On September 9, 2020 WIU students held a rally at Sherman Hall, the main administrative building, followed by a march to Chandler Park, located in downtown Macomb. Below is the List of Demands presented to WIU Administration.

To Western Illinois University,

We, as Black students who attend Western Illinois University, are demanding that Western Illinois University show that #BlackLivesMatter and do not just say. We are in a multi pandemic era, where Black people are at the mercy of diseases, COVID19 and anti-Blackness. There is only, truly, a concern for one. On campus, we have witnessed too much racism, micro-aggressions from professors, our RAs and people who are supposed to protect and be there for us. We are tired. For too long, we have experienced too much with little to no support and demand the following to be made immediately.

1. We demand that Western Illinois University rebuild the African American Studies department by allowing students to major in African American studies, providing more funding for the program and regenerating all that was decreased, stripped, in 2018. (Met)
2. We demand that Western Illinois University includes Black students who attend Western Illinois University in the hiring process of professors for the African American Studies department. (Met)
3. We demand that Western Illinois University require that two of the courses offered through the AAS department is a required course for all students; the two courses are Intro to African American Studies and African American Literature. Information from Feb. 22, 2022 update remains current. (Met)
4. We demand that a policy in the code of conduct is created to end hate speech, which should be defined in Western Illinois University Student Code of Conduct as “public speech that expresses hate or encourages violence towards a person or group based on something such as race, religion, sex, or sexual orientation” and the repercussion for a student violating this policy include suspension and expulsion. (Met)
5. We demand that Western Illinois University only support businesses in Macomb that support Black people and #BlackLivesMatter. (Met)
6. We demand that Western Illinois University hire more professors, staff, student affairs professionals that are Black or African American; and increase the ethnic diversity and racial makeup of the University by 100%. (Ongoing)
7. We demand that Western Illinois University's University Union Board intentionally create more programming geared towards the Black college students. (Met)
8. We demand that Western Illinois University's Office of Public Safety hire more Black officers. (Ongoing)
9. We demand that Western Illinois University’s University Housing and Dining Services diversity training is prioritized and expansive to include the history of the current campus climate at Western Illinois University. (Met)
10. We demand that Western Illinois University mandates that professors complete diversity training that also includes history of the current campus climate at Western Illinois University. (Ongoing)
11. We demand that Western Illinois University fully accept accountability and take the time to address the incessant anti-blackness that has plagued the Black community since 2018 and previously; moreover, aims to create a more inclusive environment for the Black community through a student-centered approach. (Ongoing)

Signed,

• Black Student Association
• Black Student Summit
• N.A.A.C.P. National Association of Colored Women's Clubs, Incorporated
• Preeminent Gentleman’s Society
• Preeminent Ladies Society
• African Student Association
• Black Male Achievement Network
• Gwendolyn Brooks Cultural Center
• Eta Eta Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated
• Zeta Iota Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated
• Epsilon Beta Chapter of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Incorporated
• House Arrest 2
• Elite Beauty
• DollHouse Dance
• Gwendolyn Brooks Cultural Center Dance Troupe
• G.L.A.M. Modeling
• PPMT
• National Association of Black Accountants
• National Association of Black Journalists
• Beyond Beautiful
• B.A.G (Black Artist Guild)
• The Good Girls Movement

Ongoing demands

We demand that Western Illinois University hire more professors, staff, student affairs professionals that are Black or African American; and increase the ethnic diversity and racial makeup of the University by 100%.

Action:

• WIU successfully hired new racially diverse faculty and staff for Fiscal Year 2024.
• The CT Vivian Diversity Teaching Scholars Program ensures we promote diverse faculty hires across campus. Four C.T. Vivian Fellow Scholars were hired and started this fall.
• The University continues to work to recruit and retain diverse faculty and staff for all positions. We advertise all vacancies with diversity-specific recruitment sites and collaborate with other Illinois public universities on strategies to improve recruitment, retention, and engagement of diverse candidates.

We demand that Western Illinois University's Office of Public Safety hire more Black officers.

Action:

• The Office of Public Safety continues to participate in career fairs and other opportunities to attract diverse candidate pools for open positions.

We demand that Western Illinois University mandates that Professors complete diversity training that also includes history of the current campus climate at Western Illinois University.

Action:

• A total of 2117 individuals have completed the DEI Microaggressions training offered by the Office of Equal Opportunity and Access in the 2022-2023 academic year.
• Title IX training, which includes DEI-related content, was provided to faculty and staff in 2023.
• The workshop Faculty Tools & Resources for Faculty Engagement: Racially Responsive Teaching and Inclusion in Higher Education Institutions and Classrooms was presented to faculty and staff in November 2023.
• The workshop Implicit Bias and Microaggressions: Identify and Overcome Personal Prejudices & Judgements to Improve Connections and Engagements facilitated by renowned DEI expert Rev. Dr. Jamie Washington was presented to staff, students and faculty in October 2023.

