Binghamtom U. Plans to Defund Campus Police After BLM Demands

Binghamton University announced this week that it will decrease funding for its campus police department to comply with recent demands by Black Lives Matter activists. The funding will reportedly be diverted to campus programs that focus on mental health issues. The university will also establish the George Floyd Memorial Scholarship to “support future African American Leaders.”

According to a report by Campus Reform, Binghamton University announced this week that they will divert funding away from the university’s police department.

Breitbart News reported in June that celebrities like Gabrielle Union and Trevor Noah have called for an “abolition” of American police forces. The Los Angeles City Council advanced a bill last week that would cut $150 million from the Los Angeles Police Department’s annual budget.

Binghamton University President Harvey Stenger announced in a letter to the community that the university will decrease funding for the campus police. The funding will be diverted to “other campus services,” particularly those that focus on mental health issues.

“Also, with input from the Campus Citizens Review Board, we will reallocate a proportion of funds from the police department to other campus services that are more appropriate to respond to campus emergencies related to issues such as mental health,” Stenger wrote.

Stenger also announced that the university will establish a $1.5 million scholarship in George Floyd’s name.

“We are also committed to the academic success of the Black community,” Stenger added. “Therefore, the George Floyd Memorial Scholarship has been established to support future African American leaders who seek racial justice and endeavor to make a positive impact on the world. An endowment of $1.5 million will be used to provide financial support to deserving students.”

Breitbart News reported in May that Binghamton University was defending its relationship with the Confucius Institute, an educational organization funded by the Chinese government. Many universities and colleges around the nation have cut ties with the Confucius Institute over concerns that it has sought to limit discourse on campus that is critical of China.

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