Tulane Black Student Union releases list of demands and expectations
Courtesy of the Tulane Black Student Union
July 26, 2020
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This Saturday, July 25, the Tulane Black Student Union released “Tulane Black Student Union Demands and Expectations for Tulane University,” a four-part list published by the student organization addressed to President Mike Fitts, Undergraduate Student Government Senate, the Provost, the president’s cabinet and the Tulane Board of Trustees.
“We decided to revisit the demands made by the African American Congress of Tulane in 1968, the Call for Unity in 2015, the Equity Fee by Les Griots Violets in 2019, and Tulane Takes Ten in 2020,” the document said. “We need to see an institutional revolution, not reform.”
The list covered issues spanning across the academic life, social life, finances and health of Black undergraduate students at Tulane.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CDEdFianHnR/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet
The publication begins by demanding reparations be made to Tulane’s Black community members for the university’s history of racism, along with the provision of more comprehensive education to Tulane’s community members about the racist history of the school.
The document continues with calls for community accountability, beginning with the expectation that Tulane community members, including Greek organizations, who engage in racist, sexist or otherwise bigoted language or activity are thoroughly investigated and face consequences. Another facet of this which the organization advocates for is the training of students and faculty at Tulane through mandatory classes and Community Engagement Advocate workshops.
The BSU demanded Tulane reevaluate its admission policies and processes to create a more equitable system, strengthen its recruitment efforts from local high schools and provide more scholarship opportunities for prospective Black, indigenous, and students of color in New Orleans.
After being admitted to Tulane, the document said, Black students lack support throughout their undergraduate careers and face lower graduation rates. To remedy this, the BSU demands increased funding for the Center for Academic Equity, career support geared towards Black students and the end to the discrimination against School of Professional Advancement and commuter students. They also request a more equitable college experience for student athletes and increased compensation for student workers and Resident Advisors.
The remainder of the document highlights additional financial support for Posse and College Track scholarships that would make Tulane more financially accessible. It also calls for the elimination of the relationship between the Tulane University Police Department and the New Orleans Police Department, along with mandatory diversity and deescalation training for officers every semester and a call to move away from police-based solutions in favor of investment in community initiatives.
Additionally, the BSU demands the creation of two new scholarships in the names of Tony McDade and Modesto Reyes, along with an official public endorsement of local and national movements like Black Lives Matter by Tulane University.
The document also includes the Tulane and Loyola Black Queer Collective Statement of Demands for Housing and Residence Life, letters by the secretary of the Tulane National Society of Black Engineers and members of the African American Women’s Society executive board.
“Tulane, you have been put on notice… We will be here, we will be difficult, we will be destabilizing to anything that even smells like racism,” Les Griots Violets, the student group that has been advocating for the implementation of the Equity Fee since 2019, said. “We will be on you until Tulane is the very best it can be, and that is what we call radical love.”
The publication concludes with a letter from The Alliance of Black Business Students calling for change within the sphere of the A. B. Freeman School of Business.
The document, which was published on the BSU instagram page @thetbsu, was followed by a statement calling for students and other organizations at Tulane to join forces with the BSU by emailing the demands and a statement to several leaders on Tulane’s campus. It can be viewed in its entirety here.
Black Tulane Alumni • Feb 17, 2021 at 6:03 pm
The proof is in the pudding (aka the comment section). Disheartened, but not at all surprised, by the lack of awareness to the racial issues that Tulane faces. Rather than get defensive and claim Tulane has no problem or that it’s one of “the least racist” institutions in the country, why not hear out the people who would actually have some insight on the matter. Why do you think it got to the point that the BSU needed to write this list? It wasn’t because they were bored, I promise you that. I enjoyed my time at this school but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t without its (many) problems. Please help us address them so that we can foster a better more inclusive environment. Wouldn’t it be lovely if it got to a point where the black students could feel the same way that many of these commenters do? If they could feel like it actually WAS the least racist university they could attend? I hope that you can see how this will ultimately benefit the entire Tulane community – current, past, and future. Non Sibi Sed Suis. Roll wave.
Just a Tulanian • Nov 30, 2020 at 2:37 am
Hey Basil,
I’m a current Tulane student, and this comment section does not reflect today’s campus culture. I’d guess the majority of commenters are alumni – quite a generational divide.
The student body isn’t a monolith, but the campus overall leans progressive. Hope this doesn’t scare you away, we’re worth checking out!
Basil Mustafa • Nov 29, 2020 at 12:03 am
Hello,
Can someone tell me if these responses are written by students? I am a high school senior and this is very off-putting and a little scary.
Tee Bee • Aug 24, 2020 at 9:02 am
Pretty much every response I’ve read sounds racist in one way or another. People we ALL need to do our homework and educate ourselves on racism.
Start with systemic racism. The inequality that afforded whites over blacks to land at Tulane is astounding. Just growing up white, no matter what background, gave you an unfair advantage over growing up black. Period.
