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Princeton Students and Administration Reach Agreement Amid Racial Protests and Threats

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

A 32-hour protest about the racial climate at Princeton ended Thursday night when the president and students reached an agreement that included consideration of the idea of renaming the university's storied Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs. The debate came in the midst of a national escalation of the topic of race on campus, with students at dozens of colleges confronting administrators and other students and presenting demands -- and anonymous threats surfacing, as well. The agreement was reached after President Christopher Eisgruber immediately agreed to the idea of a cultural space for black students on campus, but declined to sign the demands and promised to continue talking with students about the other ideas.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Black Justice League at Princeton demanded the removal of Woodrow Wilson's name from buildings on campus, mandatory "cultural competency" courses for all faculty and staff, and a cultural space for black students on campus.
  • President Christopher Eisgruber agreed to a cultural space for black students on campus, but declined to sign the demands and promised to continue talking with students about the other ideas.
  • Wilson, an alumnus and president of the university who went on to become the 28th president of the United States, was an advocate for separation of races and opposed efforts by civil rights leaders to combat discrimination against black people.
  • The university agreed to further efforts to train staff to understand cultural differences and to discuss the possibility of a required course in diversity issues for all students.
  • The university issued a campus safety alert: Bomb and firearm threat, which was received in an email and referenced the student protest on campus.

Statistics:

  • The protest lasted for 32 hours.
  • There have been protests and demands at dozens of colleges across the country.
  • 28 - the number of years Woodrow Wilson served as the 28th President of the United States.
  • A cultural space for black students on campus was agreed to by President Eisgruber.
  • The university agreed to further efforts to train staff to understand cultural differences.

Sources:

  • [Princeton protesters demand 'racist' Woodrow Wilson's name be removed from all buildings]
  • [Protesters continue to occupy Princeton president's office]
  • [Can colleges protect free speech while also curbing voices of hate?]
  • [Yale president responds to protesters' demands, announces new initiatives to ease racial tensions]

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