Southeastern NEWS

                                                       Southeastern Louisiana University
                                           Office of University Relations
                                           SLU 880, Hammond, LA 70402
                                           504/549-2341/fax 504-549-2061
                                           publicinfo@selu.edu
                                           www.selu.edu/NewsEvents
    Date: 4/17/98
      Contact:                           Christina Chapple  1

SLU CITES PROGRESS ON DIVERSITY
     HAMMOND   African American students, a top administrator and a veteran member
of Hammond s black community attested to Southeastern Louisiana University s progress on
diversity yesterday (April 16) at a meeting with African American ministers and community
leaders hosted by President Sally Clausen.
     The progress report and reception at the Southeastern Alumni Center was attended by
U.S. Sen. John Breaux, D-La., who was in Hammond to officiate  North Oaks Health Systems 
grand opening.
     Clausen told Breaux that Southeastern has heeded President Bill Clinton s plea for better
understanding through community conversations on race and has embraced national education
initiatives, such as the one-on-one volunteer tutoring program, America Reads. 
      We understand what you re trying to tell us in Washington,  Clausen said.  I hope you
will tell the President that we re trying to be sensitive and to learn. 
     Although it was founded almost 75 years ago for whites only, Southeastern  has come a
long way  toward better relationships between races and cultures, especially over the last two
years, said civic leader Dr. J.L. Garrett.
      In 1966, I was a high school senior and valedictorian of my class at St. Tammany High
School in Slidell,  said Al Doucette, associate dean of the College of Arts and Sciences.  Not
only was I not recruited by Southeastern, but I drove through Hammond on my way to Southern
University in Baton Rouge and I didn t even know Southeastern existed. How much have things
changed. 
Doucette, a 13-year veteran of the faculty, today is not only one of the leaders of the university s
largest college, but also is vice president of the organization African Americans in Louisiana
Higher Education. 
     He said he has seen the percentage of African American students at Southeastern more 
(MORE)     
BREAUX AT SLU -- Add One
than double and that the number of black tenure track faculty members has  increased
considerably.  More African Americans than ever are involved in student organizations and
activities and Southeastern is promoting involvement and understanding through initiatives as a
successful  town meeting  on race relations.
      It s one man s opinion that we still need more African American faculty for role
models,  Doucette said,  but there is greater sensitivity and awareness on campus. 
     Education graduate student Cass Williams of Patterson, president of the Black Student
Caucus, said she has seen a change in the  mind set  of the university  and its students. Pointing
out that  appreciating diversity  is among the university s officially stated  core values,  she said
black students no long feel that they are  just tolerated,  but are becoming a part of the
university. Business graduate student Mack Jackson, said that while racism and
miscommunication sometimes still exist, the university and the Division of Student Affairs  are
working earnestly to find out what the problems are and solve them. 
     Freshman Brandon Leonard from Patterson cited an incident in which the university, at
the instigation of African American student leaders, changed the name of a Student Union
meeting area from  Plantation Room  to  Cypress Room.  The in-coming president of the
Campus Activities Board, which host campus programming for students, Leonard thanked
Clausen  for bridging the gap for everyone. 
      What you are doing here (on race relations) is very important,  Breaux said.  I will tell
the President that I was here and invite him to come to this campus. I think he will be very proud,
as I am. 
     Breaux s statement gave Vic Couvillion, who recently retired as director of Southeastern
Student Publications, the opportunity to present the Senator with a letter to President Clinton,
asking him to participate in the university s 75th anniversary celebration in 2000. Couvillion is
chairing Southeastern s 75th anniversary steering committee. 
      We want the President of the United States to come to campus and we want you to give
this invitation to him personally,  Couvillion said.
                                 - SLU -
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