Football season may be over, but the Confederate flag controversy was only the beginning for the Student Equality Commission during a discussion Wednesday.
More than 100 students gathered around a bench in the Quad listening to Collins Phillips, leader of the SEC, discuss the need for continued activism to create change on campus.
“Football season is over and people think our consciousness has left,” said Samori Camara, African-American studies graduate student and member of the SEC. “We still gonna make some noise.”
Phillips, general studies senior, agreed that concerned students should not lose their momentum this semester.
He said the University is “doing some good things,” but they’re “doing some foul things.”
Phillips said black and other minority professors are being hired but not for positions that lead to tenure.
“They’re only hiring black professors for two and three years,” Phillips said. “They’re giving us professors, but they’re not keeping them.”
Phillips said the SEC was promised last year it would receive six Black History Month programs this year, but now it will only be receiving three.
Chaunda Allen, director of the Office of Multicultural Affairs, said Phillips’ information is inaccurate.
She said after Isaac Netters, former director of the African American Cultural Center, stepped down from his position last semester, the Office of Multicultural Affairs decided to expand the six Black History Month programs into March.
“The committee is working very diligently to have as many programs as they can in February,” Allen said. She said there is already one program scheduled for March.
The Black History Month Committee will hold a meeting Friday to decide the final schedule of events.
Phillips also said the University is spending money in the wrong places.
“Priorities – where are they?” Phillips asked his audience.
He said $10,000 is being used to fund the Student Government clickers initiative to improve the voting system, and money is being used to fund renovations for University Recreation and to build a coffee shop in Middleton Library, but funds are being ignored for the AACC.
“That’s where the University’s priorities are,” Phillips said. “Are we more important than clickers?”
Katrice Albert, vice provost of equity and diversity, said that despite the serious budget recession as a result of Hurricane Katrina, money was not cut from the SEC.
She said the money being used to fund the issues the SEC mentioned was out of the hands of the Office of Multicultural Affairs.
She also said the University is working hard to fill the vacant position of coordinator for the AACC, but it takes time to go through the required steps to ensure that the candidate is qualified.
Phillips said students need to realize that “it’s not a race thing, and it’s not a black thing. Priorities – it’s a student thing.”
Phillips said the SEC will be holding meetings every Wednesday at 12:30 p.m. this semester to tackle issues concerning any student.
 
Contact Rebekah Allen at [email protected]