Overby Center Wraps up Integration Coverage

Gerald Walton address the crowd during "Ole Miss After the Crisis" at the Overby Center Thursday morning.

MarKeicha Dickens

JOUR 271

October 4, 2012

Integration

448 Words

Overby Center Wraps up Integration Coverage

UNIVERSITY, Miss-- Kimbrely Dandridge is the first female black Associated Student Body President, Courtney Pearson is the first black Homecoming Queen, and it has been 50 years since James Meredith integrated Ole Miss. But the cafeteria is still segregated, the historically black sororities and fraternities don’t have their own houses, and the Grove on Saturdays is still a predominantly white environment. So has Ole Miss really progressed in terms of race?

“The exterior of many situations may seem different, but the interior rarely changes. African American enrollment is limited and because of who we are, the attitudes of previous times haven’t really changed; they’re just covered up,” said sophomore Beth Triplett. The panel at the Overby Center Thursday morning begs to differ.

Ole Miss Historian David Lansing hosted “Ole Miss after the Crisis” where a panel of three alumni discussed their own personal experiences at the University. Gerald Walton, former Liberal Arts Dean, made some bold moves in 1962 that endangered his academic career. The then recent graduate of The University of Southern Mississippi signed a document stating that the riots of 1962 were indeed not the fault of the US Marshals.

“He did the right thing,” said Lansing of Walton’s situation. His time here included witnessing students from Rust and Tougaloo Colleges being verbally attacked and unwelcome on campus. Walton says that he knows that any student from any college will be welcome on campus today.

Donald Cole’s story was quite a bit different from Walton’s. Cole, Assistant Provost, was expelled from the university in 1972 for protesting what many today would call “asinine” problems. They included but were not limited to, black faculty members, integrated sports teams, and being treated equally in the union.

Cole entered the university in 1968 thinking it was completely integrated, but soon came to find out that many students, faculty, and staff still didn’t want to affiliate themselves with black people. He says we’ve definitely come a long way, but still have a long way to go.

Valerie Ross, who is currently working on her Doctorate’s degree, started her career here at the university back in 1990 as a secretary. She acknowledged the fact that there are more leadership opportunities for black students on campus today compared to the 1990’s and even recalled a Black Student Union protest of the use of the Confederate Flag.

“It got real antsy,” said Ross. Police were even called in to protect the protesting students.  Ross says she wants black students to not just graduate from the school and leave, but be proud of Ole Miss, and come back. 

Donald Cole is speaking at the Overby Center on Thursday for "Ole Miss after the Crisis."

Hayden Phillips

JOUR 271

Oct. 14, 2012

Ole Miss after the Crisis

406 Words

            UNIVERSITY, Miss. – Three Panelists gave their thoughts on how the University of Mississippi has progressed within racial discrimination. With David Sansing, the Ole Miss historian, as the moderator of the discussion, the Overby Center on campus had a packed crowd on Thursday.

            “It is exciting that after 50 years, we, the University, are taking a look in the mirror. An honest look,” said Valeria Ross, the assistant dean of students for multicultural affairs and volunteer services.

            It has been 50 years since James Meredith was admitted into the University of Mississippi as the first African American student to attend the school. This time, with the anniversary, is very important to Ole Miss and the students and faculty. As Ross said, it is important that we, as a whole, reflect on the ups, downs and trials that African American students have gone through at The University of Mississippi.

            The other speakers were Gerald Walton and Donald Cole. Each panelist spoke for about 20 minutes reminiscing from his or her experiences on the matter. Attention was kept tight since they all had interesting and relevant stories to tell.

            “It is great that the school is showing respect and concern during this time for what has happened,” said Jake Reed, a student at Ole Miss.

            Gerald Walton was the dean of the liberal arts school at Ole Miss in the late ‘70’s. Walton has done many good things throughout his career at the University. He started the Black Studies Program here on campus and got Cleveland Donald to be in charge of it.

