Representatives from several MU student organizations attended the Legion of Black Collegians senate meeting Wednesday night to discuss solutions for racism on campus. The meeting was initiated by the graffiti message containing a racial slur found outside Hatch Hall on Saturday.
Students and university officials discussed the recommendations created by a group of student organizations that had met Saturday afternoon to discuss the incident.
According to the meeting summary report authored by Missouri Students Association President Eric Woods, the group that met on Feb. 12 came up with several immediate and long-term responses with the aim of promoting diversity and a sense of community on campus. The community will be called “One Mizzou” and will include the hanging of banners, an online diversity-training course for incoming freshmen as well as a creation of a central spot on campus with a diversity theme, which will serve as a diversity reminder to students.
The possibility of a diversity course requirement was debated throughout the meeting. Students present expressed concern whether the diversity course was a step in the right direction and if the diversity course was going to reach the students that need the diversity education the most.
“There is always going to be that percent of the population who is not going to learn, but we shouldn’t have a negative attitude about (the diversity course),” LBC Vice President Cidney King said. “If it means something to a few people that take the course, then it will be worth it.”
LBC Activities Chairwoman Kristen Andrews said students should become more proactive in combination with expressing their concern for the incident.
“Everyone is quick to talk, but there are no actions and no solutions,” Andrews said. “We are not making any progress. If the university isn’t working fast enough for us, we need to take it upon ourselves.”
Students present also questioned if the “One Mizzou” campaign would be enough to move forward from the graffiti incident and raise awareness about diversity.
“I hope the university sees diversity as something that is important to them,” LBC President Lisa White said.
MU does not tolerate racism, and action will be taken on a case-by-case basis, said Donnell Young, Office of Student Conduct Senior Coordinator.
MU also provides a bias-reporting mechanism through the Equity Office.
According to the MU Equity website, students may use the bias report form if they have witnessed or experienced an act committed against any person, group or property which a student believes to have discriminated against anyone based on some part of their identity.
Black Studies Professor April Langley, brought the reporting mechanism to students’ attention during the meeting. Langley also said no student had used the mechanism to report the graffiti incident or the cotton ball incident that occurred last year.
“I had heard about (the reporting mechanism) once before, but I didn’t know too much more about it,” White said. “But as far as being surprised that students did not utilize this to report the incident, I take that into poor account that students may not know that it exists. Therefore, they couldn’t utilize it.”
White said she would like to see the reporting mechanism publicized more successfully to students.
“I want to see students figure out how they want to tackle (racism),” she said. “I want the students to be proactive in any way possible.”