BY: SIMRET SEMINE
American University Student Government President Taylor Dumpson has introduced a list of demands for university administration.
This list was compiled in May, but has been revamped in light of Tuesday night's incident in which ten confederate flags were hung in four buildings on campus. The majority of the demands have come from students themselves.
These demands fall into four categories: safety, retention, education and accountability. They include implementing a safety alert system for bias-related crimes, hiring a Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer, and releasing campus climate survey data to the student body.
Photo provided by American University Student Government
Meeting these demands could mean the difference between an attentive, student-focused university and a careless one. This change has to happen across the board—before, during and after incidents like these take place.
"Retention is going to drop and students of color are not going to come here," Dumpson warned at an emergency Undergraduate Senate Ad-Hoc Committee on Diversity and Inclusion meeting called on Wednesday night. This could be the future of AU if administrators fails to commit to breaking down institutionalized racism at this university.
President Sylvia M. Burwell hosted a town hall in on Wednesday afternoon in response to Tuesday night's incident.
