A group of University of California Santa Cruz students locked themselves into an administrative building on campus Tuesday and threatened to stay there until their demands are met. Nearly 200 people took over Kerr Hall, and are pushing university officials to return the Rosa Parks House to students by the fall. The protesters remained locked inside Wednesday. "The protest is peaceful, and our focus is on ensuring the safety of staff who work in the building and of the students who took over the building," UC Santa Cruz officials said in a statement. The African/Black Student Alliance organized the protest and wants the Rosa Parks House to be painted in traditional African colors, as well as for UC Santa Cruz to offer diversity training to the student body. Currently, some students are sleeping or reading on the floor, while others are working on their laptops. Protesters stockpiled food to tide them over, and covered some windows with signs reading, "No room for anti-blackness on campus." University Chancellor George Blumenthal plans to meet the group of students on Thursday. The university statement continued: "We’ve taken some steps forward, including hiring a recruitment specialist and a retention specialist, and continue to discuss how we can make sure that all students feel supported and have a sense of belonging. The campus is sensitive to the needs being expressed by the students."

A group of University of California Santa Cruz students locked themselves into an administrative building on campus Tuesday and threatened to stay there until their demands are met.

Nearly 200 people took over Kerr Hall, and are pushing university officials to return the Rosa Parks House to students by the fall.


The protesters remained locked inside Wednesday.

"The protest is peaceful, and our focus is on ensuring the safety of staff who work in the building and of the students who took over the building," UC Santa Cruz officials said in a statement.

The African/Black Student Alliance organized the protest and wants the Rosa Parks House to be painted in traditional African colors, as well as for UC Santa Cruz to offer diversity training to the student body.

Currently, some students are sleeping or reading on the floor, while others are working on their laptops. Protesters stockpiled food to tide them over, and covered some windows with signs reading, "No room for anti-blackness on campus."



University Chancellor George Blumenthal plans to meet the group of students on Thursday.

The university statement continued: "We’ve taken some steps forward, including hiring a recruitment specialist and a retention specialist, and continue to discuss how we can make sure that all students feel supported and have a sense of belonging. The campus is sensitive to the needs being expressed by the students."