#18 INTERVIEW OF BLACK STUDENTS ENROLLED AT WASHINGTON AND LEE l. Have you decided upon a college major? Yes, Physics and Engineering. 2. (Ifthe answer to question 1 is no, skip #7.) What is your grade point average (GP A) in your major field? Not exactly, but I'm guessing it's around .... 3. What type ofdegree are you working toward at Washington and Lee? BS 4. What is the occupation or profession you want to enter upon finishing your education? Probably Mechanical Engineering ...internship with a company ... 5. Do you plan on working toward an advanced degree at some time after finishing your undergraduate program? Probably not right afterwards. Will you work in industry for a while? ...consulting firm. I will just work with them, because right now I don't think I'm going to have .... grad school. I'm thinking maybe they'll want to send me later on. 6. While growing up, did you attend or were you personally active in church? Yes Ifyes, please give the denomination, and the type ofchurch activities in which you participated. I'm Baptist. My mother's the organist and I was singing in the choir. How would you characterize your church involvement in Lexington? Little to none. I've been in church. Last year I went a few times. This year I haven't gone at all. It's my one day to sleep in, Sunday. I just haven't gone. I've wanted to go ...... 7. How would you compare your level ofparticipation in extra-curricular activities in high school and at Washington and Lee? I definitely do fewer things here. Did you do lots in high school and a little bit here? In high school I started off playing basketball...! played four sports ....! did everything, Honor Council, different committees, chorus. 8. How did you learn about Washington and Lee University? ...he graduated from here .... 9. To what extent were you assisted during the admissions process by an alumnus of Washington and Lee? He was from Richmond and he was an alum. I met him at a college fair. I had a meeting with him in his office. It was right before graduating I went up and met with him. It was Lonnie Nunn(?) 10. Did you visit the campus before you matriculated as a student? Yes, I came sometime in February .... basketball ...wanted to play with Chris Stephens. I met with the assistant coach ..... before I came .... After you were accepted and decided to come here? Actually I don't think I'd been accepted then. W&L was the only school that I visited. I had already been to William and Mary. I never ...... . So you visited here twice? Actually just once. When you were here you visited. ..... Right. I didn't come for anything else. Was that more like an athletic supported visit? February wasn't one ofthe admissions supported weekends. When I came here--1 don't even remember that much. I don't think I went to any classes because it was during exams. Didyou get to do anything social? No, nothing. I stayed at a fraternity house .....no one was doing anything. I got tours of the dorms by some of the players ...... . 10a. Was W&Lyour... It was my first. Once I got my letter of acceptance...W&L was on the ball .... .lt was my first choice. I knew I could play basketball here. That was a big concern. 1Ob. About how many other colleges did you apply to? ... Besides W &L three others. 1Oc. How many other colleges accepted you? All of them. 11. What made you decide to attend Washington and Lee? It was between--W &L was first, William & Mary was second. I knew definitely that I could play basketball here. That was a big decision. All the colleges I applied to--if I hadn't been playing basketball, I probably would have applied to an engineering school. You knew right away that you wanted to do engineering? Right. So here, Physics and Engineering. I can go later on and get a Master's in Mechanical Engineering. The basketball was the main factor? Pretty much. Plus the financial aid. One of my goals going through high school.. ..to get a basketball scholarship was the number 1 goal. When that didn't happen, I wanted to have to pay nothing for college or just a little bit. W &L offered me ..... There is a list here ofthings that might have influenced you. The final question is were there other factors you considered in your decision? a teacher...! knew it was a real good school. I had no clue .... .l knew it was going to be tough. a lot of my friends didn't apply here, because they knew it was going to be hard. Didn't really think about it.. ..financial system .... Actually my guidance counselor, my advisor in high school went to a private school. She really liked W &L. .... Also living close to home was important. I didn't want to go to William & Mary because it was 30 minutes away. W&L was far enough away from home that I could feel like I was going away to school, close enough to go home. All the stuff about getting good jobs--that was important. I think W &L is non-denominational .... That's about it. 12. Once you decided to enroll at W &L, what was the reaction offriends and relatives? Most of my relatives really had no clue. " Ok, you're going to college." They look at it that way instead of "oh, he's going to Washington and Lee." Same thing with my parents. They really didn't know much about W&L. I know for a fact that ifl wouldn't have gone to .... , my English teacher wouldn't have recommended me, I don't think I would have even thought of it. I had never heard of it. The only Washington and Lee I knew was a high school in the area. Were there negative images about W &L that made you think seriously about not coming? I just thought that it might be hard ..... diversity. I knew I'd be one of a handful on campus. I figured it wasn't much different in my high school. My public school. We had a good number of black students. It's a small town. In my class in public school there were about 60 students. Of those 60 there were 2 black guys and maybe 6 black girls ..... 