SEMO MINORITY AFFAIRS COMMISSION MEETS FRIDAY

Southeast Missouri State University's minority affairs commission wants to roll out the welcome mat in Cape Girardeau for black students, faculty, staff and the general public.

"Building Success" is the theme of the second meeting of the President's Commission on Minority Affairs scheduled for 1 p.m. Friday in the University Center Ballroom.

The commission, comprised of 37 members from across the state, met for the first time last September. The advisory group is assisting the university in developing new approaches to recruit and retain minority students, faculty and staff.

At Friday's meeting, a panel of students, media and community leaders will discuss "Creating and Sustaining a Welcoming Community." Members of the panel will be Tamara Zellars Buck, a Southeast Missourian reporter; Joe Guyton and Sedrick Martin, both Southeast students; Howard Meagle, general manager of KFVS-TV; and John Mehner, president of the Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce. Provost Dr. Charles Kupchella will moderate the panel discussion, which is slated to begin at 1:40 p.m.

The panel will discuss the racial climate in Cape Girardeau.

Southeast's president, Dr. Dale Nitzschke, said Wednesday that some minority students don't feel the campus and community are welcoming to them. But he said civic leaders have told him that they welcome minority students and residents. Nitzschke said a lack of communication could be part of the problem. Nitzschke said there are few blacks in professional, middle-class jobs in Cape Girardeau.

Southeast also has few minority students. Last fall, 328 black students were enrolled at Southeast. That amounted to just under 4 percent of the total student body.

In terms of a minority population, there isn't a "critical mass" in Cape Girardeau, he said. That makes it harder for the school to recruit and retain black students, faculty and staff, Nitzschke said.

Southeast's president said the commission that he appointed has helped to bring minority issues to the forefront. He said commission members individually have offered advice since last fall's meeting.

Mehner said the Cape Girardeau business community doesn't distinguish between minority and other students. "Students are students. The business community is happy they are here," Mehner said.

He said the chamber wants to address any negative perceptions on the part of students. "We need to hear what they are saying," said Mehner. "We want to be a good community for everybody."

Nitzschke will deliver opening remarks at Friday's meeting. Jim Biundo, assistant to the president for university relations, will summarize discussions from the commission's first meeting and report on progress made to date.

Dr. Mack Wilson, an agriculture professor, will discuss Southeast's new membership in the Heartland's Alliance for Minority Participation. HAMP, as it is called, is a program designed to increase the number of minority students participating in the sciences, engineering and mathematics. The Southeast Alliance of HAMP offers four full scholarships to Southeast students per academic year.

Dr. Rob Parrent, associate vice president for enrollment management, and Dr. Kimberly Barrett, dean of students, will discuss recruitment and retention initiatives in place at Southeast.

A question-and-answer session is planned for 2:10 p.m. It will be followed by group discussions.

Dr. Paul Keys, dean of the College of Health and Human Services, will moderate the group discussions. The groups are slated to make recommendations to Nitzschke. The meeting is scheduled to adjourn at 4:15 p.m.

Following the meeting, the Minority Mentor Program Recognition Banquet will be held at 6 p.m. The Office of Minority Affairs is hosting the dinner to recognize students participating in the program and their mentors.

The Minority Mentor Program offers beginning freshman minority students a stipend for the academic year in exchange for working in various university departments under the guidance of mentors.