Racial tensions continue to escalate on the University of California San Diego campus following the controversial Comptons Cookout that was hosted by a group of fraternities in “honor of Black History Month.” two weeks ago. A female student was suspended after she hung a noose in the school’s Geisel Library. This incident set off a demonstration organized by the school’s Black Student Union, who briefly locked themselves in the chancellor’s office in protest.

“We need to come together and stand together strongly. I pledge to you that we will create a campus climate that students will know that this university that respects them and their communities,” Chancellor Mary Anne Fox told students. UCSD has read over the demands made by the Union and has concluded that the following actions will be taken:

* Charging a permanent taskforce to review and enhance outreach programs and identify recruitment strategies to attract minority faculty. Associate Vice Chancellor of Faculty Equity and the Faculty Equity Advisors will serve as the core of this committee.
* Creation of a Campus Climate Commission modeled after UCLA’s recent efforts to address declines in African-American enrollments
* Continue to fund the Faculty-Student Mentor Programs; fund the vacant Program Coordinator position in the African American Studies Minor; continue to provide funding within the Chancellor’s Diversity Office
* Currently identifying a space for an African-American Resource Center on campus
* Currently identifying appropriate, central locations for cultural art
* Chancellor and campus leaders to meet with the chair and vice chair of the Black Student Union at least once every academic quarter.