13. Once you were enrolled, did you find the University to be as you had expected? The amount of alcohol, that was a big surprise. I knew college parties were going to be different. I guess the way that people--eating, drinking, partying. I remember going to a locker room after practice and guys talking about, "oh, I can't wait to get .... this weekend." I thought that was odd. I'm thinking that during the season, I figured there would be some strict rules. Now it's no big deal. I've gotten used to all that. Academics are a lot harder than I expected also. 14. Please describe what you consider to be your greatest challenge at Washington and Lee. How have you dealt with it? ..... and the amount of time it takes to do all my work. The way I dealt with it is not playing basketball anymore. I knew that I'd either transfer or not play basketball. I was on the .. .I barely got over a 2.3--1 had a 2.31 ...... .1 actually went through the forms for other colleges last year. Definitely my school work. Now, I've been working a lot harder during the week and not going out on Wednesday. Sometimes not going out on Friday either.. .. So you 're just spending lots more time on academics ... Uh-huh 15. How has your academic performance at Washington and Lee compared with your performance in high school? It's much lower. Definitely. All throughout high school, I ended up with a 3.75 for my overall GP A in high school. I worked hard in high school, nothing like this. I would go to basketball practice. It was so scheduled in high school. You'd go to basketball practice, go to dinner, then have study hall for 2 hours. I never had any problems and had to stay up late. Was that a ,boarding school where you lived there? Yes. I lived there for 3 years. So that work after was enough to get it done. Right. Here they say for every hour class you have 2 hours of work, it's no joke. I thought they were just saying that, but it was definitely hard. l 6. What academic resources have you used at Washington and Lee? I very seldom use the library. I just don't like the atmosphere in there. Science library, I really don't go in there. I use the science center a lot though. I study there. Computer facilities, definitely. When you say you use the science center, you mean as a place to study? Yes ma'am. They're computerized there--you have to do your own projects on a program called Maple. I don't know--there's just something about a library. Maybe it's just too quiet or something. I don't like it. I used the Writing Center for my English class last year. Tutor--1 tried to get a tutor last year, but it didn't work out. For what class? Physics. Didn 't work out because no one was available? Well, I went through Dean McCloud. She had always told us that if we needed a tutor, she would get one for us and we wouldn't have to pay for anything. So I went through her and she said she would talk to my professor. I filled out a form and everything and I never heard back from her about it. I went and talked to him personally. He gave me a couple of names, but everyone here is just too busy. Kind of hard. Do you have suggestions for the development ofthese or other facilities? I guess one thing that's been kind of frustrating for me this term, as far as visiting professors. I know with my Dynamics professor, since the hours are .. .I had Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 8 to 10. I found that I'd go there at 8 o'clock sometimes and he's not there. It kind ofputs me in a jam. I think I went the other day at 8:30 and I waited and I think he got there at about quarter till. I had all these questions to ask. Did you try to call him? I've tried that sometimes. It's just hard with his schedule. I guess he comes in at certain times in the morning. So visiting professors have been awkward. That could be improved somehow. Yeah, I guess so, as far as office hours. It's hard enough to find time with your schedule to meet with him, ·then ... They need to be there when they say they 're going to be there. 17. What factors contribute or contributed to your selection ofa major course ofstudy? I always liked math and science. One class I took in 9th grade in high school was basic technical drawing. Drafting. First I wanted to be an architect, but then ... engineering part of it. I visited a guy I know where he works, engineering, mechanical, electrical. I originally wanted to go to that school but...too much math. I'm sick ofmath--get enough of it. I decided to go mechanical. I like the classes. 