海角换妻 College students in New London have been occupying Fanning Hall, an administrative building, on campus since Sunday evening.
The protests were sparked immediately by a canceled fundraising trip by college president Katherine Bergeron to the Everglades Club in Palm Beach, Florida. The club has been accused of racist and antisemitic actions.
Plans for the trip led to the resignation of the school鈥檚 dean of institutional equity and inclusion, and students now want Bergeron to resign.
But while the club is the immediate cause for the protests, students say the protests are also advocating for more resources to marginalized students and diversity, equity and inclusion staff. They have also criticized Bergeron鈥檚 leadership style.
Leila Merhi, a sophomore at the school, said funding sources are a reflection of the school鈥檚 values.
鈥淲e don鈥檛 want to take donations from people who are racist or antisemitic,鈥� Merhi said.
Student Voices for Equity is participating in the protest. Lyndon Inglis, a member of the student organization, said the protesters have several demands, including Bergeron鈥檚 resignation.
According to Inglis, one of the root causes of the protests is the sense that the college is racist against students who aren鈥檛 white. Inglis blames President Bergeron and leaders at the school, and says the alleged actions have impacted the 海角换妻 College community.
鈥淢any students have realized from the resignation of our former dean of institutional, equity and inclusion that we just can no longer stand for the tokenization, bullying and blatant racism."
Inglis says the students have seen several non-white staff members leave the school over the years, which has left students of color feeling unsupported by the school and Bergeron. Inglis said the staff members left because they felt they lacked support from the school, and the departments these staff members used to operate are now being run by students, who he said are not qualified to do so.
John Cramer, 海角换妻 College vice president of marketing and communications, said in a statement that the school鈥檚 administration is communicating with students.
鈥淐ollege leadership supports the right to free expression and peaceful protest, and will continue to pursue constructive dialogue with students as well as faculty and staff as we address the important concerns they have raised,鈥� Cramer said.
But Merhi said Bergeron鈥檚 recent emails show that she is not taking student concerns seriously.
鈥淪he has sent a couple of emails pretty much indicating that she鈥檚 hoping this thing will blow over and that students will back down,鈥� Merhi said.
This isn鈥檛 the first time Merhi has had an issue with Bergeron. Merhi pointed to several voyeurism incidents on the college campus but said Bergeron, while stating she would take action, including increased resources to address sexual violence, never did.
