Seton Hall Students Camp Out To Protest Racial Inequity

SOUTH ORANGE, NJ - Seton Hall students asking for better treatment for minority students and increased funding for courses on diversity camped out overnight in the President's Hall and vowed not to leave until their demands are met.

Friday marked the third of five days of protests planned. The first two days included a presence outside of interim President Mary Meehan's office. The Twitter page for SHU_concerned 44 posted that the group will complete three days of sit-ins Friday with an additional planned protest on Monday on the University Green. All will culminate Tuesday with a walk out from the University Green to the South Orange Village.

Friday morning the group posted a video to the posted to the SHU_concerned 44 account where they said they were up bright and early and would not stop until their five demands were met.

SHU_concerned 44 describes itself: "The Concerned 44 represents the marginalized student body at Seton Hall University. We are standing with the Black Caucus to make our voices heard!"

In videos posted to the SHU_concerned 44 the group can be seen carrying signs and heard listing their demands which include a thorough examination and reconstruction of administration departments that handle complaints about equity and discrimination, more funding for the Latin American Studies program and Latino/Latina Studies program as well as the Africana Studies program.

"We are deeply dissatisfied with the way students of color have been treated and represented and are holding the administration accountable," SHU_concerned 44 said in a post on Twitter.

The group said they have given the administration a list of five demands that they want met as tuition paying students.

"They have been blatantly pushed to the side and disregarded and we refuse to be ignored," the group said.

On Friday, interim President Mary Meehan said that she, along with Interim Provost Karen Boroff and other senior administrators and faculty, met several times this week with the students to work to resolve the issues.

"On Thursday evening, I submitted the University’s response to the students’ demands," Meehan said in a statement. "As of this time, I have not received their response."

Meehan noted that although they didn't respond, the students are continuing their peaceful sit-in.

"To ensure the safety of these students, we have assigned additional public safety officers to be present in the building," Meehan said.

Maplewood's Christian Duran, one of the student leaders of the protest, told NJ.com that students believe Seton Hall has failed to appropriately respond to incidents involving racism or bias.

"The reason why we have taken this direct action is because students generally feel that all options have been exhausted with the administration," Duran told NJ.com.

Meehan said the University affirms unequivocally our students’ right to respectful and peaceful protest.

"We have always welcomed constructive dialogue to address student issues and to explore new ways to enhance the student educational experience," Meehan said.

(Photo courtesy of Google Earth)

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