18. Have you changed majors since you have been enrolled at Washington and Lee? Ifyes, please describe that change. No. 19. Ifyou saw a person or group ofpersons lying, stealing or cheating would you report it as an honor violation? Please elaborate. To be completely honest, I guess it would have to do with the circumstances. Even though it's an honor violation, I really don't see myself being involved. If I saw someone stealing, I'd probably say something. To the person? Yeah, definitely to the person. I'd ask them why they're doing that. Cheating, I guess--I'd probably say something to the person before I would say something to the teacher. Lying, I don't know. It's varied what you lie about. I read something last year that someone on campus had lied. This wasn't written up but I heard it. Someone had lied to one of their friends. It was a personal--she had just told her friend something, bothering her--worried about it. Supposedly, it got back to the university and she got kicked out for an honor violation. I was friends with the girl. I thought that was uncalled for. It was just something that happened at home, they kept asking her about it and she said "well, it's taken care of." Found that it wasn't. I really don't understand how the honor system works. So what is your feeling about the honor system. I want you to elaborate a little bit further about how you would always think about it first and think about the situation first. See, first of all I'm totally for the honor system. I think it makes for a safe environment because ifyou lose something, I know it's going to be there. As far as laundry, I know I can do my laundry and let it sit there. As far as .... , I think that is up to the individual, right or wrong. I just don't--! mean everyone knows what's right or wrong. If they're going to steal, they know that what they're doing is wrong. They should know the W&L honor system .. That's why I would confront them and ask them what is wrong and why. So you believe in the honor system but you would rather deal with it person to person. I wouldn't feel right going behind their back. Even though they're committing an honor violation, I just wouldn't feel right not saying anything to them, just going----then not doing anything about it. 20. Do you find Washington and Lee professors easy or difficult to approach? Please describe in what way they are easy or difficult. I think they've all been easy to approach. Some easier than others. My physics was really good. I would let him know that I needed to meet with him and he'd say, ok. That was kind of like tutoring. I got a lot of help. Other professors are really easy to talk to, too. I think. Have you been able to establish close working relationships with a member or with members ofthe W&Lfaculty? Definitely the engineering department. All of them are great, mainly Prof. Akins and Williams are the ones that I'm probably the closest with. Prof. .... , in the physics dept. Van Ness is my advisor. I think he's really good. All of them, I like the whole department. I really don't know... and N ewbolt that well. I think the others are great. 21. What has been your experience at W &L with regard to social life? I think socially I've done OK. I have lots of friends on campus and I don't feel separated at all. At times, in classes, I feel -well, I'm the only black kid in the class, and sometimes some topics come up and I feel like all these people are leaning on me, if we talk about something like slavery or something, like unemployment in economics class. But as far as social activities, I think W&Lis really a band campus. Lots of students prefer bands to DJs. I'm more of a DJ person, actually I DJ every once in a while. I have a show on the radio station and I'll be doing a party I think next month. I've done a couple parties here, actually. The main party I'm doing is going to be, I think, at the GHQ. We're having a bunch of black .... students coming in and it's going to be on a Friday. So that will be nice. And I did another when one of my friends here had a birthday and we ............... which is mainly just relaxing. I like to play music anyway, just for myself. How important to you is alcohol at a social event or social engagement? I think-I don't know. For me, personally, it's not that important. I can go and have as much fun with it or without it. It's just the setting. How does the presence ofit here at W &L affect your social life? At times it makes me upset because a lot of people are sloppy drunks, bumping everywhere, and it just makes you get upset. Because I know my girlfriend's been here a few times and we'll be dancing-she goes to Randolph-Macon College -I feel bad because she's getting bumped around and she's not having fun because of that. And then of course it affects me and I'm not having fun. It's definitely a major part here on campus. I believe it when people have said that Greek become alcoholics eventually. I can see how it would. How important to you are drugs at a social event? Drugs? No, I don't think they're important. I've run across them, just marijuana. I've just heard stories about, I think it was, some mushrooms. I haven't come across that. So, is marijuana something that you see a lot op Is it around a lot in your experience? Not a whole lot. But just enough for me to know that it's there. 