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THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
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THURSDAY, NOV.19, 2015 | VOLUME 130 ISSUE 25
NEWS ROUNDUP >>
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KELCIE MATOUSEK/KANSAN
RACIAL CLIMATE TIMELINE. Read a timeline of incidents in 2015 that have contributed to the current racial climate on campus. News >> PAGE 2
BURAN THEATRE PRESENTS
"MAMMOTH." A theater ensemble created by alumni has bicostal aspirations. The play opens in L.A. this week.
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BEER AND
GAMEDAYS. Beer and football go hand-in-hand, but not at KU's Memorial Stadium. Sports » PAGE 12
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"WTF (WHERE THEY FROM)" Missy Elliott returns after 10-year hiatus with single "WTF (Where They From)." Read our arts staff's take >> Kansan.com/arts_and_culture
DAVID T. FOSTER, III/CHARLOTTE
APPLE COFOUNDER'S TALK. Steve Wozniak, co-founder of Apple, will speak at the Lied Center on Friday at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. > Kansan. com/news
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Audience demands action at Senate meeting
CASSIDY RITTER LARA KORTE
HANNAH RFTTIS/KANSAN
Student Senate opened up its full meeting on Wednesday night to a large group in the Big 12 Room at the Kansas Union to discuss a bill of impeachment, Rock Chalk Invisible Hawk demands and other items on the agenda.
Student Body Vice President Zach George, Chief of Staff Adam Moon and Student Body President Jessie Pringle did not resign by 5 p.m. Wednesday, which was the Student Executive committee's request, and said they were committed to the cause of addressing racism on campus. After their statements, Shegufta Huma, vice president of University Senate, outlined a bill of impeachment that was served to Senate and Senior Senator Lauren Arney.
Jessie Pringle and Zach George look at a speaker during the Student Senate meeting.
The meeting lasted nearly six hours. The roles of Pringle, George and Moon were called into question during their officer reports and throughout the evening.
During the meeting, members of Rock Chalk Invisible Hawk explained some of their demands and fielded questions from the audience, which comprised student senators, students and faculty.
Full Senate then passed a resolution to support the demands after the Rights Committee passed it last week. Bills addressing the election spending cap, the Safe Campus Act and general student group funding were also discussed and passed.
LEADERSHIP QUESTIONS
"There are things on campus that have not been addressed well enough until this past
After confirmation that they will not be resigning from their positions, the leadership abilities of Pringle, George and Moon were called into question.
week," Pringle said. "Today, I stand before you to let you know that I did not resign, and I am not leaving this body behind, and I still have work to do. It's more than I can imagine, but I'm going to commit myself to it."
Pringle said she wants to stay in her position because she is committed to the issues of diversity and inclusivity.
George said that following the events of the town hall meeting last week, he felt regret for his inaction.
"Since town hall, I've been doing a lot of processing and self-reflection. I've been reflecting on what I've done to address these important issues and what student senate has done. It's easy to go with my instinct and try to defend myself and what I thought was proper measure to get results. But it clearly was not enough, but I acknowledge that and I am sorry." George said.
Jyleesa Hampton, a graduate student in communications studies who attended the meeting, asked George how he plans to rebuild trust with black students on campus.
"Over this week we were listening and evaluating and now we are promoting that action," George said. "And I hope that our and the feature of the actions we are taking and our efforts to start having, realizing mistakes we have made in the past and correct them and that we can create trust and I can assure you that I will do all I can to remedy the problems."
Earlier this semester, Moon wrote a bill to increase the Senate campaign spending cap from $1,000 to $2,000. The bill was criticized by opponents for marginalizing candidates who cannot afford to spend $2,000 on a campaign.
In the meeting on Wednesday night. Moon said that, after reflection, he understands the problems with the spending cap.
To move the process forward, the bill needed support from
With no resignation from Pringle, George or Moon, the process for impeachment begins.
IMPEACHMENT
20 senators. The bill, which included a list of 17 reasons for impeachment, got 27 signatures.
Among these reasons were an alleged lack of response from the three senators after the town hall meeting, the submission of false minutes and failing to address "enrollment and retention rates of students of color at KU"
AUDIENCE RESPONSE
After the statements regarding the leadership's decisions not to resign, many in the audience expressed doubts in the convictions and ability of Pringle, George and Moon to address the demands presented by Rock Chalk Invisible Hawk and the needs of the minority populations on campus.
Trinity Carpenter, a student, asked Moon whether he believes that he, along with Pringle and George, have the skill set and motivation to fix the problems in Senate.
"I think that we do have the skill set to be able to work within administration be able to take these concerns and find the solutions that the community is looking for," Moon said.
Moon affirmed his confidence in Senate leadership.
"I think we have spent our entire time in office and these entire six months developing the skills that are needed to best address systemic issues in the University."
Alcorn also showed support for the leadership ability of Senate, particularly Pringle.
"I've been with (Pringle) over the past six days, working very closely with her and I feel like I have a very good idea and she is someone who is very legitimate in the words that she is saying right now," Alcorn said. "She has a conviction more than ever to help every single student here at KU. I've seen her real tears about this issue. About what more can we do. We haven't been fulfilling our promise, and I know that she is the person who should stay in office."
Some in the audience said sympathy doesn't equate to leadership.
Terri Harvey, a student, asked Alcorn if he believes empathy is equal to tangible actions.
