Some of the state’s most prominent black leaders are calling for an independent review of the University of Colorado’s diversity programs following numerous reports of racial intimidation during the past year.
Describing the school’s track record of black student enrollment as “abysmal” and “unjustifiable,” the leaders said Tuesday that they would aggressively pursue increasing the number of black students at CU this year.
“Racism is a cancer, and there can be no peaceful coexistence with cancer,” said the Rev. Paul Burleson, president of the Greater Metropolitan Denver Ministerial Alliance. “… This situation has gone on for too long, and we must have some meaningful change in programs and initiatives.”
The group, including leaders in government as well as congregations, said it hopes to work with the school through its planned blue-ribbon commission on diversity.
They applauded CU president Hank Brown and school administrators for agreeing to a town hall meeting later this month. But they said an independent review is necessary for decisive change.
Last week, CU released a diversity study that pointed to a lack of qualified black high school graduates as a major cause of the lack of diversity.
The call for an outside audit comes in response to several racial incidents on the CU campus in 2005 – including a life-threatening e-mail sent to a black student leader.
State Sen. Peter Groff, D-Denver, said the racial incidents on the Boulder campus cannot be tolerated.
“I have talked to students up there,” he said from a conference room at New Hope Baptist Church in Denver. “They are fearful. They are scared. And this is the 21st century, and this is wrong.”
The blue-ribbon commission on diversity at CU will convene later this month, and the school pledged $8.5 million for diversity scholarships and programs just two weeks ago.
Still, decades of failed efforts to attract black students – currently 449 of the school’s more than 28,000 students are black – is cause for alarm, the group said.
“It is not enough to entice (students) to go to CU, to have a scholarship, and then be called names on campus,” said former Denver Mayor Wellington Webb.
Webb was named Tuesday as a member of the blue-ribbon commission along with more than 40 other student and community leaders.
“It is our belief that in order to have a conducive learning atmosphere that you need individuals from all ethnic groups,” he said. “Education is probably the most paramount area of importance for us as a community.”
A spokeswoman for Brown said he and Groff have discussed an independent review for weeks. Groff and the CU president met Tuesday with a member of a firm that could do the review.
“It’s just to get more information,” CU spokeswoman Michele McKinney said. “What would it entail? What would something like this cost? What credentials do you have? How do you think you can help us?”
Brown wants the blue-ribbon commission to finish its work and then decide whether an outside review is needed, McKinney said.
While the specifics of an independent review have not been ironed out, Webb and others said outside reviews render the most objective finding for any institution.
Over the past year, several high-profile racial incidents garnered attention at CU. Last summer, a black student’s jaw was broken by a man who reportedly was yelling racial slurs. And in November, Mebraht “Mo” Gebre-Michael, one of the three student-body presidents, received a racist and life-threatening e-mail, similar to e-mails a black football player received.
In recent months, student leaders have rallied, calling on CU to make changes. They outlined five demands that included millions of dollars for diversity scholarships and programs.
Webb said he and others will be looking for action this year.
“In 2006, you are going to see a much more aggressive African- American community,” Webb said. “It is unjustifiable having 400 (black) students out of a student body of approximately (28,000). … It just doesn’t speak well for Colorado. We are so much better than that.”
Staff writer George Merritt can be reached at 720-929-0893 or gmerritt@denverpost.com.
A look back at some of the racially charged incidents in 2005 reported on or around the University of Colorado campus in Boulder.
Feb. 28: After a psychology lecture, a black student punches a white student after the white student calls him a racial slur.
March 9: A black football player receives the fourth racist e-mail in a series that began in the summer of 2004. The latest one promises, “you will suffer.”
March 11: Minority students meet with the NAACP to demand an end to what they describe as a racist campus culture. Reports of discrimination include racist graffiti and the use of racial epithets on campus.
March 23: University Regents condemn the string of racist events on campus, which include 58 incidents in CU dorms since the start of the school year.
June 3: Andrew Sterling, a black CU student, is assaulted near campus. Sterling suffers a broken jaw and is the victim of racial insults during the attack.
Oct. 17: A Boulder city commission unanimously approves money to fund an anti-hate hotline for the city. It also recommends a hate crimes ordinance in response to racial incidents.
Nov. 16: Mebraht Gebre-Michael, a black member of the CU student-government, receives a racist, profanity-laced e-mail that threatens her life should she run for student-government again.
Nov. 22: About 400 students march on campus to protest racism and demand the university do more to promote tolerance.
Dec. 3: Greg Castro, a CU student of Hispanic descent and member of the cross-country team receives a racially charged and threatening e-mail.
Dec. 11: CU football player Clint O’Neal and his girlfriend, cross-country runner Jacqueline Zeigle – both white – are suspended for sending the racist message to Castro. Both O’Neil and Zeigle are cited for harassment and ethnic intimidation, Zeigle quits the sports program.
Dec. 22: The university announces a $1 million gift and pledges to raise $7.5 million to fund more scholarships for low-income and minority students.
– Compiled by Barry Osborne of The Denver Post Research Library