22. What experiences, ifany, have you had with Greek organizations on campus? How would you evaluate or describe any experiences you may have had? I go there for parties. I know I didn't want to join the frat,just because it's a lot of money. I look at it as, I think a lot of people join it just to make friends, that's the way I look at it. It's kind of like a name for yourself. You're here, people characterize a person because of their frat. He's an SAE or he's a Phi Delt. You kinda form an image of those people because of frats. I guess my experience with frats has that they're OK, they're fine. I haven't had any problems as far as, you know, as racial. I haven't felt excluded. I wouldn't go to those frats. The only frats that I really don't feel comfortable at would be KA. I've been to some of the typically Southern frats, like SAE and Phi Delt. My roommates are in SAE, and before living with them this year, I thought I'm never going to SAE and I'm never going to KA. And I've met a lot of the guys from SAE and I think they're real cool. I don't have any problems with them. I have a totally different image of SAE now. And Phi Delt, I think those guys are cool, too. I know a lot of those guys. So you know many ofKA people to know that you 're not comfortable, or is this just by reputation? Just the reputation. And I know, actually I think there is one guy that I know definitely who's in KA, and I think he's cool. I don't have any problem with him. But just the house, their tradition, I just don't go there. 23. Evaluate your experiences with regards to athletic teams/athletic facilities/and physical education classes. Basketball is my main experience last year. I was really excited at the beginning and then it wore me out, a lot of time. We'd spend at least two hours a day. And I'd go to class, go to the gym at 3, practice started at 3:30, and get out at 5:30, maybe 5:45. Then you're tired and go to dinner and then you have to study at 7. You have all this work. I'm worn out. I don't like to stay up late at all. I like to get my work done and be in bed by 12. So that was hard for me, as far as basketball. Originally I wanted to play basketball and baseball. I played baseball in high school and I was going to do it. The facilities, I've used the weight room and both gyms, have played intramural basketball this year. Took a swimming class. Took remedial swimming. I can swim fine, but I wanted to learn the proper way. I kinda taught myself to kinda swim underwater. I go swimming all the time, but I never knew how to swim over top of the water. Plus I couldn't have passed the test because I would have gotten too tired. I took it, and it was a good class, I learned a lot. 24. How would you characterize your opportunities for "dating" while enrolled at Washington and Lee? I don't know. W&L is really weird as far as dating. Like when I first came here last year. I had a girlfriend and we went out for a while and that didn't work out. She was from back at home. We had been going out about 7 months or so. So then, about November until the rest of the year I was single. It was kinda weird as far as dating. I wouldn't call it dating, but there were a few girls that I talked to on campus. I guess the whole idea here about dating and having a boyfriend is that people don't like it that much. They'd rather have a one-night hookup. I guess you might hear about that. After that it's kinda weird, I guess. And it's your perception that that's what the women want? Actually, from my experience and the way that I see things, I think it is what the women want. This year I have a steady girlfriend. We started going out this summer. I met her at my job at King's Dominion. Dating is not an option that I'm worried about, because she comes up a lot. 25. Have you ever considered transferring from Washington and Lee to another college/ university? Yes, I have. Why/why not? Because of my grades. I hear that everyone, when they come to this school, thinks about it at least once. It crossed my mind. I said, "What am I doing here??" That was during freshman year, last year. It was because the work was a lot harder. It wasn't really an engineering school. Social-wise, as far as there not being a lot of black students. At the time, I wasn't having much fun playing basketball. And that was the main concern for me to come here and I'm not having fun playing that. So everything was going bad for me. The first time I actually considered transferring was when I came back from Christmas break for basketball. We had to come back on the 28t\ I think, and everyone else didn't come back until Jan. 9th. So we had two days of practice. I was in the dormitory 11 days by myself. No one else was there. It was boring and lonely. I was hating it and practice was just bad. So I thought about it then and I applied to Maryland and Pittsburgh, those are the two big schools to do with engineering. But I guess that I'm actually glad that my GPA got up, 'cause I got letters from them and I wasn't accepted because my GPA was too low. I'm definitely glad that I'm here now. One thing I wanted to say: it definitely encouraged me to come back and see Manning. I have a lot of respect for him. I don't know how the word-of-mouth got around, but I was trying to keep it quiet that I was even thinking about transferring. I think I told one of my friends and my coach, just because I felt I wouldn't be doing the workouts for the spring because I'd be transferring. I was kind of upset with him because he told me, "How do you want t approach this? Do you just want to tell the guys yourself? And if they ask me, do