At the end of last semester, Black Caucus issued a list of demands and additions to be incorporated into the university's written diversity policies, and its members are now looking for action.

The demands were released after last semester's controversy surrounding the Penn State College Republicans.

Many Black Caucus members have said that Penn State has a history of ignoring the needs of underrepresented student groups.

Black Caucus has been coming up with suggestions to create a more comfortable racial atmosphere since 1968, Black Caucus President Tiffanie Lewis said.

"Things have been going on since then, and nothing has been done to remedy them. The problems are only getting worse," she said.

Lewis and other Black Caucus members will be meeting with administrators sometime next week, she said. Administrators such as Vicky Triponey, vice president of student affairs, and Terrell Jones, vice provost for educational equity, will be working to address these concerns.

Lewis said she feels prior meetings with the two have not been productive.

"I think speaking with [Triponey and Jones] has not worked in the past. They have been a waste of time. They are saying they will sit down and work with us. We will see how receptive they are after we sit down with them," Lewis said.

Lewis also said Black Caucus wants to speak with Penn State President Graham Spanier to make sure these issues are not forgotten as the semester progresses.

Spanier was not immediately available for comment.

Members of Black Caucus are uncertain about how their list of demands will be received by the administration.

"I have 100 percent faith that these will be met. We are not going to stop until things change. We will go as far as we need to go," she added.

Black Caucus Secretary Ed Smith said he does not think meeting with officials will do much to help improve diversity on campus.

"We are still very willing to sit down with them, but because of past incidents, things haven't been able to be worked out. These types of incidents validate the need for our changes," Smith said.

Many Black Caucus members believe the Frameworks to Foster Diversity, plans issued every five years by the university to outline its diversity improvement initiatives, have been a failure. Among their demands is a review of the Office of Educational Equity.

"We think the office needs to be more proactive. I think a lot more can be
done on their behalf," Lewis said.

Lewis said Black Caucus' history with Jones has not been positive.

"We don't feel the support from him," she added.

However, Jones had a different view of the past meetings between sides.

"I don't feel [meetings] were unsuccessful; I think that a lot was accomplished," Jones said.

Jones said the issues occurring on campus are not exclusive to Penn State. Cases such as the recent one are happening in higher numbers across the nation on college campuses, he said.

"To say it is Penn State's problem, is not fair," he said, adding he would like to sit down with Black Caucus and other students to discuss concerns.

University administrators, according to Jones, have already addressed some of the demands on the list, citing progress in freshman seminars and GI (Intercultural and International competence) requirements since 1998, when the first framework was issued.

Matthew Hill (junior-economics) said he agrees with Black Caucus' right to make demands, but said it is up to university officials to decide whether the demands, if carried out, would benefit the community as a whole.

"There has to be a majority ruling of the administration behind it," he said.

Laura Barr (sophomore-telecommunications) said she does not think Black Caucus is handling the problem appropriately. "More can always be done, but they should make requests or recommendations, not demands," she said.