The Rice Thresher (Houston, Tex.), Vol. 56, No. 12, Ed. 1 Thursday, November 21, 1968 Page: 1 of 8
eight pages : ill. ; page 21 x 14 in.View a full description of this newspaper.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
the rice thresher
(Reprinted on the first two pages of this week's Thresher are excerpts
from "Who Enters Rice?" a detailed proposal of the Student Committee on
University Research. The proposal, which is mainly concerned with outlining a
program of intensive minority-group recruitment and enrollment, also suggests
general curricular and auxiliary reforms. The original document, some 31 pages
long, is now being distributed to University departments and administration
officials, and is available to students at the Reserve Desk of Fondren Library and
in the Colleges. It will be the subject of a general forum tonight at 7:30 pm in
the Chemistry Lecture Hall. It is both because the Thresher feels that "Who
Enters Rice?" is one of the most significant and well-reasoned proposals for
reform ever to arise from the Rice student body, and because the original is
limited in its availabilty to students, that we devote a substantial portion of our
space to highlights of this proposal.—Ed.)
Herein is proposed a radical departure from present Rice
admissions policy: Rice should seek to break the homogeneous
nature of the student body.
The bulk of this proposal is concerned with special minority
admissions, and its major thrust is towards the admissions of
more Black students. We feel that this is the most important
single proposition and we have worked accordingly. Mention is
made, however, of Latin American and poor white admissions,
and we propose that efforts be directed to these areas as well.
At the same time, this special topic does not preclude the
reform of other admissions policies. We would be derelict in our
duty if we did not at least urge a drastic re-examination of the
quota system for in-state and out-of-state admissions now in
effect. This policy is part and parcel of the whole problem.
Let it be clear that SCOUR is not proposing the creation of
a student body reflecting a cross-cut of American society. We
are not. Rice has always had a selective admissions policy and
we expect this to continue. We call for a special inclusion of
certain groups in accord with the principles that it will be to the
benefit of Rice and the community in the ci-eation of a great
university. It has been determined that such was the main interest
of William Marsh Rice in his founding of the Institute.
SCOUR proposes that at least 15% of each entering class
be from disadvantaged and/or minority group backgrounds. At
least 10% of each entering class should be Black; at least 109c
should be from low-income groups. Black and low-income groups
interlock so that Black students may take up part of the "dis-
advantaged."
This policy thus does not preclude that admission of middle-
income Blacks and Latin Americans as part of the "minority
groups" percentage; it is obvious, however, that stress is given
to underprivileged Blacks.
diversification
We have heard much about the ideals of Rice University:
to be a university of excellence outside a regional frame of re-
ference, to be a center for creative thinking, to prepare students
for their future roles as part of, and leaders in, society.
Yet how consistent is the university with these goals? By
vising- the quota, system, the administration makes a conscious
choice of regionalism. By disfavoring the Fine Arts, English, and
other academic departments, the university is helping stifle
creative thought. And by drawing an overwhelming majority
of its students from middle class intellectual and economic back-
grounds, the university .tfails to impart an accurate image of
society, and indeed, to meet' its responsibility to the community
at large by not assuming- the burden of correcting society's in-
equities. 1
"Many Rice students do go on to be not just members of
society, but actual leaders in it. Our future leaders must expect
to be confronted with new, undefined situations. These people
will have to find solutions that are not in a textbook, that call
for truly creative thinking- and the ability to see more than one
alternative.
But the student who has had contact with only one way of
thought, who has not been exposed to more than one attitude
and belief, cannot suddenly become receptive to non-traditional,
unorthdox suggestions. The university, the training ground for
potential leaders, must be a place where a wide range of values
are offered and studied, so that a student may realize that there
will always be more than one alternative. One way to assure more
diversity of thought is to provide more diversity of background.
Apart from its direct effect on students, the university also
plays the role in the community of an agency for feocial change.
Rice University has for over fifty years been a racist institution,
systematically depriving Blacks and Latin Americans of ti quality
higher education. With this history, it is not enough to say, come
if you can get in but we won't encourage you in any way. This
kind of grudging acceptance is enough to drive away even the
most enthusiastic.
