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Nubian Message

Petition For The Advancement and Support of Black Life of Campus

June 12, 2020

Nubian Message has collaborated with a coalition of Black NCSU organizations to create a petition to improve and support the lives of Black undergraduate students on campus. Please join us in solidarity by signing the petition. We’ve also included a copy of the petition below:

For countless years, Black NC State students have been subject to discrimination and harassment on campus.

During late May/early June, several NC State students were exposed for using racial slurs and other forms of harmful and violent language. Additionally, in late April, another incident occurred of racial slurs being painted across the free expression tunnel.  This is the environment that Black students on campus have repeatedly been forced to endure.

Following these incidents, Chancellor Woodson released a statement on June 4th committing to requiring every student, faculty, and staff member to complete diversity and inclusion learning modules. This is a good first step but there is more work that needs to be done. While we are aware that the university is legally unable to punish students for using racial or other forms of discriminatory language, there are still more steps that need to be taken to ensure the safety of Black students, staff, and faculty members.

Generations of Black NC State students have been subjected to vague promises such as moving to “a place of dialogue and partnership to have difficult but necessary conversations.” As a collective, we are tired of these discussions not being followed by actions.

The leaders of multiple Black undergraduate organizations gathered together to compile a list of demands for NC State administration:

 

  • We demand that representatives from the NC State Office of Institutional Equity and Diversity (OIED) must have regular (once a month) meetings with the leaders of Black organizations on campus to ensure that the university is actively listening to Black students’ concerns.
  • We demand that all incoming NC State faculty and staff must complete sensitivity training, upon employment and repeated every 3 years, on how to navigate and address racism, xenophobia, homophobia, transphobia, and other forms of discriminatory and violent language/actions. While the selection of the training program will be the responsibility of the university, the program must be evidence-based and not bid-based in order to ensure maximum effectiveness. This should be enacted by the end of the Fall 2020 semester. 
  • We demand that NC State hires a full-time director for the AACC by the end of the fall 2020 semester. The director position has been vacant for a full academic school year. The hiring process should include students, having students appointed to the hiring committee. 
  • We demand that in addition to the currently required training, NC State requires all student organization leaders to complete a yearly training focusing on diversity and inclusion. If they do not complete this, they will not be able to register as a university-affiliated organization.  
  • We demand that a mandatory in-person diversity and inclusion training be added to the Greek life Standards of Excellence requirement. At least 75% of the chapter must attend the training. The training will specifically be geared towards greek life. The training will be decided by the Department of Fraternity and Sorority Life based on evidence of efficiency.
  • We demand that NC State administration releases a clear and detailed protocol of the Strategic Plan Taskforce before the start of the Fall 2020 semester. The administration should allow a window for public feedback. This protocol must explicitly state how it will benefit Black students. The protocol will be distributed via email and posted on a webpage.
  • We demand the creation of a designated fund that allows Alumni and community member’s donations to be directly used for Black organizations, student spaces, and Black life on campus continuously throughout the year. The current fund, the African American Cultural Center Enrichment Fund, is not available continuously throughout the year. The dispersion of funds will be determined by the directors of the AACC and MSA.
  • We demand that the Black Male Initiative Village shall only relocate if there is an overwhelming majority of BMI students affirming the relocation. 
  • We demand that the NC State administration actively recruits and hires Black individuals for all positions including faculty and staff. The university should work to gradually increase the percentage of Black faculty and staff each year. 
  • We demand that the NC State administration install increased lighting throughout the entirety of the Brickyard and the areas surrounding Talley Student Union. The lack of proper lighting has raised several safety concerns, preventing students from feeling safe while walking in these areas.

 

Signed,

  • The NAACP at NC State
  • The Nubian Message
  • The Caribbean Student Association
  • The National Society of Black Physicists at NC State
  • The African Student Union
  • The Society of Afrikan American Culture
  • National Pan-Hellenic Council at NC State
  • National Society of Black Engineers 
  • The Black Students Board
  • AYA Ambassadors