC's request, a promotional brochure for Black admissions, entitled "Black at Swarthmore". The brochure received AHBAC's unanimous endorsement, and is to be published by the College and the Office of Admissions in the near future. The students we are referring to will have greater financial need than we are currently able to provide, since -- with significant numbers of high need students -- the total scholarship need is likely to move up sharply. We therefore propose: Recommendation tIns endeavor. 1: That increased scholarship funds be made available to support Further, there are many potential transfer students who, if given the opportunity, could make a meaningful contribution to the life of the College. We believe there are ways of increasing the number of such transfers in ways that would avoid "raiding" predominantly Black institutions. lie therefore propose: Recommendation 8: A new policy which will facilitate the admission of Black transfer students, waiving the financial aid restriction in cases where this can be done with the agreement of the institution from which the student comes. It is obvious that the issues covered in this report are interrelated; any proposals that this committee would make that did not acknowledge this fact would be short-sighted. We must recognize that a commitment to the principle of educating economically disadvantaged Black students will necessarily mean some restructuring of the entire admissions procedure; it will mean a greater expenditure of money to make our efforts successful (if we are serious); and it will require a psychological readiness on the part of those at this college to deal with the new experience that is inevitable if we implement our plans. If we are only half-serious or half-committed to providing a quality educational opportunity to those who might otherwise be denied it, we should be frank to say so. But we must be aware that elitism threatens to take chances both with the quality of education and with the welfare of our society. William P. Cline Uwe Henke Franciena King '72 Asmarom Lagesse Don Mizell '71 Jean Perkins Alan Robin '70 Gilmore Stott (Chairman) Delmar Thompson '72 Aundrea ifui te '70 � I I Swarthmore College Swarthmore, Pennsylvania 7 January 1970 Memorandum To: From: Fa cuI ty and Students Ad Hoc Black Admissions Committee The attached Memorandum to President Cross comprises AHBAC's recommendations concerning- Black admissions policy at Swarthmore. It is felt that the report will be of interest to the faculty and students. Gilmore stott Chairman �SWARTHMORE COLLEGE Swarthmore, Pennsylvania 5 January 1970 Memorandtun To: From: Subject: President Robert D. Cross Ad Hoc Black Admissions Committee Recommendations con6erning Black admissions policy The faculty action of last January which established AHBAC included in its responsibilities: "To review admissions standards and procedures involved in evaluating black applicants, to recommend standards and procedures to be applied to black applicants, and in particular to propose means for implementing black admissions policy. Specifically, the committee shall also review and make recommendations concerning the College's geographical pattern of recruitment of black and other minority group students. II "To prepare reports as it sees fit." Last spring, at the request of the Curriculum Committee, AHBAC provided comments and recommendations concerning the report of that Committee's Sub-Committee on Post-Ehrollment Education. This Memorandum constitutes a report in response to the charge from the faculty which is quoted above. Endorsed by all members of the Committee, the report is based on a working paper concerning policy prepared last summer by Don Mizell '71 at the request of AHBAC. We point out, also, that the report was prepared after consultation of numerous written materials in the field of Black admissions, and conversations between the Committee and the following consultants: Dr. Donald M. Henderson, Director, Experiment in Higher Education, Southern Illinois University, East st. Louis, Illinois 62201 425 Dr. Andress Taylor, Department of English, Federal City College, Second Street, N. W., Washington, D. C. Robert Kirkpatrick, Assistant Dean of Admissions, Wesleyan University, Middletown, Connecticut Harold Davis, Office of Admissions, Wesleyan University The Committee makes this report so as to provide a way of implementing the policy of the faculty as it is stated in the actions concerning Black admissions taken last January. If questions occur about procedures to be used in carrying out these recommendations, we ask that such questions be discussed with the Committee, and that comments about policy issues which may arise be brought back to the Committee. We encourage discussion of our report, and would respond to proposals that may be brought to us which ask for further deliberation or review~ �-2- The educational system still makes the mistake of judging students by their past, ~egardless of how miserable or hopeless it may have been, rather than on their fUtu~e or promise. Sociological sophistication and misplaced compassion may sometimes be as damaging as insensitivity and prejudice. A system of higher education resigned to failure because its potential clientele is the product of ghettoes, slums and/or broken homes becomes an accomplice in victimizing stUdents. The colleges and universities, more than any other level of the American educational systam, , have exhibited inertia, lack of inventiveness, and lack of openness to pedagogical innovation. Horace Mann Bond, Dean of Education at Atlanta University, was justified in saying there is no question that "the universities will be sorely pressed to attempt to comply with the demands of the Black students while clinging to their traditional procedures and formulations: It The Committee is not in a position to chart out what specific changes in method or content of instruction may be