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SIU Offers Plan to Boost Campus Diversity After Protests

SIU Logo, siu.edu

Southern Illinois University has responded to student protests against racism with a plan to boost campus diversity. The university plan released Tuesday comes one day after a student-led protest on its Carbondale campus drew several hundred participants. 

The new initiatives include changes to the employee hiring process.

The march was conceived as a one-day strike to call attention to economic issues such as rising student loan debt and the state budget stalemate's impact on public higher education in Illinois.

The protest broadened after the release of an anonymous online video that called for the lynching of black students. University leaders condemned the video, which was later removed by YouTube, and released their own video response urging the campus community to fight discrimination.

Matt Markgraf joined the WKMS team as a student in January 2007. He's served in a variety of roles over the years: as News Director March 2016-September 2019 and previously as the New Media & Promotions Coordinator beginning in 2011. Prior to that, he was a graduate and undergraduate assistant. He is currently the host of the international music show Imported on Sunday nights at 10 p.m.
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