And by the way why are some of you sounding so defensive (afraid)? Why are some of you angry? They aren’t trying to take anything away from whites. This isn’t about whites. It’s about blacks.
Lets afford these requests your understanding. Ask questions and try to understand what they are trying to achieve. Don’t be so quick to criticise.
Dialogue needs to happen and people need to be prepared to open their minds to points of view without being personally offended. Nothing is going to happen to white people but hopefully change will happen to support our black friends.
Victoria • Aug 8, 2020 at 12:10 pm
This is utterly ridiculous. These students are so far out of touch with reality. Tulane is by far one of the least racist institutions in the country. Black students are much more likely to be accepted over a white student with the same credentials. There is no legitimate cause for any of these demands except for radical marxist revolution. The black student union wants to be included meanwhile they are openly hostile and racist towards the majority of the white student body. The New Orleans community doesn’t think this way, we all desire to coexist. tBSU wants revolutionary power.
Stephen Joseph • Aug 1, 2020 at 2:07 pm
Tulane has been bending over backwards for black students for years. Black students revive more scholarships and in larger amounts than non-black students. Black students are offered admission to Tulane with lower SAT or ACT scores than non-Black students. The Peer support available to Black students is far greater than that offered to non-black students.
If the university was so bad mane you should have not accepted the scholarship and admission offer and gone someplace else.
The notion that Tulane university is somehow racist against black is bull. If anything non-black students have a higher bar than black students.
The university need to just say no. Last year the university removed the victory bell from campus on the grounds that it was a symbol of slavery or racism. This was totally false. ALL large farms, factories, plants, etc. had and still have bells or whistles to signal the start or end of the shift, or the beginning of lunch or even an emergency. If anyon had ever worked in a blue collar job they would know this.
Ford • Jul 31, 2020 at 2:34 pm
The entire lot of them should be removed for bringing negative attention and threats to Tulane University. Either you are qualified for acceptance at Tulane are you are not. The ability to pay ones far share is just one of the basic qualifications for admission to any university. Expel the lost of them today plus arrest these criminals for extortion.
Larry Masters • Jul 30, 2020 at 1:54 pm
Miles,
I don’t think your comments are particularly helpful or necessarily accurate. You generalize about the BSM, but the reality is you have no idea whether each individual is an outstanding student or not. You also don’t know whether each person is on financial aid, academic scholarship, or paying full fare. These assumptions and comments make matters worse. The whole point is to respect the individual and don’t assume what you don’t know. BSM members are Tulane Students. I don’t agree with their demands, but attacking them as unworthy (without any facts) is both faulty logic and uncivil.
Let’s debate ideas and not make personal attacks.
Larry
Ned Kohnke • Jul 29, 2020 at 8:45 pm
Racism doesn’t exist at Tulane. Nor would it ever be tolerated by anyone in the administration, the faculty or the student body. Tulane has done far more than merely insure racial equality-it has been and remains proactive on these issues. This is blackmail. Many Tulane supporters are tired of hearing unfounded accusations of racism hurled at them and the institutions they hold dear. If Tulane appeases these radicals, expect an end of financial support.
Brad • Jul 29, 2020 at 3:52 am
Miles wrote:
>Interesting – a group of people who underperform across the board
Wait — Black students “underperform across the board”? Who are you to make such a racist statement?
>an education they never would have been given had they been an equally performing Caucasian
You know this how? Your racist crystal ball?
Carissa • Jul 28, 2020 at 6:33 pm
I am so incredibly grateful and proud of Tulane’s Black Student Union for taking the time and energy into making so many intelligent, well researched, well deserved demands to better our institution. Read through the demands, many of them will just help make our institution more equitable broadly for everyone, the entire Tulane community – commuters, athletes, Sodexo workers, professors, etc. Tulane, you are LUCKY Black students aren’t asking for more, look at your history, look at how they are treated today in classrooms, by campus police, in workplaces. These demands are where Tulane needs to start, Tulane needs fundamental change. YOU GO BSU!
Miles • Jul 28, 2020 at 5:07 pm
Interesting – a group of people who underperform across the board, generally given free education and grants across the board, now making demands to an education they never would have been given had they been an equally performing Caucasian. Odd case, really.
Kelly Demarco • Jul 28, 2020 at 12:34 pm
A list of demands sounds like something a terrorist would publish. We are privileged to be accepted at Tulane University as students. The only demand we should have is fare treatment and fare grading policies.
Larry Masters • Jul 28, 2020 at 10:07 am
The administration should insure that all students feel welcome without resorting to the Neville Chamberlain approach. Tulane has been doing something right over the last 150 or so years to survive. Nothing needs to be torn down and or renamed. Applications have been at a all time high, so the claim that Tulane needs revolution is contradicted by the market place.
It is funny, not one mention about academics in the demands. I guess that means that Tulane is succeeding at its core mission.
Cliff Sullivan • Jul 27, 2020 at 7:18 pm
TU should not give in to revolutionaries who want to destroy the institution. Expel them all.