called for as students from this different kind of experience and background come in larger nUmbers to colleges such as our own. we do point out that inclusion of a new type of student implies serious consideration of new approaches to educational method and content. We emphasize that we sharply distinguish between this advice, and any euphemism for a predicted "lowering of standards II. The College now has some rather clearly defined standards of admission, but very few precisely stated standards of educational accomplishment. Such standards as exist, for example percentage going on to respectable graduate schools, are certainly not incontrovertible. The new situation is a ~amic situation, bringing with it opportunities to reexamine the goals of a Swarthmore education and those all-important standards of educational achievement which now remain largely undefined. This will enable us to revitalize an educational tradition which, despite acknowledged virtues, has grown too static. The new type of student asks new questions, does not take for granted the relevance of our standard forms of approach to the problems of understanding and of action as seen from his perspective, In broad outline, we understand this perspective to imply the following: this new type of student will demand a more integrated and problem-oriented curriculum -- a curriculum which combines theoretical and practical concerns and brings knowledge and methods acquired in diverse academic disciplines to bear upon the solution to specific problems confronting these stUdents. We encourage faculty receptivity to these new stimuli which we expect from the inclusion of a larger Black student group. At the same time we expect that these students, faced with the more traditional approach to liberal education now largely represented by the Collegels fac\ll.ty, will benefit from a confrontation with that approach. We believe that this will create a new and dynamic mixture of the College community which has a great potential for a more challenging and stimulating educational experience. Our admissions officers and counsellors should actively advise the faculty not simply on how we can teach these young people to learn our way, but on how their perspectives can change and enliven our way. With a new Office of Research Support, we expect its functions would include the seeking of evidence on the effectiveness of educational methods, both old and new, with respect to students of different backgrounds. Such control and feedback is of the utmost importance i f we want our program to be successful. �-3Those few colleges which have explored new criteria for determining the potential of, Black students (generally lower-class) for success in studies at White colleges, -have been pleasantly surprised with their academic performance. Doxey Wilkerson, educational research specialist at Yeshiva University, has observed that IfThe early experiences of these colleges show that the black students they considered high risks have quite frequently performed as well as did their regularly admitted classmates. Clearly, many of these students lack the money, the test scores or the high school preparation to compete on an equal footing for space in college. There is far less evidence to indicate that they lack the ability, the talent or the desire to succeed at college -- even according to the standards by which college is so generally determined. '~oreover, evidence mounts to prove that the 'cultural deprivation' hypothesis is bankrupt. Like its predecessor, the doctrine of 'genetic inferiority', it is untenable as an explanation for the prevailing academic retardation among students from the ghetto. When provided with learning experiences appropriate to their developmental needs, these students, despite their impoverished economic background, do learn effectively. Their academic failure must be attributed in large measure to inappropriate learning experiences in school. If (from Compensatory Education for the Disadvantaged) In addition Kenneth Clark, in a study done for National Scholarship Service and Fund for Negro Students, found that SAT scores either fail alto~ gether to predict academic performance of Black students at integrated colleges, or else underestimate their performance as compared to W hites. We should not, however, dismiss tests as completely irrelevant, as they do give some minimal indication of basic skills for reasoning with words and numbers that a student has acquired, presumably as a consequence of having gone to school. If he appears to be deficient in these skills and if we believe such skills have some relevance to success in college, then it is important that we become aware of these deficiencies, so that we can take specific remedial action as early as possible. We add the caution, however, that the standard pre-college tests do not offer information about these students' total potential, and offer no more than limited information about academic potential; such tests therefore should not be used to deny admission to a disadvantaged Black student, though they may serve as a guide for the nature and direction of our support programs. If -- as is argued by most of our consultants and the various sources we have explored -- tests reflect a strong cultural bias, i.e. White-middle class, then they are not adequate for measuring the potential of candidates whose experiences fall outside the tests' orientation. What, then, are some functional alternatives. The Committee's information indicates that colleges have to re-examine some fundamental assumptions about talent, creativity, and ability, and how these factors are related to admissions decisions. One question we should consider is whether we seek candidates whose records and credentials point only in the direction of academic achievement, or whether we are interested in those candidates whose priorities are more creatively oriented. �-4" The committee