Over the last week, the entire nation has heard about the actions of the University of Missouri’s Concerned Student 1950: the protests, the lies, and the segregation. Concerned Student 1950’s mob rule has already cost two men their jobs and led another to submit his resignation (which the university did not accept).
Regardless of whether the entire uprising was based on wildly exaggerated claims, it’s worth taking a step back to consider some of the diversity programs already offered by the University of Missouri that simply weren’t enough to satisfy Concerned Student 1950. (RELATED: Was Mizzou’s President Forced Out Over Wildly Exaggerated Claims?)
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Bias reporting system
When the University of Missouri Police Department instructed students to report any of their peers who engaged in “hurtful speech,” the nation lost its collective mind. As it turns out, however, this was not a new development. The university already encouraged students to report their peers and professors to the university’s Equity Office for so-called “bias incidents” such as “verbal assault” and “unequal treatment.” Black students are specifically covered by three of the twenty protected categories: race, color, and ethnicity. -
Black Cultural Center
While Concerned Student 1950 is demanding that the university hire an additional four hundred black faculty and staff, it’s worth noting that the taxpayer-funded university already has a cultural center specifically for black students. The university’s Black Cultural Center — which is distinct from UM’s MultiCultural Center — has twenty-three staffers, all of whom are black. The university does not appear to have a Latino Cultural Center, an Asian Cultural Center, or a European Cultural Center. -
Black Student Government
The University of Missouri, it turns out, has the nation’s only student government specifically for black students. UM’s Legion of Black Collegians, according the university website, is “the leading voice on campus working to eradicate ignorance and promote positive change through education, motivation and advocacy for Black students at Mizzou.” The Legion of Black Collegians issued a “call to action” last spring, with a list of demands that bear close resemblance to those issued by Concerned Student 1950. Among them: guaranteed disciplinary action for any students who engage in so-called “offensive behavior” to black students. -
Womyn of Color Retreat
Just a week ago, the University of Missouri held their traditional “Womyn of Color Retreat” that focuses on topics such as “empowerment” and healing.” -
Black Culture Awareness Week
Concerned Student 1950’s demands focused on “awareness” efforts for non-white students. They neglected to mention, however, that the university already devotes an entire week to raising “awareness” of black culture. The university’s “Black Culture Awareness Week” includes events such as “Real Colorism,” which the university describes as “a conversation centered around the Black diaspora to discuss the historical context of colorism, self-awareness, language and the implications of how colorism impacts career and life choices.” -
Ain’t I a Black Woman
Distinct from the university’s “Womyn of Color Retreat,” the University of Missouri offers black female students the chance to participate in the four week “Ain’t I a Black Woman” discussion series. The university does not appear to offer similar programs for female students of Latin, Asian, or European descent. -
Black @ Mizzou
Just a few weeks into the school year, the University of Missouri held a “Black @ Mizzou” event. UM students were invited to “come hear what the Mizzou experience is like for Black students on campus.” The event, according to the university website, had “new and returning Black students present to share their experiences both inside and outside the classroom.” The university does not appear to hold “Latino @ Mizzou,” “Asian @ Mizzou,” or “White @ Mizzou” events.