DENVER

      Black community leaders this week urged the University of Colorado to recruit more minority students and faculty, and to protect them from harassment after a string of racially tinged incidents on the Boulder campus.

      “Racism is a cancer and there can be no peaceful coexistence with cancer,'' said the Rev. Paul Burleson, president of the Greater Metropolitan Ministerial Alliance. “Either we get rid of this cancer or it will get rid of us.''

      A 20-year-old CU student suffered a broken jaw in June in what police said was a racially motivated attack. Two CU students face charges over a racist e-mail sent to a Hispanic cross-country runner and other racially charged incidents on the campus are under investigation.

      Burleson is a member of a commission that newly appointed CU President Hank Brown created in August to study the problems and recommend changes. The panel, made up of about 40 business and civic leaders, will meet for the first time Jan. 21.

      Burleson and others have scheduled a town hall meeting on the Boulder campus four days after that for minority students and faculty to discuss their concerns and suggest solutions.

      “In 2006, you'll see a much more aggressive African-American community,'' said former Denver Mayor Wellington Webb, also a commission member. “Our expectations for 2006 are very high.''

      The commission will study diversity at the university's other campuses after it makes its recommendations for the Boulder campus, CU spokeswoman Michelle McKinney said. She after the commission issues its recommendations, CU-Boulder Chancellor Phil DiStefano will have 60 days to tell Brown how he plans to address them.

      Webb, Burleson and others said university officials have been receptive to their concerns, making them optimistic about solving racism problems, which they said have “plagued” the university for at least 30 years.