Two Black students at the University of Colorado at Boulder were verbally abused by a White woman who is not affiliated with the university.
After the incident, the Black Student Alliance issued a set of demands asking the campus to adhere to and address policies, enhance awareness, and add additional training related to discrimination, harassment, and racism at the university. It also sought to ban the offending woman from campus. Initially, the Black Student Union believed that the perpetrator was a student and demanded her expulsion from the university.
After the demands were issued, Chancellor Philip DiStefano, Provost Russ Moore, Chief Operating Officer Kelly Fox, and other university administrators met with student leaders to discuss improving the experience on campus so that all students, particularly those from underrepresented groups, feel part of the community, valued and safe. Administrators agreed to post fliers across campus showing the woman who made the racist remarks.
Chancellor DiStefano said that “other issues such as enhancing cultural competency of staff, faculty, and fellow students will take longer to address, and I am committed to working with students on our campus to increase awareness and achieve lasting behavioral change.”
Black students make up just 2 percent of the 30,000-member undergraduate student body at the University of Colorado at Boulder.
Hey, as a student at Saint Michael’s College, we are also dealing with issues of racism on campus. I would love to discuss further ideas that may work for a small campus to combat white supremacy.