believes we will find greater success, including 'academic success , if we concentrate ,on the latter type candidate. There is latent academic talent and creativity tha~is not shown at the high school level, because such accomplishments are not as much acknowledged and praised by peers as other endeavors. If a Black candidate has heretofore been applying his talent and creativity effectively in other areas, this does not mean he cannot do satisfactory academic work at Swarthmore. The current admissions process slights emotive and motivating factors in favor of intellective factors; but the former ' are equally important, frequently more important, to the success of the Black s tudent. We suggest that our predictive criteria' .should consist of both intellective and non-intellective factors; and that our predictive criteria have broader concerns than academic achievement alone. The goal should be more than possession of superior aptitudes and abilities, and more than superior academic achievement; it should include actualization of the self in accomplishment. In the long run we want to identif.y those who in their own way will succeed. We wish to promote the self development of young people who will create and contribute to the improvement of the system -- not merely conform to it. That is to say, we are interested in the potentially scholastically competent who are also creatively oriented. Wallach (a Swarthmore graduate) and Wing, in a book called The Talented Student, comment: "Scores on achievement tests respond to systematic, intense, enlightened instruction and encouragement ••• but ••• such an authoritarian atmosphere, firm in discipline and over-control in children in more 'privileged' families may stifle creativity ••• (whereas) ••• the greater independence and non-conformity of the disadvantaged who succeed academically enables them to grasp the meanings and implications of experience •• " Locating such talent necessitates taking into consideration the ecological field in which the candidate must operate, and the obstructive forces preventing him from realizing his full capabilities. Kenneth Clark writes: "Academic aspiration, achievements and creativity are not only a function of intellect but in a more complex and definitive way, a function of the individual's image of himself, what he has been told about himself, what is expected of him, and what he has accepted as the essence of his identity from childhood through adolescence. There is a complex relationship between expectation and social ego learning." If a student is rewarded for accomplishments as a leader but finds no such responses as a scholar (given the remnants of the internalized inferiority complex derived from insecurities about the integrity of differences projected by White culture), he will consequently excel at being a leader, which of course does not eliminate the possibility of academic talent. Dr. Don Henderson points out that often the student lacks perspective on what colleges can mean. This lack of perspective, and consequent need for an extended period of adjustment, have all too often been mistakenly interpreted as lack of motivation, as low aspiration or absence of self-confidence on the part of the stUdents. It seems likely, then, that a talented student who is operat. ing from this vantage point may only seem to be an unlikely prospect for Swarthmore. ---- �-5" kind of qualities should we look for in a candidate coming from a background sC? different from the usual applicant? The Committee proposes that the most productiv~ method of assessing talent is by evaluating the person as a whole. A student who displays confidence, self-assurance, self-assertiveness in situations of his own choosing; a student who has high levels of energy channeled effectively in whatever endeavor; who is vigorous and spontaneous, persistent and resourceful in the face of social obstacles; who can be realistic about himself, seeing himself objectively and analytically so as to assess the si tua tion when "things go wroni"; such a . student is a good prospect for Swarthmore. This, generally speaking, would be the candidate who achieves via independence as opposed to the one who achieves via conformity. We should seek to answer questions such as: how has he fared relative to his environment's needs and standards? what has he achieved? what is his image of himself? what impression does he make on others (recommendations should, however, be used cautiously unless the person evaluating the candidate has a good knowledge of Swarthmore)? ~\fe should look for personality factors such as a) motivation, b) toughness, c) sense of self-adequacy and self-knowledge, d) ability to argue a point effectively (either orally or in writing), e) creativity, f) originality, g) an inquiring habit of mind, h) sense of identity, i) sense of destiny, j) likability, k) imagination, 1) aspiration -- placing no pre-conceived priority on one of these qualities over the others. 3ecommendation 1: The criteria indicated above should be given priority in reaching decisions concerning Black admissions. There should be heav,y reliance on interviews and letters of recommendation which give evidence of the personality factors which have been described. Adhering to the criteria described above rather than to conventional 'standardized' criteria will we believe produce a student who has the capacity to make it here, but who may initially be deficient in some skills. It is our view that active recruitment of such lower-income academically disadvantaged youth does not need to lower standards at all, if a transitional adjustment period is provided prior to the undertaking of regular course work. There is no need to lower standards if we postpone application of the standards until the students have made a reasonable adjustment, after which the regular standards can be applied. We propose, therefore Recommendation 2: Establishment of a