We have to admit that our policy was morally wrong; that
we should try to make an active commitment to correct this
position; and that further, the University would benefit from an
intimate role in the development of the Black intellectual com-
munity. Indeed, SCOUR feels Blacks and other peoples have more
to offer Rie at present than we can offer them. Our goal of
serving the needs of man is best effected by our admitting these
things, for by our admissions, we can demonstrate that there is
hope for a rational human society.
As a final consideration, we must realize that Rice has suf-
fered financially from its discriminatory policies. A liberalized
admission policy would do much to change the image ef Rice
from that of an all-white, racist, regional institution to one of a
progressive, enlightened university of international importance.
Respect for enlightened schools such as these is often demonstrated
financially. Can Rice afford not to seek actively to change itself?
race and rice
On February 13, 1891, William Marsh Rice signed an inden-
ture granting the sum of $200,000 "for the use and benefit of the
William Marsh Rice Institute for the advancement of Literature,
Science and Art." The bequest was "that the above sum of
$200,000 is an Endowment Fund, that the interest, incomes, issues
and profits thereof shall forever be devoted to the instruction and
improvement of the white inhabitants of the city of Houston
and the state of Texas."
vol, 56, no. 12
rice university, houston, texas
thurs., nov. 21, 1968
Rice was thus established as a racist
institution. The indenture further stated
that the requirements for admission to
Rice Institute "shall be left to the dis-
cretion of the Board of Trustees."
On February 21, 1963, Rice Trustees
petitioned the courts to authorize them
to charge students who were able to pay
a "reasonable tuition" and to admit as
students any persons who qualify with
standards and requirements for admis-
sion without regard to race or color.
The reasons for seeking such action are
stated in the petition itself:
0 The building of a university of the
rescuing the Negro in Texas from his
present isolation in what is essentially
an educational wasteland" and consider-
ed it their responsibility, as members of
the academic community, to recognize
"that men should be valued for their
ability and judged by their performance
—not ostracized for their color."
The decision was handed down in favor
of the Trustees and the appeals made
by Rice alumni to the contrary failed to
reverse this decision. The door was
"open" for Rice to admit Negroes. Yet
it seems that racial justice was the goal
of the intellectual—but not the bureau-
Who enters Rice?
highest class is dependent upon obtain-
ing a faculty of that calibre. Both on
the grounds of principle and for the
reasons hereinafter alleged, many pros-
pective and desirable faculty members
will not be associated with a university
which refuses to admit qualified appli-
cants on the basis of color.
9 There is a clear indication that
government grants either will not be
made to schools that reject applicants
solely on the basis of color and that
schools that will not accept qualified
'Negroes may find it increasingly dif-
ficult to obtain grants from certain
private foundations.
The Trustees' Petition was supported
by an intervention filed by a group of
eleven alumni headed by U.S. Repres-
entative Albert Thomas, and Charles F.
Bybee. Faculty and students also en-
dorsed the action of the Trustees, but
saw the step toward integration as more
than just lowering the barriers for gov-
ernment funds.
They saw Rice as "a strong force in
cratic community. Rice has continued to
be a racist institution because of its
passive policies toward meaningful in-
tegration.
During- the past year the admissions
department has made an effort to re-
medy this situation. They are now con-
tacting all those students in the South,
Southeast, and Southwest who have
qualified in the National Achievement,
the Negro counterpart of the National
Merit Scholarship Qualifying T o s t.
Further recruiting for White as well as
Black students is approved of by the
Board but is now severely limited by
the lack of funds. w
This past year, the Admissions Com-
mittee also re-examined the policy of
admitting Negroes. As it became evident
that the Negroes could not compete with
the whites . . . they had to re-evaluate
their standards. The policy now is to
admit students who seem to show a lot
of "potential" even though the College
Board scores are not as high and the
(Continued on page 2i
• Ken Strauss
a
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This issue can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Newspaper.
Bahler, Dennis. The Rice Thresher (Houston, Tex.), Vol. 56, No. 12, Ed. 1 Thursday, November 21, 1968, newspaper, November 21, 1968; Houston, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth245041/m1/1/: accessed April 25, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Rice University Woodson Research Center.