SANTA MARIA — Allan Hancock College’s Associated Student Body Government has approved the creation of a Black Student Union Club.
The club fulfills one of the ideas set forth by students and college staff during a Black Lives Matter virtual forum the school held in June. The club will have adjunct business professor Earl Murray Jr. as its faculty advisor, according to a news release.
Mr. Murray said the Black Student Union Club serves as an opportunity for students of all races to celebrate black culture and history.
“We live in a very diverse world, and educating and assisting students about Black history, their lifestyles and experiences would benefit any student’s academic growth and occupational opportunities,” he said.
In addition to the creation of the Black Student Union Club, the college’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Taskforce will have its first meeting Monday. The college started the taskforce in July to ensure school programs and policies are free of systemic barriers to students of color. — Josh Grega