Blacks Charge Racism at CSUN : Education: Protesters accuse administrators of being insensitive and call for the resignation of the athletic director.

African-American students and faculty leaders during a spirited march and rally at Cal State Northridge on Wednesday accused the administration and athletic department of racism, demanded extensive changes in campus policies and called for the resignation of the athletic director.

Karen Brannen, head of the campus Black Student Union, said administrators, Athletic Director Robert Heigert and the campus newspaper, The Daily Sundial, had been insensitive toward the campus African-American population. Wearing locks and cables around her neck and ankles to signify chains, Brannen said black students were in a condition of “mental slavery.”

Brannen, 24, a senior majoring in biology, led about 500 protesters and several black faculty members to the administration building, where she presented a list of demands to CSUN President James Cleary that included a call for the resignation of Heigert.

Cleary agreed to discuss the demands with Brannen and other student representatives Friday.

Brannen said she had heard rumors that Heigert had told CSUN coaches not to recruit any more black athletes because there were already too many. She would not elaborate. Brannen also contended that black athletes were being mistreated and were not receiving the financial and moral support promised by recruiters.

Heigert said he was “surprised and disappointed” by the accusations and refused to comment further until the Black Student Union provided specifics on alleged incidents.

Brannen also demanded an investigation into alleged racist policies and statements in the CSUN athletic department, the establishment of a “black house” that would be a center for African-American student organizations, changes in the curriculum to put more emphasis on African culture, the hiring of more black scholars on the staff and the promotion of blacks into executive administrative positions.

Students chanted slogans, such as “Too Black, Too Strong,” while carrying signs denouncing tuition increases and the student newspaper.

Brannen, the only student to speak, also said a proposed 40% tuition increase at Cal State universities would prevent black students from enrolling at the university and would force others to abandon their college careers. She demanded that the increase be reduced to 10%.

If the demands were not met, Brannen said the Black Student Union would urge black students and athletes to boycott athletic events, the cafeteria and bookstore.

“We will not invest any more money in this school,” Brannen said as her audience cheered. Quoting the late black leader Malcolm X, Brannen said, “We will continue to voice our grievances and preserve our family and union by any means necessary.”

Selase Williams, chairman of the school’s Pan-African studies department, told the gathering that the demands had the support of African-American faculty members. “The black community on this campus has been wounded,” he said.

Later in the afternoon, campus spokesperson Kaine Thompson said Cleary had read the grievances “and said he plans to address them immediately.”

Addressing the protest over the 40% increase, Thompson said Cleary empathized with students, but said the school “was in the same dilemma” and had no power over state education budgets drafted in Sacramento.

The Black Student Union has about 100 paid members, but represents all 1,800 CSUN black students, Brannen said.

Brannen also took aim at the Daily Sundial, saying she had been misquoted in an article last semester on African-American dialect and that the paper was not sensitive to black issues. She demanded that Sundial reporters tape all future interviews and consult interview subjects during the writing of articles.

Sundial Editor Robin Heinz denied that the Sundial had been insensitive toward blacks or other minority groups. “I’m kind of upset about what she is saying,” Heinz said. “We’ve tried to be a lot more diverse in our coverage this semester. To say that we’re insensitive is just not accurate.”