summer pre-enrollment program which would be required of all students judged to be in need of it. The summer program would be designed to increase proficiency in reading, writing, concept mastery, and argumentation; to ease difficulties of social and academic adjustment; and to instill confidence for the coming year. The program ought to emphasize understanding of the Black experience, in an attempt to combat same of the destructive information the student has internalized about himself; and this process will enhance the student's ability and willingness to learn. By making the program directly relevant to the student's experience, he not only gains information but also sharpens the skills necessary for college studies. l~t �-6If it "is feasible, we would favor undertaking such a . .sununer preenrollment program in cooperation with Haverford and Bryn Mawr. It is felt that a combined p~ogr~· might well be more stimulating and more socially interesting than a program limited to our own students. In budgeting for such a program, we point out that for same students an allowance, to help compensate for summer employment foregone, would be desirable. Because the problem of I stigma I. cannot exist until the rest of the student body is present, a fairly structured, intensely academic program can be implemented. We recommend that it be de-centralized and personalized, emphasizing tutorial instruction. 1{hen the fall term begins, support would shift to a flexible program built around individual tutoring, under the supervision of the counsellor to Black students. While the sununer program would have a strong academic emphasis, counselling on a personal level would be provided to counteract the negative anddestructive elements in the lives of the students; indeed, some argue that this emphasis is likely to be more productive in preparing the student for college than any other effort. It is imperative that during the adjustment period the students have capable and continuing support in bridging the gap between themselves and the Swarthmore system. The difficulties to be encountered are products of varying combinations of factors, and within a given sub-group ~he circumstances and contributing factors may vary as much as they do between subgroups. Individual counselling is essential. Finally, some words of caution:., 1) Swarthmore must not ask of them a degree of change far greater than any Swarthmore is willing to make to respond to their needs. . 2) We must discard the notion of these students being pathological deviants. They are different. They have strengths and vleaknesses. Let us recognize the strengths and eliminate the weaknesses. We suspect it will be found that this group does not exist as a unitary group but as a multi-variant group. 3) We must avoid seeing them as potentially middle-class stUdents. They are different, but they can gain the skills necessary to succeed here in whatever manner they deem feasible. We can analyze some of the compensatory programs already in operation to determine the specific character of ours. If we see the cogency of the above proposals, we must be aware that reaching and recruiting this kind of student will necessitat.e some changes in admissions procedure. Experiences of Black students prior to college are generally quite different £rom those of White stUdents. This fact strongly implies that these differences hinder a fair admissions process so long as the process selects candidates with a single set of criteria in mind. A more constructi veapproach would be to compare the strengths and qualifications of Black students within the Black applicant group. We therefore propose: Recommendation 3: That changes in admissions procedures be made which are necessary to ensure admittance of the best qualified applicants identified by this process. Applicants in this group should be compared with each other, and the criteria applied should be relevant to the experiences of the applicants. �-7Such an approach would be a positive step toward assessing the adequacy of the aforementioned variables for predicting success for this type cf student. By selecting a student on the basis of his qualifications compared to those who have had fairly ·s~ilar experiences, we can be assured of enrolling the most promising candidates. At the same time we would further explore an area that has as yet to yield hard and fast data on more relevant criteria for judging Black students. We should not, however, simply select students on the basis or how they look when compared to others in the applicant pool. We should also be concerned with how a student fared relative to the conditions he was faced with. Finding a balance between inte~ and intra-evaluational criteria will probably result in a stronger Black student population. The committee recognizes there are certain limitations on the number of unconventionally qualified students that can be admitted. This circumstance should not, however, place limitations on the total number of Black students admitted to the College, many of whom will be part of the larger pool of conventionally qualified candidates. We propose: Recommendation 4: That the practice of admitting unconventionally qualified Black students be continued. Recommendation "5: That conventionally qualified Black applicants be offered admission regardless of the target number for Black students for a particular year specified in faculty actions of January 1969. Our new directions may, however, meet with frustration if we are unable to attract Black students to attend Swarthmore. This is a definite possibility, since 1) Swarthmore lacks charisma in the Black community, and 2) other colleges are making increasing efforts to recruit. We therefore propose: Recommendation 6: That there be more comprehensive recruitment to increase Black admissions candidates; and that there be use of student help to make this possible. This Admissions Office should utilize