UPDATE, 3:08 p.m.: Humboldt State University has emailed out the following statement from president Lisa Rossbacher who is in Long Beach today for a CSU meeting. Concerning today’s protests, Rossbacher said the following:

“I know that many students are upset and concerned about the personnel action we had to take in the STEM Center for Academic Excellence last week. I hear that, and I understand they are frustrated that we can’t share details with them. What I want students to understand is that the University is committed to the STEM Center and the INRSEP program within it. We are absolutely dedicated to supporting Native students and underrepresented students on this campus.”

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Earlier this afternoon, hundreds of Humboldt State University students gathered on the University Center Quad as part of a protest against the firing of a beloved faculty member. Video of the protesters drum circle and dance demonstration has made its way to Facebook and is included above.   

Yesterday, LoCO received an email stating that today’s action was in response to “the unjust firing” of Dr. Jaquelyn Bolman, the director of the INSERP/STEM program, ”one of the few treasured Native American staff at HSU.”

From the emailed announcement:

“School-wide student walk out:  Students will unite in protest against HSU’s eroding of programs for students of color. Protesters will unite at UC Quad.  Indigenous students affected by injustice and misrepresentation are calling an action against the history of internal discrimination on campus which has gone on for too long.” 

Another email to LoCO from an upset student called the firing “a blatant smack in the face to Native Americans” especially considering it occurred just before the start of Indigenous Peoples Week.

 In an article in yesterday’s T-S, Humboldt State University’s Jarad Petroske declined to comment on Bolman’s firing citing privacy and personnel polices.