NOTE: In observance of Black History Month, Spectra is going back in time in Siena’s history, specifically to the year 1986. To a time period when it was Siena Heights College and it was struggling for a greater minority presence here on campus. (Special thanks to Sister Mary Beaubien in the SHU Archives for her help with the information for this story).

In an effort to increase awareness for minorities, the group We Are Minority Students (W.A.M.S.) was created. Curtis Rays, the president at the time, describes the goals and mission of W.A.M.S.: “We as minorities can relate to each other’s problems at school and outside of the school environment because of what problems we face as minorities.”

One of their long-term goals in creating the group was to hire a black instructor at Siena, as well as an advisor.

In 1988, the Black Advisory Council was created, with Sister Pat Schnapp named the chairmen of this council.

“The point of the task force is to get rid of campus racism,” she said.

They met with the president at the time, Sister Cathleen Real. They discussed the possibility of having a person in head of minority affairs.

In 1992, Spectra ran a news poll asking students about racial tension on campus. Eighteen percent of students felt the issue was extremely serious, while a whopping 52 percent felt racial tension was somewhat serious.

One student commented that “both sides aren’t willing to cooperate and I don’t think the school is that willing to confront the issue.”

In talking about “racial stress,” Real commented that “it (was) imperative in (her) opinion that the Siena Heights campus be free of discrimination and harassment as it can possibly be in order for us to be faithful to our mission.”

W.A.M.S. conducted multiple events throughout their years of operation, making sure to advocate for those of color. But they also tried to be inclusive to the whole Siena community. They said they wished “the college as a whole (would) see (them) not as a black group, but as a group as competent as any other.”

In 1993, W.A.M.S. split into two organizations: SHAAKA and Hispanics for Education. In next week’s issue, learn more about SHAAKA, an organization that was predominately involved in celebrating both Martin Luther King Jr. Day, as well as Black History Month.