you want to me to say, well, you can talk to DJ about that?" And I said, "Yeah, that would be the best thing. I don't want you to tell everyone." That was on a Wednesday. Then on that weekend, I think it was, one ofmy teammates came to me and said, "Hey, Deej, I heard you're thinking about transferring." I said, "Hey, wait a minute! How did you hear about that?" He said, "Yeah, I was talking to Coach Moore." So anyway, word got around of course, and Dean Manning called me to his office. Of course, when you get a call from the Dean, you wonder what's going on, what did I do? But I talked to him and he said -I still remember his statement -"IfI may be so bold as to say that I think it would be a mistake ifyou transferred." So we talked about it for a while. He said, "Well, can you at least do this. Can you come back sophomore and at least give it a shot for one semester. Ifthings don't work out for you then, I'll be the first to help you look for another college." So I didn't have anything to lose, I'd come back. It's been a big help [not to play basketball]. I don't feel as pressured" I don't like to have a set time that I have to get my work done, as far as school work. Ifit's a job, that's something different. I like to kinda spread my time out and just be able to manage it better. But with basketball, it was like I had from 7 until 12, when I go to bed, and I've got all this work to do by then. And I don't want to sit there constantly and do that. I like to sit there and finish something and go get something to drink and then go back to work, like that. But now it's better. I also found out that I wasn't having any fun last year. It got to the point where it just wasn't fun playing basketball. So many other pressures that it wasn't fun. I got out of basketball for a while. After the season was over, spring term I played just one time, summer I played once, the whole summer. This was something that I've always done for my whole life, since 4th grade it was basketball, basketball. I just kinda stopped for a while, then I got back into it with intramurals. It was fun. It was just like playing a pick-up game. So, would you recap the factors that influenced you to stay? The fact that I wasn't playing basketball. Once I wasn't doing sports I got my grades up a little bit more. Spring, I just took one class. My mid-terms were really low in winter, and once I stopped playing basketball, the season was over, I got them up a little bit. It was a big relief. Ifyes, what factor(s) influenced you to stay? 26. Have you had a paidjob on campus (including work-study)? Ifso, has this influenced your level ofsatisfaction at W &L? Yes. Right now I work for the buildings and grounds office over at the heating plant. It's a great job. It pays great plus I get good engineering experience. I get to work to work with blueprints, floor plans. My first job was working directly with consulting firms and they would send would send something to us and say they needed floor plans of these building. So I'd have to go through the blueprints and look into all potential plans and make copies of those and send them out. They didn't ask for the Science Center, but it was different, like Newcomb, pretty much every other building, the library, the bookstore. It was interesting and kinda hard because some of the plans dated back to the '50s or '60s. It was interesting, kinda like a history lesson because there would be different names for the buildings, I think. Like Tucker was the law school. The library was the C-School. So if I was looking for the library, I'd have to go somewhere else and Tucker would be under the law school. As far as a paid job, I do a lot of stuff at the radio station, I'm assistant studio engineer over there -so I get paid for that. I broadcast some of the basketball games, doing the engineering work in the studio, and right now I'm doing lacrosse and baseball games. I also do the operas on Saturdays. It's just money. I don't care for the opera, but it's a 3-hour block. You come in at 12 and play classical music until about 1 :30 when the opera starts, and then it goes to about 4:30 or 5. I either work from 12-3 or 3-6. So, has this influenced your level ofsatisfaction at W &L? I think so, definitely. It's good because I'm making money now. Sometimes it hard because I know it's hard for my parents. Right now there are 3 of us in college. Me and my other two sisters are in college. There are times when I just can't get money right away. It's nice to have a job and the sense of knowing that I'm making this money, being able to do things myself and not having to ask them that much. So that's like a sense of satisfaction. Plus the radio station, I get to make money and have fun, too. 27. Would you be willing to recruit other students for Washington and Lee either as a student yourselfor as part ofan alumni program? Please elaborate. Yes, definitely. Usually, whenever we have students come on campus, I've only hosted minority students when we've had them. I enjoy doing that because I think I do a pretty good job ofjust talking to the kids and knowing what they're going through as far as getting ready to go into college, and decision. I kind give them a good mixed view of W &L. I have told some of those students, "Well, it's not all bad, like some people say. It's pretty much what you