CSUN to Set Up 6 Panels on Racism : Grievances: The committees will include members of the Black Student Union and university representatives.

Six committees will be formed at Cal State Northridge to investigate allegations of racism made by the campus Black Student Union, President James W. Cleary announced Monday after a meeting with the group’s leaders.

Karen Brannon, president of the BSU, said she will recommend students to serve on the panels, which will also include university representatives.

Brannon and a delegation from the BSU met for 90 minutes with Cleary and two university vice presidents, but the participants provided no details of the talks other than the agreement to form the committees.

The panels will examine the six grievances voiced by BSU leaders at a rally two weeks ago, including allegations of racism in the athletic department and demands for a more multicultural curriculum and a building to serve as a center for African-American student organizations.

“We are still in negotiations,” Brannon said after the late afternoon meeting in Cleary’s office. “Our grievances haven’t been resolved just yet.”

At the March 11 campus rally, which drew about 500 students and faculty members, Brannon called for extensive changes in campus policies and complained that a proposed 40% tuition increase at Cal State universities would prevent black students from enrolling.

Brannon, 24, a senior biology major, also demanded the resignation of the university’s athletic director, Robert Heigert. Brannon said she had heard rumors that Heigert told CSUN coaches not to recruit more black athletes because there were too many already.

Heigert later said he was “surprised and disappointed” by the charge, which he denied.

Brannon would not say Monday whether the BSU is still requesting Heigert’s ouster.

A university spokeswoman said Cleary will name members of the committees Friday and schedule another meeting with Brannon’s group.