Racism on college campuses has come to the forefront with two ongoing protests at Yale University and the University of Missouri this week.
The president and the chancellor at the University of Missouri have both resigned under pressure from student protesters who say they hadn't been responsive enough to racist incidents on campus.
The shakeup is due in part to one student's weeklong hunger strike, in addition to the support of the school's football team and faculty members.
At Yale University, a conversation around a Halloween email urging students sensitivity has spun out into protests around the deeper issues of racism and free speech at the Ivy League university.
See how the situation has unfolded, and join the conversation.
Recommended by Joe Gist host on January 1, 1980
Background to understand the firing of Mizzou president, Tim Wolfe.
University of Missouri system president Tim Wolfe announced Monday morning he would step down, bowing to demands from students angry about his response to racist incidents on campus this fall.
by Libby Nelson, Vox
Recommended by Joe Gist host on January 1, 1980
The Gist has been following Joe Twitter (@joetwitter) this week for his insightful commentary on this issue. Follow @aschweig
Recommended by Joe Gist host on January 1, 1980
Roxanne Gay provides a detailed historical context for student activism on campuses, from the civil rights movement to the present.
“Whether we agree with these student protesters or not, we should be listening: They are articulating a vision for a better future.”
by Roxanne Gay, The New Republic
Recommended by Joe Gist host on January 1, 1980
University of Missouri coach, Gary Pinkel stands with students and football team in viral tweet.
The Mizzou Family stands as one. We are united. We are behind our players. #ConcernedStudent1950 GP pic.twitter.com/fMHbPPTTKl
— Coach Gary Pinkel (@GaryPinkel) November 8, 2015Recommended by Joe Gist host on January 1, 1980
Campuses nationwide stand in solidarity with students at Yale and Mizzou
"We stand in solidarity with students at Missouri, Yale and all across the country who are boldly making their unapologetic demands for equity, justice, and an education that does not denigrate our identities, heard across dining halls, classrooms, and campus greens."
by Blavity
Recommended by Agnes Mazur, @amazur contributor on January 1, 1980
A timeline of events leading up to the resignation of Mizzou president, Tim Wolfe
The racial climate at MU has been tumultuous for months, but with recent events — including a hunger strike undertaken this week by a graduate student and campus activist — conversation and action have hastened. Here’s a chronological look at the key incidents since September that have led to an escalation of tension on campus.
by Emma Vandelinder, The Missourian
Recommended by Joe Gist host on January 1, 1980
The Washington Post’s Philip Bump on the political power of athletes
"There are a few reasons that the football team's protest garnered more attention — and was probably more likely to yield results. Given that this is fundamentally a political protest, it probably won't come as a surprise that those reasons overlap heavily with methods of leveraging political power."
by Philip Bump, The Washington Post
Recommended by Joe Gist host on January 1, 1980
The divide between campus administration and students is emblematic of the problem of 21st century campus politics.
"The problem is that for those of us not at Yale, it is all too easy for the most absurd, theatrical and controversial elements of this dispute to blow up on our social media, and to have those aspects of the incident frame how we perceive the current state of play."
by Daniel W. Drezner, The Washington Post
Recommended by Joe Gist host on January 1, 1980
Colleges are grappling with how to deal with students' requests for greater sensitivity, at Yale and elsewhere.
"The dispute that started it all might seem trivial. But the uproar is tapping into deeper issues of racism and free speech at the Ivy League university, issues similar to those faced by many American colleges that have come to the forefront this year."
by Libby Nelson, Vox
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