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Conversation with Purdue's president for April

Purdue University

Purdue President Mitch Daniels says the university is working to fight racism on campus. However, he admits it will be difficult to eliminate it completely. Daniels believes an overwhelming number of people who work and study at Purdue are committed to respect for all.

University police are investigating a possible hate crime that involved someone writing a racial slur on a sign and drawing a picture of a body hanging from a tree. The sign was part of a display left after the Purdue Anti-Racism Coalition’s march and demonstration at Hovde Hall earlier this week.

Daniels believes he’s met the first demand set out earlier this week by the Coalition. The group asked him to make public statements in print, video and campus-wide email denouncing hateful acts by racist vandals. A news release sent to the media, students and university employees had Daniels condemning Tuesday's incident on campus that’s under investigation. He says the demands are similar to ones the Coalition presented to him when he met with members shortly after taking over as president in January.

Daniels says he has called many minority students who have been admitted to Purdue, but haven’t accepted the offer, trying to convince them to enroll. Daniels says there are similar efforts trying to attract more women and minority faculty members to campus.

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