make of it. If you don't want to meet people, then of course you're not going to have many friends. You just have to know what you're getting into." I'm interested in that because I know one of my good friends got a letter in the mail from students from the Maryland area about going to meet with them. I'm willing to get something together from the Richmond area. Ifit was over spring break, I'd go to see what I could accomplish. I just haven't heard anything. I just try to do stuff whenever we have students on campus here. Now we ask some background information: 28. In what geographical location did you grow up: Country: State: Virginia In what type ofarea or community did you spend most ofyour growing up years? Urban Suburban Rural: Small town of West Point with about 84,000 people. It's small, there's nothing like a movie theater or a mall. There is a shopping center with McDonalds and Hardies and that stuff. Once you leave town, you're in the country. To go to the movies or a mall, you have to drive to Williamsburg, 30 minutes away. 29. Describe the type ofhigh school you attended. Urban Suburban Rural X : went to public school gth and 9th grades then transferred to a private boarding, to 12th grade. Actually I went there just for athletics. I wanted to get a scholarship and better my chances of going to a better school. The boarding school was in Middlesex County, about 20 minutes from my house, in the middle of a country area. It had a nice little campus. And it was nice because you had a great mixture. I had friends there from Puerto Rico, Japan, my first-year roommate was from New Mexico, you had kids from New York, Texas, North Carolina, everywhere. That was nice. And the teachers there were also from different areas and different backgrounds. Predominantly Black White X Mixed Please give the kin relationship(s) between you and family members in your home when you were growing up. Me, I have a sister who's a freshman, two younger ones, my mother and my stepfather, who I consider my father. 31. What was the highest level ofeducation achieved by your parents, guardians, or others with whom you lived when you were growing up? Both of my parents graduated from college. Mom went to Radford and Dad went to St. Augustine's. What are the occupations or professions ofyour parents or guardians? Dad's a mortician, so he went to a special school on top of college. Mom's a P.E. and health teacher at the elementary school. 32. As compared to other W &L students, how would you characterize your overall social class position (based on parents' education andfamily income)? I would consider it middle class. As compared to other students, I don't know. Probably lower class. That was another thing when I came here. I felt out ofplace because I didn't have a car. My parents at the time couldn't afford to give me a car. I'd see lots in the freshman parking lot. I'd see Lexus, Jeeps, and $20,000 cars and more, $40,000 BMWs. I thought, these are their cars. It was frustrating to a point. I didn't let it bother me. As far as interacting with kids in the dorm, they would order a pizza and ask me ifl wanted to order something, and I just wouldn't have the money to do it half the time. The way that some ofthe students here have money is like, it's just not an issue. I was talking to a friend who was working at the door at Fancy Dress, and a lot of students who were drunk had lost their ticket. They were like, Oh no, here's 50 bucks, I'll pay for it now, right at the door. Must be nice, you know? Because I know Fancy Dress for me was really expensive, and it was a lot of planning for myself that I put into it. I knew that I needed to put aside this much every month to know that I have enough money for my tux and probably bus fare for my girlfriend to come up. It was a lot of planning. How do you think this has affected your experience? I guess it was a big thing at first, because of money. Now it's just a given. It doesn't really bother me and I expect it, when I see the cars at W &L. I don't even think twice about it.. 33. In general how do you think about yourselffirst at Washington and Lee --as a member of a particular racial/ethnic/national/gender group, or as a student? Quite honest, I think of myself as a black student. I mean, I don't consider myself any different than anyone else in my classroom as far as equality. There were times when I was here last year, as a freshman, a lot ofthe students here were in the 1400s in their SA Ts, and I thought I'd done well in the 11 OOs. So that was kind of intimidating. I definitely would have to consider myself a black on campus, just because there are so few of us. That's also how everyone else views. Of course, as a student also. I mean, they can't help but notice just because W&L is mainly so homogeneous. Please explain. 34. How homogeneous do you believe black students are on this campus? In answering please consider racial identification, political perspective, and/or social class position. I think most black students are very homogeneous amongst ourselves. When we talk , we have similar backgrounds. I think financially we're very similar, because a lot of students that I've talked to all say the reason why we came here was money. That's kind of like a common thing. Politically, pretty much the same, Democrats. Social class, pretty similar. 