OSU students demand action to address racism
STILLWATER — A group of black Oklahoma State University students “seeking change, not another apology” on Thursday issued a list of demands and a plan of action to address racism on campus.
Among actions requested by The Four Percent are hiring more faculty and staff of color and creating more faculty, staff and administration positions aimed at enhancing race relations on campus.
The group also wants monthly meetings with top administrators and representatives of various campus organizations to move forward with plans to improve diversity and inclusion on campus.
The Four Percent — a reference to roughly the percentage of black students at OSU — noted in an earlier document instances of racist incidents from decades ago up to this month’s Snapchat post bearing a racial epithet.
“There are frustrated individuals at OSU because these things are reoccurring and we don’t feel we’re being heard,” said James Sullivan, of Plano, Texas, spokesman for the group.
Concerned students met with administrators a year ago following two incidents of female students posting photos in blackface on social media. The students looked to administrators to make a change, but the administration’s efforts fell short, Sullivan said.
“Now there’s a group of students who want to do the work,” he said. “We want to be as effective as possible.”
The Four Percent is not affiliated with any group or organization on campus, Sullivan said.
“We’re just a bunch of students who feel the culture of the institution needs to be changed,” he said.
About a dozen students worked on the list of demands, which includes adding language to the student code of conduct that makes “racially insensitive and/or racist rhetoric and behavior made public knowledge” punishable acts.
A bias response team should be formed to impose the punishment, according to the action plan.
The group also seeks mandatory diversity training for all students, faculty and staff.
At a minimum, the administration should ensure students feel comfortable during the time they are on campus, said Sullivan, who graduated in December with a degree in sports media and now is applying for graduate school at other universities.
“If it was a problem for everyone and everyone feels uncomfortable, you would do something about it,” he said.
OSU President Burns Hargis did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
After the blackface incidents last year, about 50 students demonstrated outside Hargis’ office and a few met with him.
“Honestly, for you to get change, you have to take action. You can’t sit and be silent,” said Tiffany Thurmond, of Edmond, who was a senior and head of the AfricanAmerican Student Association at the time.
“We want to help fix the problem so future students don’t have to deal with it,” she said.
This week, The Four Percent stated in a letter there is no reason why students and administration “cannot work together to find the proper solution to our racial competency problem at OSU.”
The action plan states the goal is “to bring about the best Oklahoma State University possible — a university that is a true model and one that is ‘loyal and true’ to all its students.”