            Cole, a faculty member and administrator at the University of Mississippi, displayed his recollection of stories from when he was at Ole Miss starting in 1968. He enrolled as an African American just six years after Meredith had been admitted and said that rebelliousness had not slowed down at all for the students.

            “Protesting was natural to us. It was going on all over the country with Vietnam and everything. We were protesting way left though. We even wanted the sports teams to be integrated,” Cole said with a hint of joking sarcasm.

            Ultimately there was light shown on students and faculty during the discussion.

            “Yes, it is true that we have a lot to be guilty of but the best we can do is go and sin no more,” Walton said.

Source Contact Info:

Jake Reed - 662-379-5253 

Ole Miss Celebrates 50th Anniversary of Integration

Leslie Dickinson

Jour 271

October 4, 2012

Panel discussion story

420 words

 Ole Miss Celebrates 50th Anniversary of Integration

In 1962 James Meredith was admitted the University of Mississippi, he was the first black to attend the University. 50 years later Ole Miss celebrates the progress of the university’s accomplishment of integration. With the close of the events of the 50^th celebration of integration, students, faculty and alumni gathered at Overby Center Thursday morning about the racial progress since 1962.

“With controversy, you expect criticism”, said Chancellor Jones as he opened the panel discussion. He told the audience that this particular topic of integration brought much controversy and with that controversy, criticism comes along. David Sansing, professor and author, led the discussion with beginning with saying the panel will discuss where the university was, where it is now, and where it will be. Donald Cole, Valeria Ross, and Gerald Walton were the 3 individuals that went back in the past to talk about the progress of racial integration.

Valarie Ross, pictured above, gives her views on the progress of racial integration on campus. 

Walton and Cole were the first 2 speakers that gave their stories, as they were both at the university at the time of the beginnings of integration. Walton was a young professor in 1962 and Cole was a black student that was admitted in 1968. Those years were “interesting times”, Walton said. “The university made magnificent strives”. Cole who was a student at the time is now a faculty member and administrator at Ole Miss. Cole while attending Ole Miss participated in civil rights protests on campus that led him to get expelled. He later came back in 1977 to work. “It was natural to have protest here” said Cole.“ Protest were happening all over America”.

Valeria Ross brought the panel discussion to the present with her views on the progress of racial integration in the past 22 years. Ross is an assistant dean of students and chairman of the black history month committee. She described the university by saying it had never been so beautiful than it is today, referring to all the change socially for black students. She ended her 15-minute segment with saying that students and faculty need to continue looking in the mirror and have open dialogue to continue changing the university.

With the 50^th anniversary came some milestones for the black community. There is a black president of the ASB and there is a black homecoming queen. “I think it is a great thing for the university to have milestones like this, it shows that we have come a long way since James Meredith walked onto this campus”, said Tanya Howington, sophomore at Ole Miss.

Steps in the Right Direction

Former chancellor George Walton speaking at the "Ole Miss After The Crisis" presentation at the Overby Center.

Michael Quirk

10/4/12

Jour 271

Overby Speech

441 Words

            UNIVERSITY, Miss. – Today was a day for celebrating the strides that Ole Miss has made towards racial equality while also remembering the strife along the way.

            The University of Mississippi opened their doors for James Meredith on September 30, 1962. Escorted by US Marshalls, Meredith was blasted with thrown objects and unwelcome opinions voice by the disgruntled mass the campus. A riot broke out on campus, leaving two people dead. It is an unusual thing; the darkest day in Ole Miss history is also the most important one. A premier Mississippi education was not just for the white kids anymore.

            Chancellor Dan Jones began the presentation by briefly speaking of the importance of integration at the school, before introducing famed Ole Miss historian David Sansing. A Professor Emeritus of History at Ole Miss, Sansing gave background on the history of integration at the university and the progress that has been made since. After a brief background, Sansing gave way to George Walton.

            Walton, a graduate of the University of Southern Mississippi, received his PhD from Ole Miss. The Mississippi native was a junior faculty member when he signed a controversial document stating that the US Marshalls did not start the riot.

