Student protesters at the University of Missouri are still making their voices heard with an updated list of demands for their future school president. Here’s the full statement:
Our demands have been reissued with reasoning as to why meeting them is imperative. https://t.co/wPQljx9FkP pic.twitter.com/6hzXt49kqs
— ConcernedStudent1950 (@CS_1950) February 24, 2016
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According to The Columbia Tribune, interim Mizzou President Mike Middleton has already responded.
Middleton issued a response to the group’s statement, listing efforts to meet Concerned Student 1950’s original list of demands. Middleton said the university system has formed a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Task Force with representatives from each campus, created a chief diversity, equity and inclusion officer position and conducted a full review of all UM policies for staff and student conduct.
“The time for demands has passed,” Middleton said. “We have already begun the very important work of making our campuses more diverse, equitable and inclusive.”
Middleton said the UM System has encouraged students to be part of the solution by working together with the new campus and system efforts.
#ConcernedStudent1950 started trending on Twitter back in November after several students demanded the resignation of the university’s president, Tim Wolfe. Students claimed Wolfe mishandled several racist incidents on campus, including a swastika written in human feces was found inside of a student dormitory. Eventually Wolfe stepped down, but protests continued onward.
Initial demands were as follows:
According to students, six out of the eight demands have been ignored, and they demand that changes be made by August.
The updated list was unveiled yesterday, the same day the University of Missouri Board of Curators selected a Presidential Search Committee and consulting firm to help recruit candidates to run the school.
As for reactions, Twitter is overwhelmed with mixed opinions:
Economic inequalities along racial lines…#moleg budget cuts. Only because we refuse inequality at our institution #StillConcerned
— Maxwell Little 🇺🇸 (@MaxHPF) February 24, 2016
Budget threats to silence us won't stop us! The end to structural and institutional racism is the only solution Mizzou! #stillconcerned
— ConcernedStudent1950 (@CS_1950) February 24, 2016
https://twitter.com/KevinReape/status/702545299852492801
My favorite Mizzou protest demand is that black students should be able to declare "academic bankruptcy" and wipe out a semester of grades.
— Clay Travis (@ClayTravis) February 24, 2016
These people have completely lost their mind. There's no other explanation #Missouri https://t.co/Afw81pYd5w
— GMT_90 (@GMT_90) February 24, 2016
https://twitter.com/kmwxx5/status/702540907107627008
There is currently ONE black mental health professional in the University of Missouri's counseling center… ONE. #StillConcerned
— @TyraKevina (@TyraKaayWoody) February 24, 2016
@CS_1950 You are ruining our University. That's not me being racist or ignorant, it's the truth.
— Daniel Regan (@dregan08) February 24, 2016
What do you think about it? Sound off in the comments below.
