Irate Eight releases 10 demands for UC

The Irate Eight promised to push for change on racial issues at University of Cincinnati after a campus police officer shot and killed Samuel DuBose during an off-campus traffic stop.

Now, they have released a list of demands.

The black, student-run activist organization, whose name reflects the percentage of black students enrolled at UC during the 2014-15 academic year, called for sweeping reforms across multiple departments.

The No. 1 demand on the list is for officials to restrict patrols by UC Police Officers Philip Kidd and David Lindenschmidt, who responded when Officer Ray Tensing called for assistance after he shot DuBose.

Kidd and Lindenschmidt were later put on paid leave as a result of the university's investigation into the July 19 shooting. An independent investigation later found that the UC police officers did not attempt to cover up the incident or hinder the investigation. They were reinstated and are back on the job.

The addition of racial awareness classes to the school's curriculum, background checks for current faculty and staff, and other stipulations were included in the demands.

The list also asks that UC increase the number of black students enrolled on the main campus and the number of black senior faculty members.

University of Cincinnati President Santa Ono said on Twitter on Thursday morning that he looked forward to working with the group. Ono had not read the report yet – because it had not been released yet – but said he intended to.

M.B. Reilly, UC director of public relations, said the university has been in ongoing conversations with students and will continue to meet with them to make progress related to issues of diversity and inclusion.

"Our diversity planning needs as many voices as possible committed to building a diverse, inclusive and dynamic environment," she said.

Read the list of demands here: http://www.theirate8.com/

From the Irate Eight list of demands

"I. We demand that the University of Cincinnati immediately restrict Philip Kidd and David Lindenschmidt from patrolling on or off of campus.

II. We demand that the University of Cincinnati enforces a fully funded comprehensive racial awareness curriculum that is mandatory for all students, community members and administrators.

III. We demand that the University of Cincinnati conducts holistic profiles including extensive background checks, mental evaluations, and accounts of past misbehaviors of all faculty/staff/police hired at the University of Cincinnati, starting immediately.

IV. We demand a recurrent substantial monetary allotment to go to all offices and initiatives that directly support and impact the recruitment, retention, and matriculation of Black students on this campus, starting in the Fiscal Year 2017.

V. We demand that the University of Cincinnati allocate appointed voting student senate seats in Student Government from selected representatives from underrepresented communities (race, sexuality, and gender). Additionally, Student Government must report their composition each year including race, gender, sexual orientation, and other self identifying information for each faction.

VI. We demand that the University of Cincinnati hire at minimum 12 senior Black faculty over the next 3 years, starting today, October 14, 2015.

VII. We demand the University of Cincinnati doubles the amount of Black students on main campus over the next 3 years, starting today, October 14, 2015.

VIII. We demand that the University of Cincinnati builds a stand alone AACRC or renovates in order for all of 60 W. Charlton to belong to the AACRC by August 1, 2018.

IX. We demand that there exist a SACUB funded student organization devoted to diversity initiatives and programming that promote cultural awareness, sensitivity, and competence by the start of the 2017 2018 academic year.

X. We demand that the University of Cincinnati divest from any companies involved in the operation of private prisons and establish a Socially Responsible Investment Committee (or at least adopting a socially responsible investment policy) for all investment transactions by the start of the 2017 2018 Academic year."