The DePauw, September 15, 1981

              In racial dating: Prejudic s -, survive on DPU campus
By SUSIE EHLERS
Staff Reporter
The likelihood of interracial
dating and its potential complica­tions
are high on DePauw's campus
due to the small black population
here. " If two people, no matter what
color they are, have feelings for one
another, why can't they express
themselves openly?" asked senior
Kevin Kellam.
Kellam, a black student who has
attended predominantly white
schools all his life, said he feels
society's criticisms often ruin inter­racial
relationships unwarrantedly.
" You have to see the person before
the color," said Kellam. " Mixed
dating is there in the real world to­day.
And since college is a place
where you learn, students are only
hurt by a sheltered environment."
Consciousness on the part of both
blacks and whites is necessary in an
environment such as DePauw. Pro-t
vost Dodge Johnson said he feels
DePauw students need " to meet and
spend time with black students here
as they would anywhere else." He
added that in keeping with
DePauw's historical commitment to
the education of blacks, DePauw ac­cepts
all the qualified blacks who ap­ply.
". feel DePauw students
need to meet and spend time
with black students here as
they would anywhere else."
- Dodge Johnson
Provost
" We would want to have more
blacks come here," said Johnson.
" But since DePauw is a
predominantly white campus' and
many blacks have a difficult time ad­justing
socially, they don't want this
for themselves."
Subject 10 Examination. Junior Tale Mageru keeps an eye on the
exit gate in the aftell- hours room. Roy O. West Library has been at the
center of a recent controversy over its " no food and no drink" policy.
Johnson said he would be surpris­ed
if black men weren't dating white
women here at DePauw but that
" the administration has never been
confronted with any complaints of
any kind concerning interracial
dating." He added, " even if we did
receive complaints, we in the ad­ministration
have no attitudes con­cerning
this because it would be a
personal problem - not a college
problem."
I don't know if this means that there
isn't much dating interracially, or if
people are just so comfortable with
it that no one talks," she said."
years, many of the old conflicts still
exist.
" I think many people are
still influenced by the old
myth that a mixed couple
dating has a lot of really
bizarre kinds of problems ... "
According to Assistant Dean of
Students Carol Arner, the problems
that come up in interracial dating
are essentially the same kinds of
problems which arise in any rela­tionship.
" I think many people are
still influenced by the old myth that
a mixed couple dating has a lot of
really bizarre kinds of problems, and
that's just not true," said Arner,
who is also a counselor.
" Sometimes the situation
can hurt the parents so
much, and. think this has to
be worked out. But in the
end, the couple has to worry
more about themselves and
not the public."
- Carol ArneI'
Assistant Dean
of Students
- Kevin Kellam One sophomore who wished to re­main
anonymous said prejudiced
feelings interferred with her accep­tance
of interracial dating.
" Everyone comes from a different
background, and I think that races
should stick together," she said.
Arner added that she doubts
students are cQmpletely comfortable
with interracial dating because
" there is a good chance that many
DePauw student have not been ex­posed
to it before." Other students who had some ex­perience
with interracial dating said
such a relationship should be viewed
" Not many students come in for just as any other one would be -
eounseling concerning mixed dating.
Most students interviewed by the
The DePauw said although views
concerning interracial dating have
become more liberal throusrh the fContiuueci on page 41
Where DePauw gets
its money
Tuesday, September 15,1981
Student representatives discuss
new policy with library officials
By SARAH STURMON
News Editor
Student government leaders and library staff
members met Friday to discuss student reaction to the
" no food and no drink" policy set this summer by the
library staff.
The meeting was called by James Martindale, direc­tor
of libraries, after student opposition to the ruling
culminated in a protest by students last Tuesday night
at Roy O. West library.
Representing the student body in the meeting were
senior Kevin Armstrong, student body president; senior
Thom Jackson, Student Senate president; and senior
Buzz Kauffman, Academic Council representative. They
met with Martindale and the five librarians from Roy O.
West.
According to Armstrong, four options were sug­gested
regarding the current policy. The options
discussed were:
It to completely rescind the policy and allow food and
drink back in the library;
It to set aside a particular area in which the students
could eat and drink;
It to have the machines removed but still allow students
to bring in their own food and drink;
• to set aside an area similar to a cafe for food and
drink.
Another meeting has been set for Sept. 25 to
rediscuss the issue. According to Armstrong, they an­ticipate
a decision will be made at this meeting.
" Naturally, the library wanted to have some time to
think these options over again," said Armstrong. " They
have considered several options in the past and among
them, many, if not all, of these. But after hearing the
input and comments the. student body had to make con­cerning
this issue, they did want to take the options
... under consideratioll again.
iii " I think it is important to realize that we have to go
about things in a way that is fair to both sides," said
Armstrong. " I am thoroughly convinced that both of us
came out very well in the sense thaLour options were
presented, the library staff became a little bit more
aware and has agreed to reconsider."
Martindale would not say which option he was lean­ing
toward at this point. " Whether we come to another
decision or not is hard to say," he said. " We did get some
viewpoints we hadn't gotten before."
Martindale added it was " hard to say" whether the
student protest influenced the meeting.
Armstrong also said the effect of the protest on the
meeting was hard to judge. " I wouldn't say that it [ the
protest] gave us more leverage. What it did do was make
the library staff aware that students were giving more
than just lip service to this issue," he said.
Armstrong said he hoped students " wouldn't push
things too far." He added, " I think we ( the library per­sonnel
and the student government) had an extremely
good relationship going into that meeting. I would really
hate to see that damaged by actions that weren't given
enough consideration."
When asked how the library proposed to enforce
the " no food and drink" policy, Armstrong responded,
" Naturally, as the library staff has mentioned, they are
not there to patrol the library. They are not there to be
armed guards or correCtion officers. Nevertheless, I
hope students will consider the policy and make every
effort to maintain that policy to the best of their ability.
If the student body can prove that it is willing to go to
the best of their ability in maintaining the rules, it can't
hurt."
Also discus~ ed at the meeting were plans to create
more student ihput into the functions of the library.
Armstrong said three possible plans were discussed.
These included having students serve on the biblio­graphic
material committee headed by Archivist David
Horn, incorporating students within the different com­mittees
and research groups now working within the
library, and having Student Senate and Academic Coun­cil
work with the library on specific topics. The latter
would include discussion on updating library resources.
" A lot of times here at DePauw we complain about
the library - it's not sufficient, things are too old. The
big dilemma is that students don't make suggestions,"
said Armstrong.