"We have to begin to fight the issues on our campus," he said. "Administration is ignoring us (and) we have to make them listen."

"This is our university. This is our SIU. We have to change things on this campus (and) the only way it's going to change is if we do it together."

Andrew, a graduate student studying philosophy at SIU, also took a turn at the megaphone to discuss his concerns about the administration’s failure to hire a professor of Africana philosophy.

“If racism is not okay, then cancelling these classes is not okay,” he said.

Concerning the issues presented by the students, Rae Goldsmith, chief marketing and communications officer for SIUC, said “(SIU chancellor) Dr. Colwell has heard these requests."

"He has met with the students regarding the college’s decision to put the professorship on hold due to the state budget impasse in the current year, and a proposed 20 percent cut in appropriations for the next year.”

Goldsmith said the impasse has affected a number of high-priority positions as determined by deans.