            A former acting chancellor of Ole Miss, Walton knows all too well the history of race problems at the school. He spoke of white-on-black vandalism as well as human-wall intimidation.

            “We have a lot to be guilty for,” Walton said. “But we also have a celebration of what we should be doing.”

            Walton gave way to Donald Cole, the assistant provost and assistant to the chancellor concerning minority affairs at Ole Miss. Cole earned his undergraduate and doctoral degrees in math from Ole Miss. Cole entered college in 1968, a mere six years after Meredith. Despite being a Mississippi native, Cole was not fully aware of the troubles that still faced Ole Miss.

            “I was not aware that there were students and faculty here who still had not worked with African-Americans,” Cole said.

            Valerie Ross, the assistant dean of student affairs, spoke after Cole. Ross spoke of the gospel choir at the school, which has grown in size and diversity. Ross said that she was proud of the school for having a black homecoming queen and ASB president.

            “I liked seeing her emotion,” said student Chase Dickerson about Ross’s passion for the gospel choir.

            While there have been problems at the school, Walton spoke of the positive horizon for Ole Miss.

“We have come a long way, we have a long way to go, and it’s only going to get better.”

50 Years Later and Ole Miss is Still Changing

Donald R. Cole speaks to a packed crowd of students in the Overby Center as the university wraps up its week long celebration of being integrated for 50 years. 


Houston Buckley

JOUR 271

Overby Center Article

379 words

            Oxford, Miss. – Chancellor Dan Jones quieted a mixed crowd in the Overby Center as he prepared to introduce a panel of speakers. Among these speakers were historians, past students, and past administrators. Chancellor Jones was preparing to introduce speakers for the final installment of lectures about the 50^th anniversary of the integration of Ole Miss.

            Among these speakers was David Sansing. Sansing is part of the Ole Miss Department of History, and received his PHD from Southern Miss in Mississippi history. Sansing is the author of a history book entitled The University of Mississippi, and is an associate editor to the Mississippi Encyclopedia.

            Sansing introduced Gerald Walton, a former Ole Miss graduate and chancellor. Walton once signed a document that endangered his academic career. The document stated that the National Guard members did not start the riot that occurred when James Meridith was registering for classes. “I remember in the 80’s when I was looking out over the circle,” said Walton. “I saw black, white, and all other kinds of students. That should say something.” Walton went on to say, “While we may have a long way to go, we have made great strides.”

            ‘Great strides’ are something that comes naturally to Ole Miss, and Donald R. Cole is an example of these strides. Cole is a faculty member and former administrator, and he tried to acquire his job during a time of protest. “I believed Ole Miss was thoroughly integrated,” said Cole. “There were faculty members that were not going to teach me in 1968, I was not prepared.” With the Vietnam War in full swing, protest was the popular thing across the country. Cole said, “Can you believe we were protesting things so exotic such as faculty members being integrated?”

            Vallerie Ross was another speaker who is a former Ole Miss student. Ross spoke about the change that Ole Miss has gone through in 50 years since it has become integrated. “We are taking an honest look at ourselves in the mirror,” said Ross. “And it has never been more beautiful than it is today.” Ross wants students to feel at home in their Alma Mater, and the integration of Ole Miss has changed the face of the University forever. 

Valerie Ross, assistant dean of students for multi-racial affairs, spoke to a room full at the "Ole Miss after the Crisis" presentation that was held Thursday. 

Caroline Stroud

JOUR 271

“Ole Miss After the Crisis”

October 4, 2012

485

OXFORD, MS.---------------A group of influential Ole Miss administrators spoke in the Overby auditorium this Thursday on their thoughts of James Meredith and the progress the University of Mississippi has made since being integrated in 1962.

            Doctor David Sansing started the “Ole Miss After the Crisis” presentation by introducing the speakers Gerald Walton, Donald Cole and Valerie Ross.

