College campuses are supposed to be safe areas for students no matter their race, sexuality, or political stance.

Students of color have not only felt unsafe, but have also faced racism on a supposedly intolerant campus. Years ago racist students burned slurs into the grass areas to make their hate known, not much has changed since then. As word of the injustice against the Black players of the women’s basketball team spread around campus, many other students of color are uncertain about what lies in the future for them and their communities.

Students are taking the time to properly educate their peers about racism and how it affects them personally as well as their community by having frequent diversity discussions both online and in person. Several students have come forth writing letters or sharing their stories about facing racism either within the community or on campus.

While waiting for a public statement from the university about what happened two weeks ago, students took the time to address the incident in the only way proper for the university’s silence; by and taking it to social media.

Several students around campus have seen and face racism that was later left unaddressed around campus. Students of color are speaking out as much as possible to let the university know that they have not forgotten.

“There were several instances last year alone, there were instances where the N-word was inscribed on the elevator walls of a first-year building,” Melan White said, former president of the Black Student Alliance . “There was a girl just walking about in Ashland, and she was just called the N-word by someone who was angry and thought she was someone else.”

However, students of color, having felt unheard, social media was the best route to take to get more stories and force the hand of the university, which led to the decree written by President Carlos Campo. Almost two weeks after the incident, nothing else has been done and no more comments have been made.

Melan White, Dr. Judy Alston, interim director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, and other members of the Black Student Alliance were asked about how the university addresses racism within the community.

“We’ve begun that conversation,” Alston said. “But the question is where is it? Where are the fruits of that conversation? There are just some times that I feel as if the university has missed that mark of being able to be at the forefront of the issues that are Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.”

When it comes to teaching diversity, White and Alston believe there are still improvements to be made but the university is so far on the right track by holding diversity training seminars for the students and faculty.

“Does the university do a well enough job at teaching diversity? My answer is no,” White said. “We are predominantly white and a little bit behind the time because we are in this really rural area. I feel like a school like Ashland to actually make progress, every student needs diversity training like it should be yearly and not a one-and-done type of deal. Every faculty member should need diversity training or have diversity certification because they are teaching diverse students.”

Judy Alson said Ashland, “is not the first place one thinks of when it comes to racial diversity,”adding that the Office of Diversity and Inclusion was a needed step that the university has taken.

As the interim leader of the Office of Diversity and Inclusion, Alston has done what she can to make a difference on campus. Slowly but surely, she believes change is coming for students of color.

But the biggest concern Alston feared is how much the progress made this semester in the office of diversity and inclusion might be lost when a new permanent leader takes over.

“We need somebody permanent,” Alston said. “I am a placeholder, which is fine, but we need someone who is dedicated to this area. Someone who isn’t splitting their time between running this program and teaching. Things need to come from the top, and things need to come from the bottom, especially the community, and that community is hard.”

The members of the Black Student Alliance are determined to create a safe space for students of color within the Ashland community.

Co-chair of the Black Student Alliance, Yosolajesu Olujide-Ajibade, has addressed the community several times about racial issues, specifically with the Office of Diversity and Inclusion.

Ajibade acknowledges that the university is doing its best to address diversity issues on campus, but there is still more work to be done regarding the community, she said.

“Ashland is a community that is definitely in denial about these issues,” she said. “ And as soon as you start the conversation about the problem, they get defensive and you can’t have any further conversations with them.”

Although the Office of Diversity and Inclusion is at the forefront of educating the student body about how to be more diverse, Alston said it becomes an expectation when we are the only ones, about people of color.

“The more things change, the more they stay the same. It always ends up with us having to teach,” Alston said. “I would love to sit back and say you need to own your stuff, you own your racism, you own your oppression, you own your sexism, ageism, you own your stuff. Then admit that, and direct me where to go, versus well tell me how not to do this.”

In terms of how the university can advocate to be more diverse and make the students of color more comfortable on campus, the responses were mixed on what could be done.

Tyayia Young, a student of color at Ashland University, is on the negative side of the spectrum when thinking about what could be done in terms of diversity advocacy.

“Honestly there is no way in my opinion, “ Young said. “The university does not value diversity unless that diversity is sports related and is a winning team. Otherwise, diverse students are not acknowledged unless the university needs to prove they have diverse students or it is a diverse month and they want to post to show that they ‘support.’”

While some students believe diversity is unachievable at a university like Ashland, Alston assures that the Office of Diversity and Inclusion is doing everything they can with the small platform they do have.

“Ashland has a lot to do, and the first thing they have to do is sincerely admit that there is an issue,” Alston said. “And not only that, admit it and then ask for help, sincerely ask for that help. Not that you want me to do everything for you but ask for the help and when you do that, you have to be able to provide the resources, because this is not free work. This is not cheap work.”