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Medical School Demands Proposals offered to promote interest ‘Open it up or shut it down * by Sue Bachmann News Editor awful lot of work for this was laid long before these demonstrations began.” An open invitation to “all interested students” to rap with Student Association officers brought only eight students to the Conference Theater Wednesday. Bill Austin, president of the Student Association, Mark Huddleston coordinator of Academic Affairs, and Howard Aronstein. publicity coordinator, discussed ways to increase interest in student government. Attempting to facilitate their goal of more “non-white doctors for non-white people,” three student minority-group organizations, supported by two other campus groups, submitted a list of six demands Thursday to Uhiveisity and Medical School Administrators. When the students presented the demands, one spokesman explained that he supported such changes because as a black pre-med student, he did not intend to study hard for four years and then get turned d6wn for admission into the Medical School. He added that if satisfactory steps are not taken to meet these demands, “I am telling you that we will take whatever steps we feel are necessary.” Formulated by the Organization for Afro-American Awareness, the Black Students Union and the Puerto Rican Organization for Dignity, Elevation and Responsibility. The demands are: 1. Open Admissions for all Third World students from Buffalo and the surrounding areas. The Medical The students told LeRoy Pesch, Dean of Admissions at the Medical School, that they would return at 1 p.m. today for a response to their proposed program. Dr. Pesch refused to somment on how he planned to answer the ultimatum. However, he said that “many of the requirements that they want to change are determined by —a —national joint commission on accreditation,” and are not under the control of this University at all. In addition, “if we lose our accreditation, we cannot graduate any physicians,” he said. The first topic of discussion diverse views of the issues, he said was Mr. Huddleston’s Several proposals were constitutional reform proposal, suggested to improve which includes the formation of a communications between the student legislature. Each Student Association and students representative wouldi.be elected to It was suggested that a the proposed legislature by a newsletter informing students o block o| 100 students who share the issues to School will enlarge its facilities accordingly e discussed at Polil> be distributed 2. These black students will be recruited and selected by a committee of Third World students and Black doctors. This committee will be formulated by common interests. Every student in the University could participate in the electoral process by belonging to any one common-interest group. When questioned about the viability of such a legislature, Mr. Huddlestoii said fie had worked beforehand. ‘Satelite Noting areas’ were also considered to give all students the opportunity to vote. Mr. Huddleston proposed creating an eighth faculty whose central concern would be meetings For the past week students have demonstrated against the “racist admissions policies of the Med. School.” Chanting “open it up, or shut it down,” nearly 150 students marched to Capen Hall Wednesday to meet with Dr. Pesch but were told that he was out of town. Later Dr. Pesch revealed that “at the time students came to see me, I was in Washington testifying before Congress that medical costs here are just too high.” Re allocate government funds 3. A board composed of Third World students , Third World doctors, and people from our respective communities. This board will control alt aspects of the Third World students’ administrative activity. No Black or Third World student can be dismissed without express approval of the board. 4. Financial aid is to be given to all Black and Third World students. This will include all living expenses. t on the proposal all summer and stated the constitutional reform was well-researched. University College Bulletin Board courses. According to Mr Huddleston, these courses are stifled in the existing departments. Also/ under consideration is a plan /Which would allow all freshman courses to be taken on a pass-fail basis. Mr. Aronstein discussed the newsletter now being formed. The letter is aimed at increasing student awareness of important issues under consideration by the Student Association. A direct mailing program was considered but was rejected because of its great expense. Increase awareness The next topic discussed was the “communication gap” between the Student Association and the student body. Mr. Austin said: “A majority of students are not willing to organize . . .Without organization, nothing can be accomplished.” Mr. Austin also placed blame on the campus press. The newspapers do not give proper coverage to candidates during elections and do not present The dean contended that the problem extends beyond this University and the Medical School itself. The same day he was testifying before Congress to get more money for medical needs, a joint committee of Congress passed the Defense Procurement Budget. Dr. Pesch said: “We know that this money will not be used to finance” even medical research projects like Themis, but rather, just to “buy more bombs.\ 5. No Third World or Black student will be required to take the MCAT, 6. We demand the creation of free medical clinics which serve the health needs of black, brown, and poor white people subsidized by the university and medical school. a. Areas requiring clinics immediately include: Ellicott, Masten, Cold Springs, West Side, South Parks, At least one clinic in these areas, with the number of clinics required ultimately to be decided by the number of people requiring service in each area. These clinics should be fully equipped and financed by S.U.N.Y.A.B. medical school and shall operate 24 hours a day. Such a contradiction in goals is “a problem too big for any one institution to handle,” Dr. Pesch said. Recently the Student Health Organization printed a letter dealing directly with the need to re-allocate government funds - to take the money that is financing programs to serve the military, and channel it into health clinics to serve all people. Last March the Student Health Organization also published a two-page letter attacking the Medical School for its “institutionalized racism.” Last year the SHO reported that there were no black Americans in either the medical or dental schools here; this year there are ten non-whites among the Medical School’s 104 freshmen. Implementing the demands b. Operation of the clinic will be supervised by a review board composed of Third World students, black and Third world doctors and community people. Moratorium marshalls The November Memorial Committee and the Moratorium Committee will hold a meeting at 2 p.m Monday in Haas Lounge to organize students interested in acting as marshalls for the Nov. 13 Moratorium activities in Buffalo’s Memorial Auditorium. ' c. All medical students shall receive credit towards graduation for work in these clinics. d. All black and Third World students shall be required to work regularly in these clinics.These clinics could also serve as a place of internship for U.B. medical students. Peter F. Regan, Acting President at the State University of Buffalo, met with students Thursday when they presented him a copy of their demands. Later he referred to the list as “a set of very well-oriented demands that are on the right track in terms of minority and majority needs of health care in the U.S.” e. The clinic should include full health and nutritional services and in general, should serve all health needs of the people. A memorial service will be held for Dr. Martin Luther King, Medgar Evers and the war dead in Vietnam. Marshals are needed for the service that evening and for a march in the late afternoon. f. The range of these needs shall be determined by the review board. Those who cannot attend the meeting but are interested in being marshalls should sign up in room 205, Norton Hall. The medical, dental, and nursing schools are institutions of racial and class oppression which serve the needs of the rich rather than the poor. Our program is a first step toward taking power from these illegitimate and irresponsible authorities and placing it in the hands of the oppressed peoples. Commenting on how he feels the Medical School will respond today, Dr. Regan said: “I believe it will be a positive, affirmative response capable of providing some real solutions to these problems. An The Spectrum is published three times a week, every Monday. Wednesday and Friday, during the regular academic year by the Faculty-Student Association of the State University of New York at Buffalo, Inc. Offices are located at 355 Norton University of New York at Buffalo, 3435 Main Street, Buffalo, New ' York 14214. Te I e p h one: Area Code 716: Editorial, 831-2210; Business, 831-3610. Beef and Ale House 3199 Main Street Represented for advertising by National Educational Advertising Service, Inc., 18 E. 50th Street, New York, New York 10022. Tonight and Tomorrow November 7th and 8th Second Class Postage paid at Buffalo, New York. Circulation: 15,000 No Cover No Minimum LARGE PITCHER OF BEER-M.00 Page two . The Spectrum . November 10. 1969 TEACH A BROTHER In a Black college The Southern Education Program is a non-profit placement clearinghouse for Black teachers. Placement is free of charge in any of 90 colleges where your education will do the most good. For information write: S.E.P. 859‘/2 Hunter St., N.W. Atlanta, Georgia 30314