more fully the resources of the Black student population through their organization, SASS, to encourage such students to attend here. Designated individuals, for missions agreed upon, should be paid for their services. The rationale is simple: Black students have an intimate knowledge of the kinds of experience of young high school Black students, and subsequently of their concerns and questions about college in general, and White colleges in particular. Moreover, they can convey their impressions of what it is like to be Black at Swarthmore in a much more effective and persuasive manner than would be possible for someone who is not a Black student. Wesleyan, Northwestern, Br,yn Mawr, Antioch and Harvard have adopted this method and the results have been impressive. Recruiting forays into the South, Southeast and Northern urban. ghettoes ought to produce many more applicants per year. We should contact at least 3,000 students a year. But physical recruiting is only one aspect: correspondence with prospective students, hosting them when on campus and evaluating them in interviews are all avenues that students ought to be involved in, for greater results. �.... .. " -8In addition, alumni and lihite students might be used more extensively when Black candidates turn up in their respective areas. When "possible we should encourage the students and their guidance counselors to visit the campus, making funds ~ avail~ble for on-campus meals and lodging. This latter especially will enhance our visibility and charisma in the Black community. If we are dealing with a candidate from a school with which we have had no previous contact, and if we find the candidate unacceptable for admission, we ought to explain why, so that we keep lines of faith and communication open with the people who recommended him, in order to have a source for future reference • . , ~, As a postscript to the matter of recruitment, we mention as a point of information that during the past summer Don Mizell '71 wrote, at AHBAC's request, a promotional brochure for Black admissions, entitled "Black at Swarthmore". The brochure received AHBAC's unanimous endorsement, and is to be published by the College and the Office of Admissions in the near future. The students we are referring to will have greater financial need than we are currently able to provide, since -- with significant numbers of high need students -- the total scholarship need is likely to move up sharply. We therefore propose: Recommendation tIns endeavor. 1: That increased scholarship funds be made available to support Further, there are many potential transfer students who, if given the opportunity, could make a meaningful contribution to the life of the College. We believe there are ways of increasing the number of such transfers in ways that would avoid "raiding" predominantly Black institutions. lie therefore propose: Recommendation 8: A new policy which will facilitate the admission of Black transfer students, waiving the financial aid restriction in cases where this can be done with the agreement of the institution from which the student comes. It is obvious that the issues covered in this report are interrelated; any proposals that this committee would make that did not acknowledge this fact would be short-sighted. We must recognize that a commitment to the principle of educating economically disadvantaged Black students will necessarily mean some restructuring of the entire admissions procedure; it will mean a greater expenditure of money to make our efforts successful (if we are serious); and it will require a psychological readiness on the part of those at this college to deal with the new experience that is inevitable if we implement our plans. If we are only half-serious or half-committed to providing a quality educational opportunity to those who might otherwise be denied it, we should be frank to say so. But we must be aware that elitism threatens to take chances both with the quality of education and with the welfare of our society. William P. Cline Uwe Henke Franciena King '72 Asmarom Lagesse Don Mizell '71 Jean Perkins Alan Robin '70 Gilmore Stott (Chairman) Delmar Thompson '72 Aundrea ifui te '70 � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Friends Historical Library General Reference Files Description An account of the resource This collection contains a series of folders in the Friends Historical Library that are not part of any particular collection. Most of the documents pertain to SASS, the BCC, and Black Studies. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Friends Historical Library Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Recommendations concerning Black Admissions Policy Description An account of the resource Ad Hoc Black Admissions Committee Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 01/05/1970 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Alan Robin Aundrea White (Kelley) Black admissions Delmar Thompson Don Mizell Faculty Franciena King President's Office http://s3.amazonaws.com/sc-lib-ds-bl1969/original/6cf7a61f4d6127376711f7a3d16ce289.jpg 76c418c453e39101acd20ab92006b9ea Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Black Cultural Center Records Description An account of the resource Correspondence and official documentation regarding the Black Cultural Center and the Swarthmore Afro-American Students' Society. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Friends Historical Library Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource [Letter from Robert Cross to SASS steering committee, 10/23/1969] Description An account of the resource Box 2, Cross and SASS correspondence Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Robert Cross Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 10/23/1969 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource JPG Aundrea White (Kelley) Delmar Thompson Don Mizell Franciena King President's Office