U of A Wants More Native Students by Matthew Lawrence y

Edmonton (CUP)-- The University of Alberta has adopted a new policy to increase aboriginal student participation and increase the level of awareness of native culture on campus.

Natives make up about 5 per cent of Alberta’s population, but there are only 129 native students out of the U of A’s 30,000 students, said Dexter Young, past president of the Aboriginal Students council. That’s less than one half of one per cent.

"We see no parity there, so our overall goal in the policy will be to reach that parity be the turn of the century. we’re expecting a ten-fold increase in the number of native students," Young said.

The new policy--which becomes part of the university’s constitution--will expand and improve a year-long program offered to natives who want to enter the university. It also calls for a native student centre that would provide tutoring, counseling. p and a community outreach program.

Reinhild Boehm, director of native student services, said increasing native student enrolment is important, especially since the U of A increased its entrance. requirements.

The stricter guidelines will make it more difficult for anybody to get into university, Boehm said, but it will make it especially hard for natives.

According to the 1986 census, only five per cent of natives graduate for high school, making strict admission requirements a barrier. :

"(The university) went from a 65 to a 70 per cent entrance

requirement," Boehm said. "Because of this tightening, we have -

seen a drop in native students."

One way the university can ensure an increase in native participation is through the use of quotas, he said. Quotas are not mentioned in the policy, but it does state the university should "improve access to all faculties.”

"The U of A is going to a quota system in arts and sciences next

year and I think it’s important that there are some places set aside for native students," Boehm said.

Young, who sat on the committee that drafted the policy, said quotas should be used in all faculties.

"We would like to see all faculties open their doors by keeping some seats open for native students." Native students would still have to fulfil the same entrance requirements as other students, he said. Young said he is pleased the policy is now part of the U of A’s constitution.

"In other universities there are native studies programs, but none that are incorporated into the constitution. I think of it as

constitutional protection because the university is obliged to fulfil _

its commitment to native studies."

The native student centre is also a necessary addition to the

university, Boehm said.

"The aboriginal student centre would have a cultural focus and be a living link between the community and the university.”

"Universities have a habit of housing beautiful artifacts of native culture, but they’ve been sitting in the basement for the past 10 years in really cramped corners," he said.

Boehm said an increase in the native student population benefits the whole community.

"I think it’s important to recognize that the presence of native students on campus heightens the awareness of native issues, so it’s not just a one-way route because it’s good for native people and it’s also good for: campus to have more native people participate.”

A committee made up of faculty and aboriginal groups participated in the development of the policy.

Council Committee Convicts Student For Slurs (Source: The Queen’s Journal, Queen’s University)

Kingston (CUP)--A man accused of leaving racist comments on another student’s answering machine was found guilty by a student council judicial committee Oct. 31.

Neil Myers, a third-year commerce student, pleaded guilty to charges that he left intimidating messages on the answering

machine of Atif Ghani in September.

The incident took place after Ghani. told Myers that he could not be a floor senior in a residence because he had not attended a training session.

The committee directed ‘Myers to: write letters of apology to Ghani and the community; to pay a fine of $100, which will go to the Islamic Society of Kingston; to volunteer 35 hours of community services; and to post a $300 bond.

They also recommended to the director of residences that Myers be transferred from residence.

Although Ghani _ said he was. slightly. disappointed with the sanctions, he approved of the message the judicial committee was trying to send out.

"Ideally, we would have liked expulsion from residence, but the committee did send a message that racism is not tolerable,” he said.

Ghani said the outcome proved that the student non-academic discipline system works. Myers did not wish to comment on the sanctions. :

The UPEI X-Press

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