35. How similar or different do you believe blacks and whites are on this campus? Consider the same categories that are mentioned in number 34 above and add any other factors that you deem important. Some are very different. I think most of the students here are conservative, Republicans. I don't know exactly, but that's the way I see it. Plus, as far as the party scene, socially, most of the blacks prefer DJ parties. The whites prefer the bands. And I view most of the whites on campus as being upper-class. Like high middle-class to upper-class. Most of them are upper-class. There are some, very few whites on campus who are more closely related to the blacks on campus. It's just weird, because we, the black students, joke about sometimes. It's the white students, then it's the black students, and the minorities, and the D-Hall workers. Some of the white students who really wouldn't be considered upper-class, kinda different in that way. 36. Do you believe the size ofthe black student enrollment at Washington and Lee is adequate or inadequate? Inadequate, definitely. Also the number of black professors and administrators. All this relates to a group that I'm involved with called Black Students for Campus Change. We just started it this year, with about a good solid 12 members, right now, that come to everything, We address all of these issues like how to get the enrollment up, getting black professors and black administrators here. Dean Manning is one of our advocates, and also Dean Howison. We've met with Dean Hartog, and Mr. Broomall, about getting us a facility for next year, or soon. Dean Manning told us to shoot for the stars and get whatever we can. We looked for something along the lines of a fraternity house. Because Chavis is really small and only offers housing for about 4 students. You really can't have social activities there, because it's so small. We've tried to have parties, but you can't have more than a few people there. When we've had main parties we've had to rent out the GHQ. We don't feel that Chavis is really a place to have an African youth activity or any kind of homecoming. Do you believe the number ofblack professors is adequate or inadequate? Do you believe the number ofblack administrators is adequate or inadequate? Explain. 37. Should the university offer activities designed to bring new black students together? I'd say yes, but I don't really have any suggestions. I've thought about that before, and it's like, I don't know. It's definitely an eye-opener for a lot black students, especially a lot of my friends who have come from the Maryland-D.C. area, 'cause a lot ofthem went to the public schools. There it's almost like the white students are a minority. It's totally different for them, and so when they come here, a lot of the freshman, I know this year, it seems like they kinda separate themselves. The upperclass black students aren't even very close with them. They don't even really go out to parties that much. We'll see them if MSA has a party or something. Then they'll be there and at dinner, but it's almost like they have their group, as far as freshmen, and they'll sit together because they're good friends. It's not like we have anything against them, but they just sit with their friends. Something's missing, but I really don't know what it is. Ifnot, why not? Ifyes... do you have suggestions? ... Has the Chavis House played a role in your life at W &L? Please describe. Not really. The only part that I can go there sometimes to watch TV. That's where we have our meetings for MSA and if we have a party there, maybe, but that's probably about it. Has the Minority Student Association played a role in your life at W &L? Please describe. Yes it has. As of now, that's the only organization I'm a member of. And it's kind of nice to have that sense of being a part of an organization on campus, and to feel like you're doing or having something, some social activity. Actually, I am thinking about trying to be an officer next year, just because I think that there are things that we can do. We have parties sometimes, but we've had only one the whole year. And since I'm DJ, that would be an easy thing to do. I could say, OK, can we do one, and I wouldn't really charge anything. It would be just have it there and it wouldn't be a problem. I know it's hard for the officers right now, to be able to be in contact with you and organize things. It's hard enough just getting your work done, and then it's hard to get people to do things just because of their work. 38. Do you believe that it is importqnt that courses in the humanities/social sciences include recognition or study ofworks by persons ofcolor? Yes. Actually I'd like to see more classes, as far as African history classes or classes dealing with black leaders like Martin Luther King, Jr. or Malcolm X. I would probably take them. I am a science and math guy, I hate writing papers, and I hate to read. But I'd definitely take those classes. What about weaving it into normal history classes, sociology classes, or English classes? I think that'd be nice too. I feel like the only thing we really talk about involving blacks in history -I've only taken history here -is slavery. We really don't talk about any of the inventions that blacks have made, or any of the culture of Africa in general. Ifyou think works by persons ofcolor should be included do you think the recognition was adequate, inadequate, or excessive? Please explain. Inadequate. 