OU Students Hold Hunger Strike In Protest Of Racial Incidents On Campus

Students on the University of Oklahoma campus are asking for accountability. They started a hunger strike Wednesday morning at Evans Hall and have stayed there for hours.

According to the university’s Black Emergency Response Team, they staged the strike after two separate professors used racial slurs in class. And now many students believe coming together as one will send a message to the administration.

Related Story: Second OU Professor Accused Of Using Racial Slur In Classroom

“I feel like this is really a great step in the right direction to really wake people up around here because this is just gone on too long it’s been I don’t know, two weeks in a row almost, we have something that happens here regarding race like every year,” said Camryn Snowden, a student.

Here’s a list of changes the group said they want to see happen. They want Kyle Harper, the university’s provost to resign.  Mandatory equity training for faculty. Also, semester long diversity training and a new multicultural center.

“I don’t know if it’ll change it right away obviously it’s going to take a little bit of time, but I think it’s going to start to show that they want change and we want change,” said Colton Nelson, a student

Joseph Harroz Jr. OUs interim president said the university will require diversity training for all faculty, staff, and administration. He also said OU is addressing these matters with decisive action.

However, some on the campus said administration needs to do more during times like this.

“As far as the students, bravo for them but at some point, the adults in the house must indeed act like adults in the house. I’m talking about faculty, staff, and administration. Students are still doing the work of faculty and staff. Enough of that,” said Dr. George Henderson.

For now, they said the strike will continue until some kind of communication with the university is met.

WATCH: OU Professor Apologizes For Using Racial Slur During Class