Chancellor Mark Mone and Dean of Students Adam Jussel took fire during an emotionally charged forum hosted with the Black Student Union last Wednesday, where students questioned them on their policies toward racism and hate speech.
“What are you gonna do to make sure this doesn’t happen again?” an anonymous voice from the crowd called out.
“I’m going to work with BSU and the Office of Equity and Diversity services to take action,” Mone responded.
“What kind of action? What is your plan?”
“We will take two more questions,” BSU President Darius Hayes interjected.
Jasmine Salton 
Enineva Canada 
Davien Holton 
Christopher Chavez 
Chioma Aririguzo
Students took the mic at the Black Student Union’s open forum on September 23 to share their concerns.
Photos: Brianna Schubert
Two weeks ago, the BSU recieved a video being shared on social media which showed a UWM Student, Emma Longacre, saying racial and homophobic slurs, according to Hayes. Soon after becoming aware of the video, Hayes said that the BSU attempted to have a meeting with Dean Jussel but was directed to his assistant.
According to an email from Jussel, sent on Sept. 17, Longacre has removed herself from in-person classes and the residence halls, opting to finish the semester completely online.
Enineva Canada, one of the students who spoke at the forum, said that this feels more like “witness protection” than punishment: “If she cannot function with the campus community, then she cannot be a member of the community. Period.” Enineva said.
BSU President Hayes opened the forum by laying out three initiatives, which he said that he hopes the Chancellor and Dean will consider when moving forward from this incident.
Hayes called on the administration to review the student code of conduct for language on hate speech, and to write in clear guidelines so that disciplinary action can be taken in future incidents. He also recommended the university bring on Black therapists and counselors to help students of color heal and find support on campus, as well as a standing, twice monthly meeting between the dean and the BSU to bring UWM closer to being an antiracist community.
Dean of Students Adam Jussel addressed the crowd about relevant response to the video from his office while UWM Black Student Union officers discuss. Photo: Brianna Schubert
In Dean Jussel’s remarks, he promised future dialogues with the BSU and clarified that the code of conduct applies to a student the minute they register for classes, which he maintains that Longacre hadn’t done when the video was posted.
The forum then opened up for students to ask the chancellor and dean questions and voice their concerns — a segment that was emotional and scathing.
“She is a racist ass bitch who doesn’t belong here! I am shaking — why don’t you fucking care?” Zyhair Burkes shouted into the microphone, crying.
Several students instructed the chancellor to stop conflating “free speech” with “hate speech,” with one student asking if he intended to change the language in the code of conduct. To this, he responded that he will be “part of it,” but that he “cannot predict what the exact language will be.”
Expressing dissatisfaction, the crowd of students began booing and shouting at the stage.
Davien Holton, like many others, shared his feelings of discomfort when on campus: “As a Black male, I have to code switch constantly,” Holton said calmly. “We want to see you, chancellor. We aren’t scary, and we aren’t scared of you. You can come talk to somebody. I’m not here to hurt you.”
Holton’s peers cheered him on and snapped their fingers while he spoke, and the questions and passionate speeches continued. The crowd’s response teetered back and forth between calm and turmoil, depending entirely on how the chancellor responded to each student.
Zyhair Burkes talks about dealing with racism throughout her life and to deal with it here was unexpected. Photo: Brianna Schubert
According to Hadiya Johnson, another student who shared her experience as a Black student on campus, it was clear that Longacre’s video was motivated by racism.
“I do not feel safe or supported in this community – this is extremely concerning behavior,” Johnson said.
Jo Fox asked the chancellor what actions his office would take to educate Longacre on racism and homophobia, to which the chancellor responded that he would work with the BSU to figure that out.
Finally, as the forum was coming to a close, Jasmine Salton asked a question that made the crowd fall quiet for a beat: “If she was able to choose to go online, will you allow her back on campus if she chooses that next?”
Chancellor Mone was only able to get a few words out.
“She has the right -” he started before the student body came together in a collective uproar, the only words discernable from the outcry were “what the fuck?” and other exclamations.
Salton shouted over the crowd, “Have you spoken to the student?”
Mone started to respond that he hadn’t spoken to Longacre, but Salton cut him off: “Yeah that’s your first step.”
The crowd shows support for the students expressing concern during the forum. Photo: Brianna Schubert
As the chancellor began to leave the stage quickly, he told CBS58 that he was late for a meeting with the board of regents, though he did take a moment to tell the Post that this forum was “a good first step.”
BSU Vice President Tanasia Shaw said she felt that the forum was productive for students, though she wouldn’t go so far as to say it was a “step.”
“Students don’t get this chance very often [to speak directly to the chancellor],” Shaw said. “BSU is supposed to get that chance and we hardly ever do.”
Hayes felt differently, saying that the forum was a good step and that he felt the chancellor was listening.
“I hope he felt the hurt,” Hayes said. “It’s not easy as a white male but I hope this was enough for him.”
The Black Student Union shared the video on their Instagram on Sept. 13, where it has had 23,383 views as of Sept. 26. The video also has had over 700 comments, many of them tagging UWM and local news.
UWM responded to the comments: “We vehemently condemn the use of racist and homophobic language in this video. It runs counter to UWM’s values. We value diversity in all forms, and we believe all humans are innately worthy of respect. We are looking into the situation and will take action as appropriate.”
“The comments and behaviors within the video are deeply offensive, hurtful and 100% contrary to our guiding values of diversity and mutual respect and safety,” Mone said in a statement on Sept. 14.
The statement also provided a list of support services for “anyone affected by racism and homophobia” on campus, including UWM’s multicultural centers, LGBTQ+ resource center, the Dean of Students office, University Counseling Services, Equity and Diversity services and the Employee Assistance Program.
Hayes and the BSU worked with Mone and Jussel to organize the forum so students, student organizations and the UWM community could have a conversation with Mone and Jussel about how the video affected them.