NPHC Petitioning the Student Code of Conduct

The NPHC has started a petition that looks to change the wording of the words listed as “hostility or harassment” in terms of race, within the student code of conduct at UK.
The organization is outraged at the University of Kentucky’s response, to a comment left on an Instagram account that was promoting an NPHC event. A fellow student at the university commented on the photo with a racial slur.
Rashad Bigham, a member of the NPHC, says that the group isn’t worried about the current situation… but rather, the future.
“We aren’t focused so much on this event. We are looking ahead so that events like this don’t happen in the future,” said Bigham.
Bigham says that the University hasn’t reached out to the NPHC yet, though they claim they have.  So far over 400 people have signed the online petition.
The NPHC says that the university didn’t see this as a hostile situation-or harassment.
“What they declare as a hostile situation is something they declare as a direct threat to someone. But the word encompasses so much that it’s a direct threat to say to any African American person,” Bigham said.
UK Spokesman, Jay Blanton, declined an interview but did release a statement:
“Everyone is free to believe what they want to believe and say what they want to say; But the language of hate aimed at the diminishment of anyone has no place in our community and is contrary to the values of our university.”
Bigham says that the NPHC plans to host an open forum within the free speech zones on campus, to get the word out about the petition.