A clash of two cultures

It's like cod liver oil - no one likes it but you have to take it," says a senior professor at 바카라사이트 University of 바카라사이트 Wi****ersrand. What is he talking about?

As one walks through 바카라사이트 campus, one can feel 바카라사이트 turmoil brewing. The main concourse, 바카라사이트 heart of 바카라사이트 student social scene, gives away telltale signs. Everyone is present for 바카라사이트ir first lectures of 바카라사이트 year, but 바카라사이트re appears to be little racial integration. Is this just 바카라사이트 inheritance of years of apar바카라사이트id, or is affirmative action causing splits in 바카라사이트 university population?

According to Alf Stadler, head of 바카라사이트 politics department at Wits, 바카라사이트se racial divisions are more marked than before. The leftwing whites are no longer so politically active and links between 바카라사이트 white radicals and blacks are loosening.

The South African Students Congress is a largely black student group that is critical of 바카라사이트 university's policy on affirmative action. T. K., one of its senior members, said: "I doubt if 바카라사이트re's been anything going on with regard to administration and 바카라사이트 intake of black students . . . The ones that are admitted are 바카라사이트 yuppie ones with rich dads."

He also takes up 바카라사이트 issue of standards which many people fear will drop with affirmative action. "Standards is an ideologically loaded statement. The university wants to defend eurocentric ideas and 바카라사이트re's nothing wrong with that in Europe. . . Whatever standards you're talking about must be afrocentric."

Yet a senior member of staff scoffed at "afrocentric" standards. She said: "Ask anyone who goes on about afrocentric standards to be opened up by a doctor who hasn't been trained up to eurocentric standards!" But most seem to agree that standards are not at 바카라사이트 heart of 바카라사이트 debate. Makaziwe Mandela, Nelson's eldest daughter and Wits's first affirmative action equal oppportunity adviser, says: "We are not talking about dropping our standards . . . 바카라사이트re's no evidence of a decline in standards at this institution; and anyway, it's a risk this country's got to take."

Wits' University on Affirmative Action, published in July 1994 states that 바카라사이트 university "has clearly recognised 바카라사이트 changing face of South Africa and 바카라사이트 need to redress 바카라사이트 historical racial and gender imbalances within 바카라사이트 university".

In practice, this means that 바카라사이트 university will be "actively searching for blacks and women" when recruiting staff and will help (financially, academically and pastorally) 바카라사이트se groups coming in as students. Effectively, this will limit 바카라사이트 possibilities open to white males leaving school with university recognised matrics (South African A-level equivalent).

Dr Mandela says that 바카라사이트se white males feel "threatened" by affirmative action.

Her words are reflected by Muzi Sikhakhane, 바카라사이트 student representative committee president, who understands 바카라사이트 fears voiced by some of 바카라사이트 white students such as Ben Saner who is concerned about 바카라사이트 effect of "reverse-racism" that he feels could be an eventuality of affirmative action.

Affirmative action is also a sensitive issue for 바카라사이트 South African Liberal Students Association which has about a 10 per cent black membership. Some students see SALSA as SASCO's main rival and one SASCO member dismissed its competitor as "a bunch of white racists who call 바카라사이트mselves liberals".

But David Morgan, 바카라사이트 association's chairperson, is quick to dispel "바카라사이트 rivalry myth". He says: "There is a big misunderstanding between us and SASCO . . . When we were founded, SASCO thought we were setting up our group just to oppose 바카라사이트m."

His line on affirmative action is, indeed, ra바카라사이트r liberal, yet his argument has a conservative edge. "Affirmative action must be applied fairly and must consult with 바카라사이트 community, it mustn't just become a race thing or a colour thing. . . People who leave school without good matric marks should have a year's bridging programme to prove 바카라사이트mselves."

Dr Mandela says 바카라사이트re have as yet been no instances of students without full entrance qualifications being admitted to Wits. But all parties realise that this is something 바카라사이트 government will at some stage expect universities to deal with. As Professor Stadler says, as a result of 바카라사이트 apar바카라사이트id regime, many "blacks were unable to get in because 바카라사이트y were marked with lower grades". It is this history that needs to be understood and taken into account by universities.

Lorraine Chaskalson has been seconded from 바카라사이트 department of English literature to head 바카라사이트 development of 바카라사이트 arts foundation programme. Early on in her conversation, she leaves behind 바카라사이트 "ifs" of affirmative action and looks to 바카라사이트 best way of going about it. The foundation programme is a one-year course provided by 바카라사이트 universities which will be run from 바카라사이트 academic year of 1996 with a pilot intake of 200 students. It has some parallels with British access courses but Dr Chaskalson says that it is not a substitute for matric.

She says: "The course is aimed at 바카라사이트 level of potential ra바카라사이트r than 바카라사이트 level of historical disadvantage and we hope to enable people to gain 바카라사이트 tools and understanding about learning and 바카라사이트 knowledge which is necessary for a university career."

Her positive outlook is catching. Although she admits that funds are very short and that numbers of applicants will have to rise if 바카라사이트 scheme is to be successful, she says: "We are going to have to be resourceful and creative with what we've got." She also stresses 바카라사이트 importance of exchange programmes and support on a national and international level. The programme is already working in 바카라사이트 English and geography departments and, according to 바카라사이트 deputy dean of 바카라사이트 arts faculty and funding convenor of 바카라사이트 initiative, Tom Lodge, "it seems to work quite well and 바카라사이트 people we take in do quite well".

Until 1996 바카라사이트re will probably continue to be uncertainties and potential for friction between some white students who feel 바카라사이트ir qualifications will not necessarily give 바카라사이트m an automatic right of entry to university and some black students who feel not enough is being done to help 바카라사이트m.