The liberal agenda has been pushed to its limits at Ole Miss. I guess it was time for it to move on the MSU campus. If I read these demands correctly, this is the opposite of progression in race relations. What say you to the demands of this movement?
Demands Presented to Mississippi State University by Coalition of Black Students :
1) The State Flag on campus needs to be taken down
• The confederate flag represents a history of oppression and racism against the African American community.
• E.g.: State of Mississippi Declaration of Secession: January 9th, 1861 o “Our position is thoroughly identified with the institution of slavery––the greatest material interest of the world… none but the black race can bear exposure to the tropical sun… and a blow at slavery is a blow at commerce and civilization.” • Mississippi is the only flag in the Union that has the confederate flag in its state flag.
2) Equalized funding and support for Black student organizations
3) Minority Faculty representation
• 4.8% of all full-time faculty at MSU are African American, yet 21% of the student population is African American.
• Professors in the year 2014-2015 made $98,776 o 85.7% of Professors on campus are white. 3.47% are black o Meaning that only 3.47% of black faculty are tenured full professors
• Associate Professors in the year of 2014-2015 made $77, 593 o 80.2% of Associate Professors on campus are white. 3.67% are black.
Meaning that only 3.67% of black faculty are tenured associate professors o When both categories are totaled, only around 3.57% of black faculty are tenured/tenured-track professors We want African American faculty to be representative of the student population and want to see more tenured and tenure-track professors who look like us, come from similar backgrounds as us, and who we can turn to for academic mentors and leaders on campus.
4) Retention and graduation rates of African Americans
• African American students are consistently being retained at significantly lower rates than Caucasians or any other racial group on campus. o For MSU’s 6-year retention rate, only 49% of African Americans are retained at the University whereas 64% of white students are retained. o African American students have a 41.6% graduation rate. White students have a 62.2% graduation rate. We want proactive programming and resources dedicated to increasing the retention and graduation rates of African American students on campus. From providing support and counseling services to dedicating more money to fostering a strong African American community on campus, meaning more financing to the HCDC office, more black faculty, more support of African American organizations, and expanding current counseling, educational and financial services to African American students. We also want more transparency and research done concerning minority performance and well-being at this university.
5) Diversity and sensitivity training for all faculty and institutionalized diversity and sensitivity learning for Freshman Students
• Part of the daily struggles of being an African American student on campus is the daily micro-aggressions and racist experiences that we face on campus from both students and faculty.
• This can be mitigated with knowledge and training about diversity and sensitivity to students from marginalized backgrounds.
6) Safe space for Black students on campus
• Safe space for Black students on campus that are away from the daily stresses of navigating white spaces and the work/responsibilities associated with the HCDC office. This space can either be an expansion of the HCDC office or an entirely different space created on campus.
• Other schools provide these spaces for their students: o E.g.: Malcom X Lounge UT Austin
• This space will be: o A place to have fun, socialize, and develop friendships with students with similar experiences and struggles o An opportunity for academic advising, tutoring, and support o A place of emotional and social support and a place to decompress from the daily stress of being a Black student at a PWI
• Area intended for Black students but open to all other minority students on campus.
7) Promoting inclusive environments welcoming to all minority students on campus
• We want more inclusive policies and initiatives o Transgender bathrooms on campus
• And we want to reverse discriminatory policies to promote a more inclusive environment for all minority students o Reversing English only lab policy
8) Equal and fair treatment of our events, concerts and programs
9) Housing and RHA Programming
• End discrimination in housing programing for the south side and north side of campus
• There is a prevalent intersectionality of socioeconomic status and race in MS. Housing distribution on campus exploits this instersectionality.
• There are more residence halls with more affordable rates for lower income students, many of them African American, concentrated in the South side of campus.
• There are requirements and programming rules for the South side of campus that are not enforced for the North side, which is full of more expensive residence halls and less African American students.
10) Support and Services for African American Students
• We want more services and support, both physical health and mental wellness, for Black students on campus • One African American student recounts her experience with the predominantly white counselors at Mississippi State’s Counseling Services: ” I have to explain everything to help her understand. I am constantly rehashing through painful experiences of discrimination just to get her to understand and empathize enough to help me in the way I need. I have to teach her to help me. ”
• There is research that addresses the physiological impacts caused by the stress of being African American in predominantly white environments. Some of which are: o Anxiety disorders o Depression o Infant mortality rates o Chronic migraines o High blood pressure
• This means African Americans need an increase in Black counselors and specific programming directed toward black students that have to cope with the physiological and mental stress that the discrimination and racism at a PWI brings.
ALL demands are to be met by May 1, 2017 with the exception of #1, #3, #4, and #10. • #1 should be met immediately, no later than May 1, 2016. • #3, #4, and #10 need to be met by August 1, 2020.
