Cornell Black Students United’s list of demands have been released online .
The six categories of demands are listed and explained in a seven page letter that was delivered to University President Elizabeth Garrett and Vice President Ryan Lombardi on Tuesday. Here is a summary of the demands:
1. Curriculum demands:
Mandatory, ongoing coursework for students and training for university employees on the topic of racial, religious, gender, etc. identity “explicitly focused on systems of power and privilege in the United States and centering the voices of oppressed people”
Hiring of a scholar in pre-European contact African history
Latino studies, American Indian studies, Asian-American studies majors
2. Compositional diversity demands:
Hiring more black faculty, administrators, staff; increased involvement in hiring process
Increase university contracts with women- and minority-owned businesses
3. Mental health and wellness demands:
Hiring at least three more psychologists and psychiatrists in next two years; at least three more physicians of color in next four years due to “mistrust” of of medical professionals
Support groups and spaces for people of color, women of color, and queer people of color in regards to sexual assault
4. Governance demands:
Meetings throughout the year with university president, vice president, ALANA student leaders, staff from office of diversity
5. Support services demands:
Space for multicultural Greek fraternities and sororities
Staff in each college career office dedicated to counseling students of color and other marginalized students; more full-time staff in diversity departments
6. Symbols demands:
Rename Cornell Plantations
Commemorations to the old Africana Center and Cornell students who lost their lives in the Civil Rights movement
