ISU students go silent at discussion session

Apr. 16—Indiana State University students dissatisfied with the administration's response to a racist video conducted a silent protest Tuesday at what was supposed to be a discussion session in University Hall.

Several of the students covered their mouths with red tape and sat silently in the auditorium from 4 to 5 p.m. Staff and faculty members attended in silent support.

"By remaining silent, we symbolize the lack of acknowledgment and action from university leadership regarding issues of racism and discrimination," stated a flyer distributed at the event.

"The people who are supposed to listen to us aren't here, and they've been silencing people about the situation," said Nadia Lomax, who has been vocal in her criticism of the administration's response and has helped organize protests on campus.

ISU is conducting three listening and discussion sessions in response to a student's racist video that was posted online. Breakout sessions with facilitators also were to take place.

Among those attending was ISU Provost Chris Olsen and some other members of the president's cabinet.

The student's video that apparently first appeared on the social media app TikTok begins, "I'm sorry, if you're Black, you're not country." It goes on to make a number of racially charged statements.

While it's been widely interpreted that the video was a response to Black individuals performing country music, ISU's NAACP has indicated the video was in relation to a particular student.

Earlier Tuesday, the students — including Lomax and Nina Mims — conducted a peaceful sit-in outside President Deborah Curtis' office "to make the student body's demands known."

The students covered a hallway floor with flyers outlining the demands. Students also placed them around the building.

Those demands include "an immediate apology" from President Curtis and Provost Chris Olsen "acknowledging the harm done by their inaction, the silencing of the staff that directly support students and an explanation for why it took so long to respond to the situation."

Another demand calls for university departments to be permitted "to freely express their views and issue statements on global matters without any constraints imposed by the presidential office."

A third demand calls for all staff and faculty — as well as all students — to undergo comprehensive, annual anti-racism training.

During the session, Xavia Burton, ISU executive director for diversity, inclusion and belonging, said the reason for the session was because of a student video displaying bigotry, ignorance and nastiness.

She told students, "It's because of your voice, because of your passion and your love of this institution that we are gathered."

Joshua Elmore, assistant director of student support and accountability, led students in a "Kahoot" that enabled them to answer a few questions online, including, "How are you feeling about campus right now?" and "What do you need?"

Olsen later tried to engage with students, who chose to remain silent. He described the video as "appalling" and told students, "We want to hear from you what we can do that is different and better. ... We want to do our best for all of you and for the ISU community."

In an interview, Olsen said that because of student privacy law, the university can't talk about the student who created the video or how the matter has been dealt with as it pertains to that individual.

He said he has been at ISU for 25 years and the video "does not reflect the ISU I know and love."

The university "is responding to the content of the video," Olsen said.

President Curtis released a statement last week that said in part, "We are appalled by the sentiments expressed in the video and condemn those comments in the strongest terms."

She went on to say in the statement, "Racism, hate speech and discrimination of any kind is deplorable and in direct contradiction of Indiana State's mission, vision and values."

Lomax said students intend to resume their sit-in Wednesday. They want to talk to Curtis.

In an earlier interview, Lomax said, "I really want the people at the top to come down from their ivory tower and actually listen and have a conversation."

She believes there needs to be "more institutional and systemic safety nets or protections for marginalized students."

Lomax added, "That's something we really want to work with the next president on is emphasizing the importance of talking to marginalized voices, because they haven't been heard."

Mims said students are now speaking up on things that do affect them and their education. "They want change and they want it now."

Lomax said of the racist video, "I think it was definitely a visual representation" of the kinds of things ISU minority and marginalized students have experienced.

The video "was probably the straw that broke the camel's back," she said.

Sue Loughlin can be reached at 812-231-4235 or at sue.loughlin@tribstar.com. Follow Sue on X at @TribStarSue

Sue Loughlin can be reached at 812-231-4235 or at sue.loughlin@tribstar.com. Follow Sue on X at @TribStarSue.