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SBAlHOfclv AJ-lS’d3AlNn TheS 6961 Z\ AON Q3A1303M Volume 20, No. 35 State University of New York at Buffalo Wednesday. November 12, 1969 ON STRIKEf by Sue Bachmann News Editor meeting informed students that when they arrived at Capen Hall “we found locked doors even though they knew we were coming back.” He added that a number of helmetted police were inside the building, and that the students entered by breaking the glass doors. A motion to support a University-wide strike received near unanimous approval of the several hundred students in attendance at Monday’s Polity meeting. Called by the Organization for Afro-American Awareness, the Black Students Union and the Puerto Rican Organization for Dignity, Elevation and Responsibility, the purpose of the strike is to protest the Medical School’s response to the recent demands submitted by these groups. ‘Problem for everybody’ Student Association President Bill Austin asked Janies Magavern, assistant to the President, to explain why the police were waiting there, and Mr. Magavern answered: “I really don’t know.” A representative from BSU said: “This is not just a problem for black students — it’s a problem for everybody. No black or Puerto Rican student should attend a class until this is resolved.” A member of the Student Health Organization explained how the SHO had been asking for change in the medical school’s admissions -continued on page 6-~ A list of six demands were presented to Dr. LeRoy Pesch, Dean of Admissions at the Medical School and Peter Regan, Acting President of the University Thursday. The students said they would return to the Medical School at I p.m. Monday for a response. ... . , Bill Austin presides over a Polity meeting Monday at lensc prCSldCnt which a motion for a University-wide strike was overwhelmingly approved. A student at the Polity Pesch says ‘no’ to demands Medical School and by all Medical Schools in this nation, has been small. However, on thorough examination, I cannot find any evidence that the admissions committees of this school have exercised any conscious bias against qualified black applicants. groups, together with appropriate legislative authorization for the massive funding which is going to be needed.” Student Association President Bill Austin addressed the medical students and administrators later. by Curt Miller Spectrum Staff Writer Dean of the Medical School. “We represent the people in the community and the University. Now we want a yes or no answer to our demands,” a spokesman said. racist and it has to either change or be destroyed,” he said. Dr. Regan met the student declaration with disfavor. Approximately 150 students marched to Capen Hall Monday afternoon for a response to their six demands concerning Medical School admissions policy. “They were aware beforehand that these demands could not be answered by a simple yes or no. It is my hope that the group will set up a team to start a significant dialogue with the Medical School,” he said. Dr. Pesch responded, “No, “You people are going to get stomped because you allowed yourselves to get pushed into a comer ... Instead of sitting here applauding each other, you should be ... coming up with concrete proposals telling what you can do now — what you will do in January - what you will do in ’70 . . . You people haven’t learned yet. Either you beat people to the punch or you get punched. The OAAA and BSU then released the following “Declaration of War:” “I would like to make a positive commitment to remove any and all barriers — real or imagined - which exist to the educational and professional opportunities provided by the School of Medicine for educationally, economically or socially disadvantaged people and to increase the size of our program for the training of physicians as rapidly as our facilities and resources will allow,” he said. They forced open locked doors and were met by helmeted club-carrying police. “The State University of Buffalo takes a liberal attitude in its policies, but when dealing with Black and Third World people, they are ‘all talk, no action.’ This makes them blatant racists. The State University of Buffalo’s Medical School Board of Admissions, ROTC and Themis, not to mention many others, are directly related and connected to the oppression of the people around the world. Dr. Regan promised “positive affirmative action” on the matter last week. He claimed that the locked doors and armed police were not representative of his policy. “We locked the door because we hoped to divert the crowd to the front of the building..—. Because of the potential of this situation, we also called upon members of the Buffalo Police Department to act as observers,” Dr. Regan saidd. Several students reported that 35 to 40 Buffalo police were stationed at the corner of Baily and Winspear with dogs and vans. Dr. Regan said he had no knowledge of this incident but admitted that police were on alert. The students, many from the Organization of Afro-American Awareness, Black Student Union and SDS, said their intention was to find out what kind of response “the racist Medical School” would give to Third World students. Chanting “Open it up or shut it down,” the students rallied in Haas Lounge and marched to the Medical School where they forced open the doors. Once inside, the students met with a blockade of campus and city police. SHO empathy ‘This building will be burnt down.\ Mr. Austin said. Cooperation needed Dr. Pesch said the Medical School must remain “largely a faculty-run institution” to insure the credibility of the medical degree. Degrees cannot be awarded “according to standards based on political bias or racial whim,” he said. Prior to today’s demonstrations, members of the Student Health Organization said they “empathized with the justifiable anger of the demonstrators.\ Carl Cohen an 3 HO member, said the organization presented similar demands to Dr. Pesch a year ago and were told it would take time before anything could be done. ‘The appearance of helmeted, club-carrying police has forced the Student Health Organization to re-evaluate the situation in regard to the demonstrators and demands.” a SHO spokesman said. “We feel that we must now take our stand with the oppressed Black and Third World people around the earth. Dr. Regan refused to meet with students inside the building. “I am going outside this building. If you wish to' talk to me, talk out there,” he said. Support from SDS leader “We, the undersigned, unconditionally declare war against the racist University, the State University of Buffalo. ALL POWER TO THE PEOPLE.” No conscious bias Dr. Pesch explained that the Medical School neither owns nor operates any hospitals or clinics. “The solution to providing adequate health care to all people, however, is too large a problem for any one institution to handle alone. The solution will follow cooperative efforts by many At a meeting which student demonstrators were not informed of, Dr. Pesch met with medical students to answer their charges. A ‘no’ answer “It is a fact that the number of American Black students graduated in the past by this The group reconvened in front of Capen Hall and demanded an answer from Dr. LeRoy A. Pesch, SDS leader Arnie Stanton expressed support of the declaration. ‘This University is
