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“oar media is a means of liberation, aa instrument of clalriflcation, information, education and mobilization." Kwame NKramah ItaOwkCdbf* VOL. XXXXNOTT j MOV EMBER 1977 THEY ARE M AD AS HELL CC Students Irked over Housing By Suleiman Abdul-Azeez In a recent survey of 30 Clark College Courts (CCC) residents, over half complained of the lack of rat and roach control, repairs, security and furnishings in their apartments. Of the students surveyed, 25 complained of roaches in their apartments. Roommates in two apartments said they had seen rats running around. Moreover, 18 of the s'udents had not seen their apartments exterminated. They generally agreed that more regular exterminations were needed to combat the rodent and insect problems. Cans of insect spray, purchased by the s’udents,could be seen in many apar’ments. Repairs, or the lack of ’hem, ranked second among the s’udents complaints, with 25 complaining that Clark takes too long to make repairs. In some instances the repairs were not made. One student complained of broken glass in her sliding living room door which she has been reques'ing to have repaired since September. Several students com plained of ovens needing repairs. At least two students showed holes in each of their bathroom ceilings. The sentiment among the students is that of frustration in trying to get Clark to make repairs. “You go down there (the business office), the man makes promises, but he doesn’t do anything,” one student said. “You have to keep running them down,” another student said. Security at the apartment complex is inadequate ac cording to 19 of the CCC Hole in wall and hole in window in pictures above are examples of housing problems in Clark College Courts about which students complain. students surveyed. One student said, “This apartment building is too big for just one security guard.” Another added, “It would make a lot of people more comfortable if more security could be seen.” A large number of students have put additional locks on the apartment doors or said they plan to do so. Many of the women students felt that it would be unsafe to use the telephone in the lobby of the "Birdcage” at night or in the early morning because of inadequate security. (The Birdcage is the first of the two circular buildings com arising the CCC apartment complex . One student said lie hopes that Clark would strengthen security during the holiday season when he and many other students would be going home. Only six of the students cited no problem with security. Furnishings and related services received an “in sufficient” rating from 18 students. The biggest com plaints were about un shampooed or poorly sham pooed rugs. One student told of having '.to use “creative lighting” to hide the streaks in her newly shampooed rug. Drapes were ,|tom, badly worn, discolored or 1'in need of cleaning in many of M’he students’ apartments. Additionally, students pointed to mismatched fur- • ni'ure, wobbly coffee tables, ’ md the lack of lamps, end ables and chairs. “Furniture has to be ab- Jsolutely unusable to be 'replaced,” a resident said. Another student said that he was told that he would get jsome new furniture “when the i'ruck comes in,” he quipped. “I guess it must be coming from Japan.” Of the 30 students sur veyed, four were seniors, 13 ljuniors, 10 sophomores and 3 are freshmen. This is the first year at CCC for about 19 of those surveyed and the third year for only about 3 of them. Rent, for those whose financial aid package does not cover it, is $90 monthly per student or $180 monthly per ont- bedroom apartment. Continued on Page 3 Campus Housing # Stinks Nationally By Helen Cordes They’re mad as hell and they’re not going to take it any longer! That’s what people are saying these days, as spiraling housing costs chop away at their budgets. These people are among thousands nationwide who are organizing tenant unions to fight rent increases and substandard housing. Most everyone who has ever rented has had problems with a rotten landlord. Needed repairs go unfixed for months; heating and cooling systems show no correspondence to the weather, yet the rent bill climbs. Virtually all students are familiar with this song-and- dance. Many rallied to the housing cause in the early seventies. The Madison, Wisconsin Tenant Union, now one of the best organized city tenant unions in the country, was initiated by University of Wisconsin students in 1969. Activity lagged in the past few years - and now is experiencing a resurgence. The Student Tenant Union (STU) at Madison took on one of Madison’s most powerful landlords this spring. Marvin Marcus, owner of several apartment buildings, was notorious for “non maintenance” and withholding damage deposits, says STU. When STU organizers at tempted to leaflet an apartment building with an announcement of a tenant’s picnic and meeting, they were met by Marcus, his business partner, and two other “large em ployees” who made it clear that no leafleting was allowed. Sue McCabe, STU member, said Marcus’ strong-arm tactics have prevented effective organization in Marcus-owned buildings. STU can move on to other projects, though, as Marcus recently sold many of his properties and split for Texas. Back at the office, STU is most active in fielding grievances, most of which deal with security deposits being withheld. They instruct students to file a claim in small claims courts and refer students to lawyers who will assist them in filing for little or no fees. STU also keeps track of which lan dlords are being complained about, and passes this in formation on to inquiring students. STU’s new innovation is to train people in buigding code regulat ionsT" Ttie~ volun teers then inspect buildings as requested, and work with city inspectors in brining violations to light. This summer, students, faculty and university em ployees at Wayne State Unversity (WSU) in Detroit merged to form the WSU Housing Tenants Council. They were fed up with the quality and cost of University housing. For one thing, rent had increased from 7 percent to 16 percent in different buildings. The mandatory parking fees were one of the highest in the nation (45 to $50 ca quarter), and payment didn’t necessarily insure a parking space at all times. Maintenance was sketchy, the Council said. Older buildings had potentially dangerous problems such as hazardous wiring, unhealthy heating systems, and poor plumbing. Continued on Page 3 A Critical Time By Lariy Simpson Clark College, as a historically Black institution, has to continued to be an alternative to and a bulwark against the forces of racism in American life, said the 19th president of this institution in his first convocation speech. Elias Blake, Jr., speaking at the 109th Convocation, said the (Allen) Bakke case raises serious questions concerning Black students and black colleges which Clark, in its historic role, must address. For Blacks “The Bakke case argues whether or not new methods Black Americans had fashioned to advance education were unconstitutional. “A serious question is if any method P'acks use to advance education should be posed as a constitutional issue,” he said. “This should give us pause to think where Blacks are in America in 1977. Continued on Page 3