We demand that Western Illinois University fully accept accountability and take the time to address the incessant anti-blackness that has plagued the Black community since 2018 and previously; moreover, aims to create a more inclusive environment for the Black community through a student-centered approach.

Action:

• The Anti-Racism Task Force (ARTF), composed of members of the faculty, staff and students from both campuses, as well as community members, launched in March 2022 and was charged by President Guiyou Huang to recommend and take meaningful actions to dismantle racism and further the University’s justice, inclusion, diversity, and equity (JIDE) efforts. The ARTF’s first objective was to identify anti-racism initiatives and advise/support the creation of the University's Diversity Plan.
• The Office of Justice, Inclusion, Diversity and Equity was established in September 2022 and operates in partnership with students, faculty, staff, and community members to foster inclusive excellence and an equity-minded community. Using a student-centered approach, the WIU community listens to and actively engages Black students, faculty, and staff in the processes to create an aware and responsive community that addresses the concerns and actively works to improve the lives of the members of the Black community both on and off campus. The work to ensure fair and equitable treatment in a safe, inclusive, and diverse environment is an ingrained part of the WIU mission as an institution of higher learning. Through the institution's personal, social, emotional, structural, investigative, programmatic, and supportive responses to the Black Lives Matter protests, a campus-wide response to a shooting death in the Macomb community, and addressing any and all reports of incidents of racism, discrimination, unequitable treatment, and anti-Black action the campus continues to move forward.
• A campus-wide diversity plan was developed by the Anti-Racism Task Force. The document continue to evolve as additional information is gathered and added to it. (5.12.23)
• To provide additional voice to the concerns and create opportunities to develop strategies to address concerns, a campus climate survey was completed in spring 2023. Town Halls with a focus on students, faculty, staff and community members were held in fall 2023.
• The workshop Implicit Bias and Microaggressions: Identify and Overcome Personal Prejudices & Judgements to Improve Connections and Engagements facilitated by renowned DEI expert Rev. Dr. Jamie Washington was presented to staff, students and faculty to help build understanding and improve intercultural relationships and learning and working environments. There is a recording of the session that provides ongoing training to the campus community. (10.12.23)
• The WIU President and the Mayor of Macomb quickly responded to the news of racist comments directed at WIU students by the owner of a local business and issued their condemnation of the behavior and support of student safety and respect. Students expressed their appreciation for the “support from the top” and quick response to the incident. (10.27.23)
• A protest march and rally organized by the NAACP-WIU and the Black Student Association was held. A diverse group of students, staff, faculty and community members marched from the Multicultural Center to a rally at the business where the owner directed racist comments at WIU students. (10.30.23)
• The workshop Faculty Tools & Resources for Faculty Engagement: Racially Responsive Teaching and Inclusion in Higher Education Institutions and Classrooms was presented to faculty and staff to add to their ability to provide effective learning environments for students from diverse cultural identities. There is a recording of the session that provides ongoing training to the campus community. (11.3.23)
• The Black Student Association in collaboration with the JIDE office held A Living Room Conversation with Local Law Enforcement. Students shared their experiences and thoughts and created understand and hope with representatives from the Office of Public Safety, City of Macomb and the State Police. (11.6.23)
• The Black Faculty and Staff Council hosted the second annual African Diaspora, Black Collegiate (ABC) Graduation Celebration at the Multicultural Center (MCC). Graduates were recognized during the celebration and received dinner, a certificate of achievement and a special gift. The event was a testament to WIU's commitment to celebrating diversity and fostering a supportive community. More than 100 African Diaspora and Black students graduated from WIU in Fall 2023. (12.8.23)
• WIU has organized programming for its inaugural participation in the 8th annual National Day of Racial Healing (NDORH) on January 16, 2024. WIU joins a nation-wide movement of universities and communities to program and advocate for racial equity. WIU events for the NDORH will take place Jan. 16-30.
• The Illinois Board of Higher Education presented WIU and all public institutions of higher education in Illinois a framework for an equity plan to be adopted by May 2024. The ARTF campus-wide diversity plan will be expanded to create a WIU Diversity & Equity plan.
• The creating of a welcoming and supportive campus where there is a sense of belonging and barriers to success are removed remains a priority and focus of the JIDE office and WIU.

Demands Response Reports

• Updated Response Report: December 15, 2023 (pdf)
• Updated Response Report: May 10, 2023 (pdf)
• Updated Response Report: Nov. 2, 2022 (pdf)
• Updated Response Report: Apr. 11, 2022 (pdf)
• Update Response Report: Feb. 22, 2022 (pdf)
• Initial Response Report: Dec. 6, 2021 (pdf)