            Doctor Gerald Walton attained his PHD at the University and has not left since. Walton was very involved with getting African American students to come to Ole Miss after the university was integrated.  In 1963 Walton got wind of Cleveland Donald, a 17 year old freshman at Tugaloo College in Jackson, Mississippi who was interested in attending Ole Miss. Donald however, was nervous to apply for Ole Miss due to the rumors that his safety could be in danger, but with Walton’s reassuring words Cleveland Donald came to Ole Miss and became the second African American student to graduate from the university; and later helped with the Black Studies Program. 

Walton goes on to speak about the different ways he was involved with keeping the integration progress moving, before he concludes his part of the presentation he said this, “Sometimes we had to make decisions that weren’t popular, true we have a lot of guilt, but the best we can do is to continue to build on the progress we have made.”

            Doctor Donald Cole was next to speak; he entered the university in 1968 not knowing that Ole Miss was freshly integrated.  Cole protested for more African American faculty members and integrated sports, which got him expelled from the university in 1970.  In 1971 the football team became integrated and in 1973 the first black fraternity’s and sorority’s came to campus. Finally in 1977 Cole was allowed back onto campus and he received his PHD.

“The University always attracted good students with promise,” said Cole after boosting on all the African American leaders in-between 1990 and today.

Finishing the presentation was Valerie Ross a Luscious William Senior award winner and the universities assistant dean of students for multi-cultural affairs. Ross spoke on the more present Ole Miss.

“After 22 years the campus community has never been more attractive than it is today,” said Ross; she thinks the changes are greatly owed to good leadership.

Ross talked about the improvements students have made and how the university has become more and more like home to African American students.  The one thing Ross wants more of is an involved African American alumna. 

Right when people were getting up to leave a man stood up and told what James Meredith had said to him recently,

“Number one James is gratified on how the students are inspired by him, number two he is gratified how his classmates now apologize and shake his hand, and number three he is all about the future.” 

Smoking Ban Q&A

Del Mixon

JOUR 271

9/27/12

Smoking ban is clarified for concerned students

416

            OXFORD, MS- The town hall and selected members of the Associated Student Body senate, met to discuss the new implications of the smoking ban.  The meeting was intended for students and faculty to express any questions or concerns they had over the new campus wide smoking ban. The co- authors of the bill, Quadray Kohlheim, Jessica Brouckaert, and Daniel Roberts answered the majority of questions. Associated Student Body President Kimbrely Dandridge and Vice President Emmalee Rainey were also present on stage.

            The meeting began with a brief introduction of the policy and its reasons for its production. According to the senate a poll from the Social Science Institute for Mississippi State, was sent to students in May.  The results showed 78 percent of students would like a smoke free campus. Out of all the students, only 650 responded to the poll. The first questions from the audience concerned this. A faculty member said, “ If only 650 students responded to the poll, how can that accurately represent the student body?” Brouckaert responded by explaining the formula used by polling services to get an accurate sample size. From our student body, only 300 needed to respond.

            Associated Student Body Vice President, Emmalee Rainey was met with an important question from the audience. The question, asked by a student, proposed smoking zones on campus such as Fraternity row and outside the residence halls. “I do understand that many students feel like they should be able to smoke at their place of residence. It is definitely a revision we are looking into,” Rainey responded.  

            Walker Mitch, a sophomore smoker, would like to see revision to the smoking ban. “I would be happy with smoking zones within fraternity row and outside residence halls, it doesn’t make sense for smokers to be restricted where they live.” Walker attended the meeting and was satisfied with the responses from the bill writers and senate leaders.

            Other questions asked were related to the morality of the ban, questioning its restriction on student freedoms.  Students who participated in smoking protests felt the ban is un-American and an obstruction of free choice.

It was clear through the Senate’s responses that the ban would not be repealed, although revisions remain open for discussion.

Brouckaert made a point that Ole Miss is not the first SEC school to have banned smoking, and is now one of 700 campuses across the nation to have so as well.

Emmalee Rainey

earainey@olemiss.edu

Walker Mitchell

662- 560- 8107

           

Students and Faculty express questions and concerns about the smoking ban.