Hundreds of Cal Poly University students are protesting at this hour, frustrated at what they say is a lack of action on the part of university officials to deal with perceived racism on the campus.
As they march on campus, students are chanting, “black lives matter,” and “hey, hey, ho, ho, Armstrong’s got to go,” and “I am not Cal Poly proud,” as Mustang News, the campus’ news outlet, is reporting.
The university’s president, Jeffrey Armstrong, held a town hall on campus Thursday night in response to recent racially-insensitive photos from a fraternity party that included one student wearing blackface. The fraternity has been placed on suspension while the university conducts an investigation.
Armstrong said it is unlikely the student will be expelled for painting his face black because it is likely protected by free speech. He also said the university is working to increase diversity awareness on campus.
A running theme of questions at the crowded Thursday night town hall was summed up by this one of many similar outbursts:
“We want to know what you are physically doing. Every time we ask - you keep saying we, we, I understand you guys are a team - but what are you as president doing? That's all we want to know,” one students called out.
Armstrong said his role as president is to maintain leadership through talking with his vice-presidents and continuing fundraising efforts that promote diversity at Cal Poly.
