More than a week after the creation of "The Village" in the HUB-Robeson Center, its occupants came to an agreement with administrators last night.

The revised "Plan to Enhance Diversity at Penn State" establishes an Africana Studies Research Center in the 2001-02 school year and commits $900,000 in funding for the center during the next five years. The center will be administratively affiliated with the College of Liberal Arts and will be interdisciplinary, involving faculty and students from across the university.

"We are all going to benefit," Penn State graduate and former Black Caucus member Lurie Daniel said after the agreement was reached.

The plan also stipulates that the university will have ten full-time faculty members in the African and African American Studies department by Fall 2003. Black Caucus Vice President-elect Takkeem Morgan said this commitment from the university is an important result of the protest.

The protesters had originally asked that the Vice Provost for Educational Equity be allowed to hold 2 percent of each college's budget in escrow until the diversity guidelines set in the Framework to Foster Diversity at Penn State: 1998-2003 were met. Under the revised plan, this "2 percent accountability" clause is not included. Each college will still have to submit a report detailing its fulfillment of the requirements by December 15, 2001, but the Vice Provost for Educational Equity will be responsible for assessing these reports. This administrator's feedback will be available to the public.

"They were not willing to give up 2 percent," Daniel said, adding that she thought the new system was a better method of accountability.

"It puts the onus of responsibility on the university but allows community involvement," Daniel said.

About 100 people gathered on the ground floor of the HUB for a town meeting after the agreement was reached to decide what their next step should be.

Under the revised plan, the African and African American Studies department will have autonomous space and staff. Previously, students had been concerned that the department's resources would be combined with those of the women's studies and labor and industrial relations departments.

"What has been accomplished is the lack of respect for the AAAS department has been reversed. The empowerment of that department has happened," Morgan said.

Penn State spokesman Bill Mahon said the administration believes the plan is going to have a major impact on the focus given to diversity issues at this university.

"The students worked really hard," he said. "I want to give them a great deal of credit for the ideas they brought to the table."

While many of the issues were resolved, the students remained concerned about security at next weekend's graduation ceremonies.

Daniel said a reference to a bomb at graduation in the letter received by Black Caucus President Lakeisha Wolf on April 20 should be taken seriously.

"We want to make sure (the administrators) are going to do everything they can to make graduation safe," Daniel said. She said the villagers are waiting to find out if metal detectors will be provided at the graduation sites before deciding if they will end their sit-in.

Mahon said police are still planning their response to this threat, but added that security will be increased.

"We want to assure the public that we will have a safe commencement," he said.

Although the villagers may soon be leaving the HUB, many said they do not want the ideas of the village to end when the protest does.

Chris Martinez (sophomore-secondary education) said he hopes to have "The Village" established as an official student organization in time for the fall semester. He added that the students will stay active and continue to meet over the summer.

"We are fighting for equality, equity in education, and justice for people who feel they are not being given those things," Martinez said.

Undergraduate Student Government President Justin Zartman said USG is working with the villagers to go through the proper channels to obtain official recognition for the group.

After the meeting, Morgan reflected on his experience in the HUB. He said he met new people and participated in thought-provoking discussions.

"The entire year was very exhausting. The last week was enlightening," he said. "It was a serious life-changing experience."