A sit-in at Colgate University in New York, which organisers said was to protest against the institution¡¯s lack of diversity and the alleged treatment of minority students, began after anonymous comments were posted on Yik Yak, a social networking app popular with college students.

According to , more than 300 students participated in the protest, which took place inside Colgate¡¯s admissions building, and began on 22 September. The action, which was still continuing four days later, was led by the Colgate University Association of Critical Collegians (ACC), a group of students ¡°working to ensure that the university reflects the ideals its mission statement claims¡±. The group used its to post pictures and stories from the scene.

Among the posts is an ¡°Action Plan¡± for the university to follow in order to . Suggestions include: engaging admissions staff in sustained diversity; ensuring that all admissions tours address issues of diversity more fully; and the creation of formal assessments of admissions processes to determine the efficacy and inclusivity of admissions programmes and protocols.

¡°We understand that the work of creating a culture of inclusivity is difficult work that is still very much in process [sic],¡± the plan says.

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One of the ¡°milder¡± Yik Yak comments, published by Inside Higher Ed, reads: ¡°I chose Colgate for the lack of it¡¯s [sic] diversity¡­I knew the statistics. It¡¯s not my fault you didn¡¯t read the fine print.¡±

In a statement, the ACC said the demonstration aimed to raise awareness about what it termed these ¡°microaggressions¡± endured by minority students. ¡°In order to obtain a complete liberal arts education, one must learn and be aware of different identity politics,¡± the group says in a statement published on an calling for support for the sit-in. ¡°Colgate University, at this moment, has insufficient methods to address equity and inclusivity,¡± the statement claims.

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The two campaign hashtags, #CanYouHearUsNow and #SoThisIsColgate, attracted thousands of tweets.

¡°I want to be PROUD of my school, not ashamed by the ignorance of students like this,¡± tweeted one student, Rachel Drucker (@thatsdruckedup), along with a picture of a racist message on Yik Yak.

Other universities also showed their support. ¡°I¡¯m proud of the Colgate students protesting racism on campus with a 35+ hour sit-in,¡± said Roopika Risam (@roopikarisam), assistant professor of world literature and English education at Salem State University.

A from Colgate University said it supported students¡¯ ¡°peaceful¡± calls for a welcoming and supportive campus environment, and said university staff had met ¡°for many hours¡± with ACC representatives after the sit-in began.

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University president Jeffrey Herbst said: ¡°Bias incidents and racism, while not unique to Colgate, are unacceptable and will not be tolerated. They have no place on a college campus, and they have no place at Colgate. We have heard you, and we will join you in the common goal of creating a campus environment that is welcoming and supportive of all of our students.¡±

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