With protests and town hall forums on campus causing emotions to run high this past fall, a list of demands for a more racially inclusive campus was released by Binghamton University group Students for Change. However, many have yet to be realized.
The demands, which were directed at the University and released at the end of the semester, detailed 25 changes the group wanted to see on campus. The list was written after a number of events on campus occurred in response to the controversial jury rulings in the cases of the deaths of Eric Garner and Michael Brown, which were said to be racially motivated.
These demands ranged from matters of racial sensitivity, like requiring resident assistants and professors to undergo cultural competency training, to having minorities be better represented in campus-based organizations such as the University Police Department and Sodexo’s senior management.
According to chief diversity officer of the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (ODEI) Valerie Hampton, the administration is working to meet the demands of the students.
”We have been actively engaged in discussion with the students since they first voiced their concerns and are committed to further dialogue, with a goal of assuring that Binghamton University is an inclusive community,” Hampton wrote in an email.
Though students met with President Harvey Stenger, the provost, UPD and ODEI, according to Hampton, some offices are still looking to meet with groups to start making changes.
“Attempts to schedule meetings with the president, the chief diversity officer and the vice president of student affairs were made, but time ran out on the semester,” she wrote. “These offices are continuing to schedule meetings with student representatives on the topics raised.”
Other demands refer to Greek Life, including making pre-professional fraternities more diverse and requiring the Greek Life director to undergo cultural competency training. The list also mentioned revamping policing policies, such as reporting the racial background of the students they come into conflict with.
Pipe Dream has reached out to Provost Donald Nieman and Students for Change, but is still awaiting a response.