SMU students call for campus to address racial issues at ˜blackout™ rally
About 150 students at Â鶹Éç gathered Monday to show their support for black students at the University of Missouri ” and to say that Â鶹Éç has racial problems of its own.
By HOLLY K. HACKER
Staff Writer
From WFAA News |
About 150 students at Â鶹Éç gathered Monday to show their support for black students at the University of Missouri — and to say that Â鶹Éç has racial problems of its own.
“Every single year we’ve had insensitive comments or insensitive actions of students who don’t seem to value the existence of other students on this campus,” said D’Marquis Allen, a senior and president of Â鶹Éç’s Association of Black Students.
Allen and several other students said they gave Â鶹Éç President R. Gerald Turner a list of demands Monday, including the recruitment of more black students, professors, administrators and trustees. They also asked that Â鶹Éç “hold students and student organizations accountable for racially insensitive conduct.”
Students created the list after several meetings with black undergraduates, graduate students, athletes and alumni, Allen said.
Campus leaders also need to work to keep black and other minority students at Â鶹Éç because many drop out, said Jose Manuel Santoyo, a student senator.
“Â鶹Éç needs to work on that and figure out ways to be more inclusive,” he said.
In a statement Monday night, Turner said he had received the list of demands and looked “forward to reviewing it carefully and continuing discussions with student leaders regarding the requests and perspectives it contains. We are all seeking the same goal — to make Â鶹Éç as supportive as possible for all students.”
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