39. How would you characterize the climate in the classroom for you [as a black student}? It's definitely awkward. It's not as bad for me in the science department, just because the classes are small anyway. It's not really a big deal. But when I took English and everything else that I hate, history, economics, which I'm taking now, it's awkward. I mean, I mentioned earlier about how we talk about certain topics, you feel people kinda yawn and look at you or something. You get a weird feeling. It's like, "why are you looking at me, I wasn't a slave." You know what I'm saying? "I'm a student." And something that happened once, in econ class. We were talking about unemployment levels for the different classes, and one was black unemployment which was particularly higher then than whites. I was getting looks, and I was like "I'm working, my parents work, no one in my family is unemployed, so why are you looking at me." It's like you 're an automatic representative ofa group ofpeople. Exactly. I feel like just because I'm the only black in the class, everyone's saying, "Oh yeah, he represents the black unemployment," or whatever black we're talking about. If we're talking about slavery, then "he's going to be an automatic specialist and knowing everything about African history," which isn't true. I don't know half as much as I'd like to know. I know a few things, but ­ Ifyou have encountered 'problems in the classroom, how have you dealt with those difficulties? I've kinda brushed them off. I haven't let them get to me. I think about them and then kinda shake my head and forget it. It's not worth it. 40. What is the role ofthe Office ofMinority Student Affairs? I don't know. Dean McCloud is like our sponsor for MSA. It's kinda like you get a lot of mixed feelings from the members. A lot of people don't like her at all. They don't think that she does anything. I don't really know much about it. The only bad thing that I had to say about it was the time that I was trying to get a tutor, and we were just told that if we wanted a tutor, it was no problem. Just come and see me, it won't be any problem, you won't have to pay for anything. So I thought I needed a tutor and went to get one, and she just didn't get it. A lot ofpeople just say, Blah, Blah, she's just faking. I think she does a lot ofpositive things for MSA, and so I don't have anything bad to say about the office. How can the role ofthis Office be improved? I think the office is there to serve as an advisor to the MSA, as a role model, maybe; someone we can go and talk to. But I don't think that happens. I know I don't ever go and speak to her. No one else that I know of does. So I don't think that it really serves that purpose. I don't know how it can be improved. I can't say anything without really pointing a finger. I don't really know what activities we could have besides what we do. Maybe doing more ofthose. No specific suggestions. Maybe she could attend all of the meetings. Sometimes it's nice just to have us there, and she might feel like she'd intruding sometimes. I feel like when she comes to the meetings, it's kind of different. It would be better if we felt like we could talk to her. No one really talks to her. 41. From whom do you receive the greatest emotional support on campus? Do not use name(s), but please describe the person(s) in terms ofrace, ethnicity, nationality, gender, and position (i.e. fellow student, faculty member, administrator, staffmember). Ifappropriate, include more than one individual and describe the type ofsituations in which the person provides emotional support (i.e. personal, family, religious, etc.) I'd have to say that it's just one person. The greatest support is probably from my best friend on campus. He's black, a fellow student of the same age. So we are in the same class. Groups, I guess, contrary to what a lot of people think, not all the black students are buddy-buddy. But I think there's a large group of us who are friends and go out and stuff. I think that helps me emotionally. It's nice to go out and hang out with friends sometimes. What percentage ofyour friends are black, what white, and what international? International are more like acquaintances. They're a small percentage. I have maybe a few international friends. Blacks friends, I guess all the black students are my friends, and white friends -well, since there are only about 50 black students, I think I have more than that among white students. It's about even in numbers. 42. Have you experienced any discriminatory behavior on campus directed against yourself? What form did that behavior take (written remarks including graffiti, spoken remarks, physical assault, discriminatory treatment). Who was responsible for that behavior? There were a couple oftimes. There was one time I think it was me and one of my friends, we had a prospective, and we had gone away to, I think JMU, where there was a party there. My cousin goes there, and we went to a party. We were coming back, walking back from the freshman parking lot, it was about 2:30 or 3 :00 in the morning. It was really cold, so we had our hoods on. Security was in the parking lot. They said, Hey, how y'all