Factoid:Urban Congress will meet at 8 p.m. Thursday in the Student Center Missouri Room.

Diallo Brown spent part of his summer brainstorming for a way to get minority students involved with campus activities.

Together with Shawnell Barnes, he came up with the Urban Congress, an organization designed to empower not just minority students but any student.

We weren’t satisfied with the organizations standing for the minorities, Brown, a senior in speech communication Organizational Structure, said. We wanted to get something done, we wanted the minorities to have more of a voice.

The Urban Congress, which stands for Conditioning Our Needs through Growth, Respect, Experience and the Spirit of Success, gained its Registered Student Organization status in mid-October. Barnes, a senior in speech communication, is president of the organization.

The group is planning to help in recruitment and retention of minority students by speaking to high school students about what SIUC is like and informing them about college in general. The group also plans to help minority students understand financial aid and apply for grants and scholarships.

The organization is planning to help the Young Women’s Coalition with a Christmas dinner and party. Its members also are organizing the School Yard Grammys, an entertainment show organized for the students by the students, tentatively set for January 2000.

Brown, vice-president of the new RSO, said the organization wants to be the vehicle for communication on this campus.

We want to be the linkage for the students, faculty and administration and bring it back again, Brown said.

The organization has about 20 members, but the group has yet to have its membership drive. The group is not just looking for minority members.

Brown said students interested in the Urban Congress are asked to fill out an application and read the constitution. Applicants then are questioned by the executive members about things such as what they feel they can contribute to the organization.

We want people who are very dedicated and focused, Brown said. We want to bring out the positive attributes minorities have for SIU.