The leaders of many of Auburn's African-American organizations advocated for more inclusion, increased admissions of African-American students and the hiring of more African-American faculty at the first State of the Black Student Body Wednesday night.
"How are we getting more freshmen coming in [every year], but the percentage of black students is stagnate or falling?" said Joshah Cass, senior in aerospace engineering. "We have a bucket with a hole in it. [African-American] kids are dropping out. Kids are graduating, or kids just don't want to come to Auburn, and no one is replacing them."
Cass, the night's keynote student-speaker, spoke about Auburn's journey from the days of segregation to today — what has improved and what has not.
According to Cass, the African-American student population is stagnant, while Caucasian and other racial groups are increasing, because of a lack of recourses, encouragement, inclusion and support.
"Why does a major university look like this, and why aren't we talking about it?" Cass said.
According to the Office of Institutional Research, African-Americans comprised only 6.9 percent of Auburn's student body in the fall of 2015. In 2013, 7.4 percent of students were African-American. In 2010, African-Americans made up 8 percent of the population.
"When you're ignored on a daily basis for nine out of 12 months for four years on a daily basis, when you get to your senior year, you're tired," Cass said. 
From 2010-15, Auburn's African-American enrollment has decreased by 86 students, despite an increase of more than 2,000 in Auburn's total enrollment.
According to Cass and the other organizers, there is a racial divide on Auburn's campus, spanning social life, academics, housing and student organizations. Improving the racial divide, recruiting more minority students and creating a greater sense of community could improve the racial disparities on campus.
"I grew up around this campus," said Erica Rutledge, president of the Black Student Union. "I knew I was coming here. I unloaded my car. I was living in the Hill. Most of my hall was white, but I didn't care. There were only eight black people in my building, and all of us were in the same area and roommates. I had a white roommate before that. She found me on Facebook and found out who I was and wanted to switch roommates."
Today, 4 percent of Auburn's teaching faculty is African-American. According to a Washington Post article, no state's flagship university has more than 10 percent African-American faculty and very few have more than 5 percent.
A panel of five African-American students took questions from a packed audience of more than 200 students, faculty and guests — 52 years and 16 days since Harold A. Franklin was the first African-American student at Auburn University.
"Fifty-two years ago was not that long ago," Cass said. "Segregation was still in place, there were colored water fountains and blacks were getting beaten trying to get into any university. It took an incredible amount of courage to even try to come on an all-white campus."
The first State of the Black Student Body Address was organized by the leaders of several African-American organizations, including the Black Student Union, the Harold A. Franklin Society and the National Society of Black Engineers.
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