SLO Solidarity, a student-led activist group on campus, has stirred up a conversation on campus regarding campus climate, diversity and inclusivity.
In the demands sent to Cal Poly’s president’s office, SLO Solidarity called for an action plan. Its demands stated the plans must be released by the end of Fall 2015 or at the beginning of Winter 2016.
However, the administration hasn’t determined a date to release the action plan to the public, according to university spokesperson Matt Lazier.
Despite not having an action plan yet, SLO Solidarity will not stop advocating for its cause. While students are away on break, the movement will release a statement regarding its plans for winter quarter, according to SLO Solidarity organizer and political science sophomore Matt Klepfer.
“We haven’t had an opportunity to discuss our next steps yet after our meeting with administrators on Friday,” Klepfer said.
SLO Solidarity will be continuing its efforts next year, but is taking a break for finals.
“We are students and we have been busy for two weeks on end with SLO Solidarity, and now we need to focus on school,” political science sophomore Mick Bruckner said.
Within the past couple months, SLO Solidarity has started strong. It created an organized a protest against hate speech written on the Free Speech Wall. After discussions with administration, SLO Solidarity officially sent its demands to the President’s Office.
Following those demands, a death threat was sent to Klepfer on Dec. 1. SLO Solidarity gathered in a protest against the threat chanting, “We received a threat, what don’t you get?”
The next day, students, faculty and staff came together in a march from Robert E. Kennedy Library to the University Union Plaza. On Friday, Dec. 4, University Police Department (UPD) arrested Charles Raymond Bird, the individual in connection with the death threat.
SLO Solidarity sent a press release to clarify its demands and the purpose of its movement. In response to these recent events, students, alumni, faculty and staff have sent in Letters to the Editor outlining their views on the subject matter.