http://digital.lib.buffalo.edu/upimage/VF_I18C_029.pdf

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Part of Ketter Cites Action On Black Queries, April 28, 1972

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take whatever steps are neccs- :
sary to ensure that the all-uni- !
versity recommending authority
will have mmonty rcpresrntation as of the academic ye a r

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President Robert L. Ketter of
the University of Buffalo told
a group of black students and
faculty members Thursday that
most of the demands .served on
him Wednesday
were for
changes already under consideration.The delegation's spokesman charged his response was
"not specific enough" and broke
off discussions.
The stalemate ended the second of two meetings Ketter held
with the group fewer than half
of the 200 who confronted him
Wednesday · with a _list of five
"Demands From the Black
Populace at UB."
But before he took up any
of the students' demands, Ketter
again labeled them "problems"
in his
reply
issued Thursday- ·
"If the history of the last
several years has taught anything, however, it is that we
do little to solve problems
when even for the best of
motives, they are -stated m the
form of demands, ·• he said.
''I can understand the circumstances and the factors that
lead to the use of this form.
But I think we have all seen
that, · even when genuine problems are stated in this fashion, ·,
a constructive solution may be
impeded, rather than accelerated."
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Meeting

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Recesses

The first meeting Thursd.Y 1
began at 1:30 p.m. at Capen
Hall, scene of Wednesday's
gathering, and recessed after _
about 20 minutes to permit
to study the UB
the group
president's seven-page response.
The second meeting was convened in the third-floor amnhitheater in Hayes Hall at 4:30
p.m. Spokesmen for the delegation, who _had called for minority access .to the president's
office. injected a condition that
would bar "any dialogue" between Ketter and a minority
member of the campus except
with the approval of the "Blac.'·
Populace," and at a time and
place designated by it.
A second amendment to the
group's original objectives was
the inclusion "of all Caribbean
area" studies under
black
studies, which Ketter understood
to include the Puerto Rican program.
I
When Ketter sought lo bring
back to the
the discussion
original five-point agenda, the
spokesman balked and the meeting ended less than 20 minutes
after it began.

Queries

.

"I believe that the discussion
which would occur in these dialogues offer the most fruitful
and con structive means of tac
ling and resolving some of the
other problems identified in
documents given to me."
Ketter said he is ready
begin discussions "for the greatest benefit of our minority Students and forthe entire university committee ... at the earliest
possible occasion." But, he emphasized, they must:
--Be approached by all parties
with a sincere desire to arrive
at a cor.structive solution.
-Be approached as common
problems, whose solution is
the common interest.
-Involve only students with
represent• and are recognize
by "their student constituents
''I ask therefore, that you
proceed to designate individuals
who are to meet with us in the
discussions," Ketter conclude
--- -·

All-university committees
represent the final stage of con-\
sideration for tenure and related
Status Change
faculty recommendations, Ketter
• explained, the first two being
In . his written point-by-point
departmental and faculty levels.
response to the objectives handAs for the delegation's insistence on tenure for Banks, the
ed to him Wednesday, Ketter
Thursday disclosed that a move
president said: "What is . at iswas under way to upgrade the
sue 1s not !us contmuat1on at
university's Black Studies Prothe university hut his request
gram to departmental status.
thathe be promoted to tenured
This was one of the "demands."
associate professor."
Ketter explained that the Dep t.
He assured the deleg1:tion,
80 and 90
- of Anthropology "has recomnumbering between
at both sessions; that the .minormended promotion for Banks
but "the Faculty Personnel Comity voice will be heard "in such
ma tters as • 'promotion and
mittee
has recommended
tenure," as urged, and invited
that consideration for promo_tion
minorities to use already estabbe delayed another year, since
lished channels for dialogue with
Pro;. Banks 1s only now com1
the president's office.
pleting his third year at this
The invitation was m . dtrcct •
unrversity.
response to' one of the original
Appointment Rejected
aims of the delegation ' now •
He cautioned that the Pres!deflected
' Ketter said, by new
dent's Review Board is to conBlack Populace restrictions on
sider Banks' case today and that :
Ia ogue between minorities
,
it would be improper and, in
and the university president
fact, possibly prejudicial to Prof.
Tenure Questions
Banks -for me to make any
statement'
Of the final point originally
on this issue until I
Paper _;
have the
tion."
board's recommendaraised by the delegation - immediate reappointment and ten.
. ,
ure for Charles Gayles, visiting
In Prof. Gayle's case, Ketter
the
said,
Dept. of Music has
Code
assistant professor of music and
overwhelmingly voted not to reDr. David J. Banks, assistant
that
professor. of anthropology--K et- new
appointment.
ter said Gayles' situation is
Nevertheless,he said. the Per- - - - - - - - - - - - - - under review .and Banks' reapsonnel Conumttee of _tne faculty
of Arts and Letters is reviewing
pointment is certain. He care- ,
fully. explained the status of each
the case and I plan to appoint
regardingtenure.
a special committee on which
The question of elevating black
there will be minority representastudies to the
tation, to study this matter in
prestige of a c decareful deptlt and to make an '
partment,
Ketter
t•
' recommendation to •
.
said , was beappropriate
ing resolved as the Thursday _
me."
meetings went on.
Responding !o the black delegation's call en him for "imDr. Edwin P. Hollander, actmediate dialogue with minority ,
ing provost of the faculty of Sogroup students in professional .
cial Sciences and Administra- •
and graduate schools ior the
tion, went before
f
the Policy
Committee of his faculty and
purpose of alleviating
their
proposed a Black Studies Dept.
problems," Ketter said he has :
after several weeks" of dis>
met "a number of times·• with
Law School and health sciences
cuss:ons.
. ''I am happy to inform you
students.
that the
Policy Committee has
Seminars
Noted
l voted to set into
unanimously
:motion the procedures required
. "I would be happy to continue
these meetings, either on a
for the program to achieve full
periodic basis or as specific is- I
status," Ketter
departmental
said.
sues require," he said. "Other
also beincludedin these disPeer Judgment
cussions."
Regarding the students' bid
As for "regular dialogue be- .
for a procedure that would extween the president'soffice and
minority students and faculty," i
pose minority candidates for :
tenure and promotion to "peer
Ketter poi nted to his regular ______________
group judgment," the UB presTuesday morning sessions with
ident said:
students and faculty and staff
"I am requesting all departmembers. He offered to "explore
ments and all faculties lo mod- ·
whatever
arrangements might
ify, if necessary, their personnel
be necessary or desirable to
procedures so as to ensure
improve or regularize . . . exminority representation on all
isling modes of communication"
committees which make
such
and, referring to the delegation's

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recommendations

CODE:

1972-73.

86

One=page 1; TR= trick page; SP=split
RTV=radio-TV col umn or supplement;

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will

also

agenda

of "demands," said:

page; ED=Editorial page ; SPO=sports page; SO=society page;
MAG=supplement.