U. of Missouri protests spark call for Ithaca College student walk out

The resignation of University of Missouri System president Tim Wolfe has sparked the call for a student walk out at Ithaca College in upstate New York.

Protests and student anger at what some students say is systematic racism on campus and Ithaca President Tom Rochon’s lackluster responses have been growing. This week, the Student Government Association (SGA) sent out an email asking for a vote of “confidence” or “no confidence” in Rochon, with votes due Nov. 30.

Now, in an event posted on its Facebook page, the organization People of Color at Ithaca (POCatIC) is calling for students to walk out and gather at “Freedom Rock” at 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday.

They are demanding that Rochon step down and say it’s “vital to fight against both covert and overt racism in all places of education and empowerment.”

“I think POC will be encouraged to spread their message more (after Missouri),” says freshman Steven Churchill, who runs a radio show at the college. “Also, after seeing that their president resigned, it will give more hope to Ithaca College Students that serious change can also happen here.”

The incidents at Ithaca range from reportedly offensive remarks made by Public Safety officers at RA training sessions as well as by two Ithaca alumni at a campus event, to a racially tinged party invite from a fraternity.

One incident brought up by student activists occurred at the school’s Blue Sky Reimagining event Oct. 8, which asked students to help “formulate ideas about the evolution of Ithaca College.” During the event, two Ithaca alumni carelessly and offensively referred to Tatiana Sy, a panelist and woman of color, as a “savage” after she said she had a “savage hunger” to succeed.

The third instance occurred when an unaffiliated Jewish fraternity, Alpha Epsilon Pi, reportedly posted an invite on Facebook post  for a “Preps & Crooks”-themed party in October. According to the post, “Prep” attire was described as a “Polo shirt, button-down, backwards baseball cap, khakis or boat shoes” whereas “Crooks” attire was described as a “bandanna, baggy sweats and a t-shirt, snapback, and any ‘bling.’ After students angrily shared the invite, the event was quickly cancelled

Last weekend, during Ithaca College’s Family Weekend (Nov. 6-8),  a document was circulated by students involved with the POC at IC called “The Case Against Tom Rochon” that examined his “questionable ethics” and “incompetence.”

The college “included a message in folders given to Family Weekend guests that addressed the potential for demonstrations on campus and encouraged guests to listen to what students have to say,” the Ithacan reported.

“The document states that the college will not try to prevent protests or demonstrations and encourages guests to go to http://ithaca.edu/diversity to learn about the college’s plans to address issues related to racism and cultural bias.”