The Nation - News from April 10, 1988

A 15-hour sit-in ended at Penn State University after police arrested 91 students, who charged that the use of force by state troopers typified the school’s insensitivity toward blacks. More than 150 students began their protest Friday afternoon by occupying the school’s telecommunications building at University Park, Pa., after student leaders and school administrators failed to agree on ground rules for a discussion of minority issues with university President Bryce Jordan. Black students said they wanted to outline grievances at an open meeting with Jordan. Robert Blair, a spokesman for the Black Caucus, a student group, said minority students should have a voice in programs at the university that affect them and criticized Penn State for failing to meet a court-mandated goal for black enrollment. Last fall, Penn State failed to reach the 5% black enrollment it agreed to meet. It has a 3.6% black enrollment.