Tampa, FL – A strong crowd of SDS members and concerned students joined together to protest the university’s low Black enrollment rates, as well as the administration’s refusal to address the problem.

In previous talks with SDS, USF administration made openly racist comments on the student group’s proposals, claiming that they were not interested in admitting Black students, but “people who would graduate.” These remarks were not taken lightly, and SDS, in response, held a protest to demand a meeting with university President Dr. Steve Currall. SDS’s previous actions have received so much attention that the administration felt it necessary to dispatch a member of their “event response team” to keep track of the protest.

The fight to increase Black enrollment, which is at 9%, has occurred across months of campaigning. Speeches and chants attracted the attention of those passing by. Demonstrators held signs that read “Meeting with Currall now!” and “USF: Connect with the community!”

SDS calls on USF to “provide more means of financial aid, drop legacy preferences, and reach out to local high schools,” and to “create an environment that reflects the community this campus resides in,” as stated by one of the event’s speakers.

Tampa Bay SDS continues to fight on the USF campus, building the militant student movement to increase Black enrollment, and make the campus safe and welcoming for all students.

#TampaFL #PeoplesStruggles #Antiracism #TampaStudentsForADemocraticSocietySDS