Members of the Caribbean Student Association (CSA) and the Binghamton University community continued their efforts this past week to pressure administration to reinstate their Carnival event.
The cultural organization held a rally Friday in efforts to restore the two-part cultural exhibition and celebration, and are in the process of scheduling a meeting with administration.
The 10 students who participated in the rally walked past the Couper Administration Building, Glenn G. Bartle Library, the New University Union and the Dickinson amphitheater.
According to Christopher Williams, activities director for the CSA, students in the Dickinson Dining Hall applauded after the group read a speech and poem on how they believed diversity and student rights were “dying” at BU.
“We saw a need to make another statement on campus,” Williams said. “Each political move opens up [students’] minds on the situation.”
According to Williams, two days before the end of the spring semester BU administration sent CSA a notice they were canceling the annual event because of security concerns and the rising attendance of visitors from out of the area.
Five executive board members from the CSA plan to meet next week with Brian Rose, vice president for student affairs.
“We basically want to find out where each party stands,” Williams said. “We want to figure out where is the middle ground, where is the compromise that we can meet.”
The CSA and Black Student Union held an earlier rally on Nov. 13 to request a meeting with the administration. They have yet to meet.
“The University hopes that we can work together to invent a future event that will celebrate Caribbean culture on campus while also providing a safe environment for all involved,” Rose said.
The CSA is currently supported by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People of Broome County, which plans to write letters to the administration asking to reschedule the event.