LATE NIGHT IN THE PHOG SPECIAL SECTION INSIDE!
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THURSDAY, SEPT. 29, 2016 | VOLUME 132 ISSUE 13
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
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THE STUDENT VOICE SINCE 1904
STAND WITH ME
Students, professors and administrators stood for eight hours in support of Black Lives Matter and Trans Lives Matter.
▶ HAILEY DIXON
@_hailey_dixon
On Sept. 27, over 100 individuals gathered together on Wescoe Beach to engage in a silent, eight hour protest in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter and Trans Lives Matter movements.
The event, called Stand with ME, was coordinated by Rayfield Lawrence, a sophomore from Kansas City, Kan., Caithe Alexander, a junior from Shawnee, Cienna Cashman, a sophomore from Wichita, and others who worked alongside the Lawrence community to make the protest happen.
"I was going to stand singular at first," Lawrence
"Today's event was the first in KU history where black lives and trans lives have come together," they said. "As minority groups, we need to band together."
"Even if you are not engaged with those groups specifically [Black Lives Matter, Trans Lives Matter, and others], you should be more involved in human rights," Lawrence said.
those who participated for a debriefing. Alexander, Lawrence, Cashman and others emphasized the importance for all individuals to get involved in these events.
said. "I started to talk to my friends and they said they'd stand with me."
Protesters were encouraged to wear black and be silent throughout the time they were at Wescoe. Many individuals stood holding flyers or posters, while some held their fists in the air.
After the protest, Spectrum, an organization supporting sexuality and gender diversity, met with
The event not only sent a statement across campus, but set a historical precedent at the University, Alexander said.
Cashman said the protest allowed individuals from all over campus to come together in solidarity.
"We wanted as much representation as we could have," Cashman said. As far as representation, if different marginalized identities don't work together, they won't be able to get anywhere."
As minority groups, we need to band together."
Caithe Alexander Student activist
Photos by Alex Robinson/KANSAN
on the tip
**Top:** Student Micha Cox stands in silent protest on Wescoe Beach, fist held in the air.
**Left:** Caithe Alexander stands beside fellow Black Lives Matter and Trans Lives Matter activists on Wescoe Beach.
**Bottom:** Provost Neeli Bendapudi stands with the activists during Stand With Me protest.
Lejuez discusses highlights, challenges facing CLAS
CLAS Dean Carl Lejuez delivers an address on the state of the college on Sept. 27.
▶ CONNER MITCHELL
@connermitchellO
Carl Lejuez, dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, spoke to around 60 faculty and staff members Tuesday in his first State of the College address.
Lejuez addressed issues such as increasing student success, supporting and furthering research goals, and conversations surrounding diversity, equity and inclusion within the college.
"It's a great experience to feel like you're a part of something and feel like you're doing something meaningful. And that's why we wanted to do the State of the College," he said. "We wanted the opportunity to talk about where we are and where we're going."
Conner Mitchell/KANSAN
there are hardships facing the college and the field of liberal arts as a whole, but he said people and companies are beginning to understand that the skills learned in a liberal arts field are necessary for creating the "next great technology."
Lejuez acknowledged
"There are some issues, but I'm here to tell you I did not come here to wave a surrender flag. We have to think about in this context of these issues that we have, what's our pathway forward?" Lejuez said.
One of the most important aspects of moving forward as a college, Lejuez said, is finding ways to provide support to all areas within liberal arts and focusing on the identity of being a student-focused and research-intensive college.
communications director, said given the vast size of the college, events updating students, faculty and staff are imperative.
we need to think about those issues, but we also need to remember what made us want to come here and what made us want to go into the liberal arts and sciences," he said.
"Given our size, communication is critical. Dean Lejuez views the State of
the College as an opportunity to bring together our broad community to not only share his vision and priorities, but also to learn from our faculty, staff and students what opportunities and challenges they
"As we move forward,
Kristi Henderson, CLAS
Henderson said the college plans to make the speech into an annual event, as long as stakeholders in the college see value in the information presented.
see," she said.
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OPINION...4
ARTS & CULTURE...5
SPORTS...8
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