"Request met: Talley gives black students first floor Print Shop," March 13, 1974

In this March 13, 1974 Technician article, Jean Jackson outlined Dean Banks Talley's decision to allocate the Society of Afro-American Culture the first floor of the Print Shop. The Print Shop was the only one of Carroll's requests that Dean Talley fulfilled.

The decision to allow black students access to the first floor of the print shop for the development of a cultural center was made official Monday in a letter from Banks C. Talley, Dean of Student Affairs.

The letter addressed to Don Bell, president of the Society of Afro-American Culture (SAAC), stated the proposals Bell had submitted concerning the development of the center were “ambitious and deserving on an opportunity to succees.”

Talley outlined his intention to request assistance of Wilber Johnson, Assistant Program Director of the University Student Center with the belief that Johnson would be helpful in establishing and maintaining a visable and beneficial program of cultural and social activities available to the entire campus community.”

In addition, Talley stated he hopes to locate and employ a black graduate student to “serve…as coordinator for the academic aid programs to be operated from the Center.”

In the letter, Talley requested the designation of a committee consisting of members from present organizations of black students to work with Johnson in planning and scheduling activities. Talley also recommended to Bell that a second committee be organized to work on the tutorial program with W.F. Weston of the Counseling Center.

When contacted for comment, Bell stated, “I am pleased. The basic plans we outlined have been covered.”

Commenting on the fact that present university staff members would be employed rather than hiring a coordinator for activities, Bell said, “We thought someone would be hired…but I think this (the use of staff officials) can work effectively.”

Prior to the release of Talley’s letter, Bell met Monday afternoon with Chancellor Caldwell to discuss the allocation of the Print Shop. Bell, along with several other students went before the chancellor to discuss what action has taken place to alleviate certain problems they considered to be of great concern to students.

The topics discussed in the meeting were the allocation of the Print Shop to black students, a requested decrease in parking decal prices, the assurance to students in dorms that they will have the same privacy as other Raleigh citizens, and a requested 10% decrease in Students Supple Stores prices for textbooks and other course related materials.

Among those at the meeting with the chancellor were Bell, speaking for the request of the Print Shop for black students, Eric Weber and Ricky Eudy, dorm residents, and Student Body President T.C. Carroll, speaking on the requested decrease in prices of parking decals and textbooks.

Originally, Carroll has presented the set of requests to the chancellor and issued a deadline of March 11 for some action to have taken on each of the points of concern. In response, the chancellor stated in a letter to Carroll that the deadline had “no relevance” to any of the issues.

When asked in the meeting about the progress of the print shop issue, Caldwell said, “the conversations have still been going on.”

Caldwell added that he thought Bell would be receiving a memorandum from Dean Banks Talley of Student Affairs “very soon,” and that he (Bell) would find the contents “very satisfactory.” The chancellor did not indicate that the letter would be released immediately.