With chants of “wake up, NIU,” nearly 100 students marched down Lucinda Avenue waving picket signs Thursday, en route to the Campus Life Building to protest problems they perceive on campus.

A variety of issues addressed by marchers included potholes around the residence halls and University Circle, proposed changes to the Dining Dollars meal plans, conflicts with University Police, crime and safety, diversity, acquiring more minority professors at NIU and searching nationally for a minority provost candidate.

“We all can plainly see the injustice, issues and concerns that need to be addressed on this campus,” said Ed Quinn, Black Student Union president.

Gary Gresholdt, associate provost for student services, answered questions and said students should feel free to present their concerns to him.

“If I cannot be of service, I will be sure to put you in contact with someone that can help,” he said.

After the students arrived at the Campus Life Building, Judicial Office director Larry Bolles encouraged their efforts, saying a college campus is the perfect place for involvement. Protesters echoed that sentiment.

“I am marching because it shows that we are ready to take a stand on minority issues,” sophomore accounting major Romian Crockett said. “We are here because we are not going to tolerate the administration’s systematic approach to getting us off this campus.”

Jeremy Hodges, a junior sociology major and member of Made Men Entertainment, said he feels threatened by treatment toward his and other minority

organizations.

Quinn and other protest leaders read a quote attributed to University Police Lt. John Hunter, which they said Hunter had said in reference to campus minority events: “I don’t care what you call them. You can call them comedy shows, talents shows, fashion shows — we don’t need these kind of events here at NIU. I am going to do everything I can to be sure you never have these events again.”

Hunter later appeared at the forum to attempt to address protesters’ complaints. He confirmed the validity of the quote, but said it was taken out of context and that he said it in reference to specific past events held by the group Raising Multicultural Excellence.

“This one group must follow the rules or they won’t have any events,” Hunter said.

Hunter, the interim police chief, was asked what he would do to better the relationship between minority students and police. He said nothing could be done within the next four months, but encouraged honesty from protesters.

“I will never understand what you go through or what it is you perceive,” Hunter said. “I am not black. I will not know.”

RME president Rod Moyer wasn’t satisfied with Hunter’s responses, often interjecting with assumptions that Hunter didn’t want minorities on the campus. Hunter denied those claims.

“He told everyone in that lobby that he wasn’t going to do anything about it in the next four months,” Moyer said. “I think he cannot be trusted to support us in this struggle.”

The main points covered at the rally already have been brought up during public forums at NIU, said Sopheap Long, a member of the Asian American

Association. She wants to see progress made quickly.

“I am here to find out what is the school going to do to bring about this change,” Long said. “At the town meeting in the fall, they promised action. Now I want a report of progress.”

Protesters asked Student Association president Ken Getty what he planned to do about the problems discussed.

“I see that there are areas that the university needs to improve on,” Getty said. “These problems are one of the reasons we are heavily campaigning for some new provost leaders.”

Students also questioned Getty about the removal of SA treasurer Troy Caldwell from the upcoming SA presidential ballot. Caldwell was removed Tuesday after election officials declared he had fraudulent petitions. He is appealing to be reinstated.

Caldwell, who attended Thursday’s protest, said it was not racially based.

“The problems that these people are talking about are not ‘black things,’ or ‘white things,'” he said. “They are student problems, and the students need to be heard.”

NIU President John Peters was out of town Thursday and unable to accept protesters’ invitation to attend. Students and supporters later went to an interview with provost candidate John Dunn, where they shared concerns and asked what Dunn would do about campus problems if he won the job.