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Developing: Dozens of students participate in USC 2020 Vision walk-out, read demands to university officials

Dozens of students participated in a campus-wide walkout Monday afternoon to protest university inaction on issues concerning minority students at USC. Organized by USC 2020 Vision, the students gathered at the foot of Longstreet Theatre at approximately 11:00 p.m., dressed in all black.

Then, thirty minutes later, the protesters began to march. Led by fourth-year African American Studies student Karli Wells and third-year Biology student Clarie Randall, they walked silently and in pairs up Sumter street, across the Horseshoe, to the Osborne Administration Building. They held a sign proclaiming the university's motto: "Learning humanizes character and does not permit it to be cruel."

There, they were met by three university officials, USC Provost Joan Gabel, Chief Diversity Officer John Dozier, and Vice President for Student Affairs Dennis Pruitt. 

Gabel welcomed the protesters, and invited them to speak. Then, one by one, representatives of USC 2020 Vision began to read their demands out loud, as the officials listened.

According to Gabel, USC President Harris Pastides could not attend, as he is currently representing USC at the 2015 annual meeting of Association of Public & Land-Grant Universities in Indianapolis. Gabel said that a town hall hosted by Pastides was an option the university could "absolutely commit" to, and which would be held as soon as his schedule permitted. 

The following conversation included lengthy discussion between students and administrators on how best to address minority issues on campus.


This story is developing. The Daily Gamecock will update this story throughout the day. 

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