LANSING, Mich. — The Michigan State University Board of Trustees met Friday morning.
The board addressed the racial issues on campus and what they plan to do next, however, many students don't feel like their voices are being heard.
President Samuel Stanley said he has been in multiple meetings with senior student leaders and they plan to have a strategic plan to combat the current racial climate on campus.
"I heard from students' meetings I had that they were interested with me more directly hearing what I had to say as opposed to communication by email so we'll try to find some venues to do that more effectively," Stanley said.
But some students say they still feel things have not changed after the way the university handled the recent issues on campus.
"I feel as though that the things that have been stated in terms of the president of the campus, in addition to other officials, yes they are heard. But at the same time, I don't see any direct action or stance being placed," said Andrei Nichols, president of Zeta Delta Chapter Alpha Phi Alpha.
In the meeting, Stanley also mentioned that they are addressing each incident individually and has plans to bring in a chief of diversity.
"We'll be creating strategic plan for DEI and obviously this will be a core part of what we do as we think about the actions we need to take going forward," Stanley said.
The Black Student Alliance has created a list of demands for the president to review.
"Some of those demands include transparency between faculty staff and administration direct consequence being apprehended to students or people who are guilty of a certain act," Nichols said.
The president said he will do what he can to make sure the students needs are met.
"I think were going to be more committed to action. I think we'll talk about things I think we can do. I don't think I'll be able to do everything that's been suggested in the demands I've seen so far, I'm sure there are some things I can do, but we will do somethings moving forward," Stanley said.
MSU students are reacting to the recent racial incidents by holding a peaceful protest on campus on Sunday.
At the meeting, the university said it is also going to take a look at how it handles mandatory reporting when it comes to sexual assault.
President Stanley said one of the things he has learned since talking with survivors is that mandatory reporting was a point of concern for them because it could cause more harm than good.
"They felt, in some cases, mandatory reporting was counter productive and it really increased trauma without often leading to a resolution," Stanley said. "So right now we're under federal regulations in terms of some of these about who's a mandatory reporter, but I think it's worth revisiting that and thinking about that to the extent that we can on campus and how we might do things to, again, not be guilty of re-traumatizing people," Stanley said.
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