"Anyone can take action on anything," Alcorn said. "But when it hits you in your heart, when it hits you in your gut that you need to take action and that there are people calling on you at all time. And
that's what I know she's going to do moving forward in that action. That empathy, that sympathy, that tangible action you mix all of those together, you've got a leader who is poised to do what's best for our university considering all students moving forward."
Katherine Rainey, a senior and member of Rock Chalk Invisible Hawk, said Pringle showed empathy and tears at a Senate transitional meeting six months ago about similar issues, but no action was taken.
Rainey said she and another student pulled Pringle and George aside after "senators were silenced, and not given the right to speak." Rainey said they discussed how that silencing will occur again unless there is action taken.
"In this instance, not only were there tears on almost everybody's part, but specifically [Pringle]," Rainey said "So why are her emotions and empathy shown now supposed to validate our reasonings for giving them a second chance when six months ago they did not?"
Read the full version of the story on Kansan.com.
BSU Vice President supports Rock Chalk Invisible Hawk's mission, but contrasts the two groups
LARA KORTE
@lara korte
The Black Student Union affirmed its support of Rock Chalk Invisible Hawk while distinguishing differences between the two groups in a statement released on Tuesday by Black Student Union Vice President Chancellor Adams.
Adams said that although the members of BSU understand and support the 15 demands presented by Rock Chalk Invisible Hawk, they do not agree with all of their methods.
"We understand that they are fighting for black students, and other underrepresented groups on campus, which we believe everyone should do, and I believe everyone should look into." Adams said. "However, our organization and our board members and our members do not approve of all of their methods. We believe being respectful is key."
Black Student Union President Kynnedi Grant has been a major part of the efforts of Rock Chalk Invisible Hawk. At the town hall forum on Nov. 11, Grant was part of the groups' demonstration where she spoke publicly about a hate crime she said happened to her at a party over Halloween weekend.
Although Grant is the president of BSU, Adams said BSU was not involved in the creation or the actions of Rock Chalk Invisible Hawk.
Our president joined Rock Chalk Invisible Hawk. But that is not something she addressed to our exec board, or involved any member in BSU," Adams said. "Everybody up there except for our president and [a former member] were the only people involved in BSU. No one else was a member or has paid their dues. So BSU had no part in that. BSU can't over-manage people and say, 'You can't do this.' That is not our responsibility."
"BSU was not on the stage.
In a news conference on Wednesday, Grant said she believes her role in Rock Chalk Invisible Hawk is a part of her position as BSU president.
"BSU was created by Black Panthers and by doing what we are doing," Grant said. "It's kind of like that balance of being in this movement and educating and uplifting and bringing folks with us on this journey. Because it's not just our fight. Black Student Union — it's their fault" she said.
Adams said he sees Grant's involvement with Rock Chalk Invisible Hawk as separate from BSU. However, he said BSU stands in full support of her.
"We stand in solidarity with Kynnedi," Adams said. "We want Kynnedi to know that she is a black woman, and we love her and embrace everything about her. But we know that she's an activist at heart. That's Kynnedi, we've all known that from the start, and we love her for that.
"But at the end of the day, we just want her to understand that she's our president, and just like people demand stuff from the senator, we demand stuff from Kynnedi."
Although Adams said members of BSU respect Grant's decision to be involved in Rock Chalk Invisible Hawk, he said the tactics used by Rock Chalk Invisible Hawk do not mirror BSU's values.
"For the organization, we say it's separate," Adams said. "What people do is what people do. Our organization believes in being respectful, and if that would have been our organization, it would have gone a lot differently."
"It's about being professional and that's what we do, we create future leaders, and that's the reality of it," Adams said. "Those conversations are hard conversations to have. But those conversations are needed when you're the face of an organization."
Adams said there have been conversations among BSU members regarding the actions of Rock Chalk Invisible Hawk, particularly around the idea of respect.
At the news conference, Grant said she feels the conversation about respectability is an issue that is being brought up to divert attention away from the goals of Rock Chalk Invisible Hawk.
"The rhetoric of respectability is something that is always brought into question when
Adams said BSU is in full support of the demands made by Rock Chalk Invisible Hawk.
you're doing something like this," Grant said. "But revolution isn't pretty. It's not cookie-cutter either."
"They take steps to making the University a better learning and social environment for black students and other oppressed populations," Adams said.
However, Adams said he sees problems when it comes to logistics of the demands, particularly with the tight deadline of Jan. 19 for a thorough plan of action from University administrators. Adams said he feels that deadline is not adequate for administration to make "efficient and correct decisions."
"The town hall meeting was created, in my opinion, for the betterment of this campus cli
"Those demands are something you need to look into. You don't put anybody into those positions," Adams said. "The case of where they called out the professor for sexual assault. That takes a full investigation. They could put anyone in the OMA. I want somebody who is thoroughly looked at, who has gone through whatever interview process they go through."
Adams said he feels the town hall forum was a visible sign that administrators care about the needs of students and creating safer campus for minority students.
LARA KORTE/KANSAN Chancellor Adams is the Black Student Union's vice president.
mate," Adams said. "I believe that we had everybody in positions of authority and who could make change on this campus and they wanted to hear what students had to say and what was going on on the campus so they could access it and create a better campus climate for students."
Adams said stories like Grant's and those shared during the town hall forum are important to continue the momentum created by Rock Chalk Invisible Hawk. Going forward, Adams said BSU is ready to see more students speaking out about their experiences to spur change on campus.
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"When you have one person who decides to get the courage and say, 'Oh this happened to me,' that all of a sudden, it just starts to spark like wildfire," Adams said.
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