On February 18, this video petition was released in response to certain events on the campus of Andrews University. We, current and former black students of Andrews University, would like to respectfully share 3 concerns with this announcement.

1. The video omitted details of the events that led to the its release. This made it difficult for uninformed viewers to avoid extreme conclusions. Some concluded the video was entirely unjustified because their perception of AU precluded the imagination of any event(s) that would warrant such demands. Others concluded AU is finally being exposed as was the University of Missouri and is equally guilty. We believe providing a brief overview of these events and their relationship to the stated grievances would have allowed for a more balanced reception of the video.
2. The video omitted details of the current administration's attempts to address some of the issues raised. We believe it would have been helpful for the video to mention the public apology offered by the current university president last October and to explain why it is insufficient. We also believe it would have been helpful for the video to mention the diversity training for faculty, staff, and students that began last year and explain why it is insufficient. These omissions, whether intentional or unintentional, allowed for the promulgation of false and even slanderous perceptions of the university.
3. The video did not represent the experience of many blacks who have attended or presently attend AU. Many of us have experienced racial bias and even discrimination on the campus of Andrews University. As unacceptable as these instances were, they were not characteristic of our overall experience with the institution. We affirm the continuing need for monitoring and improvement in this area that these ills may be checked and remain in check. Nevertheless, overall, our experience has not been as negative as what we perceived was being described in the video.

We deeply respect the time, effort, and passion expended by the creators of the video to improve interracial understanding and respect on campus. Also, we deeply appreciate the responsiveness of the current administration to these issues. Our hope is that healthy dialogue on these important issues leading to positive change will continue on our campus and throughout this nation.