In 2015, 21,694 white people enrolled in Auburn University, according to the Office of Institutional Research. The same year, 1,892 African-Americans, 829 Hispanics, 670 Asians and 162 American Indians or Native Alaskans enrolled.
Auburn has a history of being a predominantly white school.
A trend many nonwhite students would like to change.
“There is a small percent of diverse students on campus, and I think they need to be represented,” said Brianna Thomas, a representative of the Black Student Union. “As a black student, I think our views are heard a little more because we are a bigger chunk of the minority on campus. But our views can still be pushed aside sometimes.”
Ziyun Chen, president of the International Student Organization, believes many international students don’t vote in SGA elections because they feel like the candidates do not represent their needs.
Turnout in the SGA elections this year was 34 percent of elegible students, according to the SGA.
“A lot of international students don’t even know what’s going on because the election isn’t specific to what international students need,” Chen said. “People are always on the concourse telling us to vote, but we don’t know why we should vote when their policies don’t affect us.”
Viraja Khollam, president of the Indian Student Association, said Auburn University works hard to make international students feel comfortable, but work is still to be done in building bridges between international and domestic students.
“The provost’s office recently emailed us about climate diversity research they are doing,” Khollam said. “They want to make international students feel comfortable. The problem is that there are still many Americans who are ignorant about other cultures.”
Khollam said she feels many minority students don’t vote in campus elections because they do not understand that change can only happen when people make it happen.
“What troubles me is that other people who are not as outspoken as me don’t raise their voices to be heard,” Khollam said. “They fail to see it’s the drops that make the ocean.”
Rene Fuanta, president of the African Students Association, said he thinks many minority students don’t run or vote for positions at Auburn because the white-dominant majority intimidates them.
“[Political events] are primarily dominated by a certain class of students belonging to some elite society,” Fuanta said. “This definitely leaves out others who could be interested in running for some positions. They shrink back because they think they don’t belong.”
Fuanta said he believes while Auburn still has progress to be made, politics at the national level are becoming more diverse.
“At the national level, we are beginning to see a more diverse political atmosphere,” Fuanta said. “I think it’s because people are beginning to realize that we can achieve anything if we dream and work toward it.”
Thomas said the first step in fixing the problem both on campus and at the national level, is acknowledging one exists.
“People don’t understand we have racism on this campus,” Thomas said. “I think really sitting down and talking to people and listening can make such a difference. People have to want to build bridges.”
Chen encourages international students to run for SGA offices because she said she thinks that is one of the first steps to creating a more diverse campus.
“So many international students complain about wanting the elections to be more diverse, but they don’t speak up and run,” Chen said.
Khollam believes it is also the task of those already in office to reach out more to the minority and international students.
“All of them campaign hard, but they still fail to reach international students maybe because they don’t know how,” Khollam said. “Very few candidates or other students besides international students ever attend international events.”
Thomas said the key is for both sides to start having conversations.
She understands talking about such a topic can be hard, but believes it is a necessity for progress.
“I know that I’ve heard from some of the majority students that it’s very uncomfortable to sit in a room with people who are not like you and are expressing their grievances,” Thomas said. “And I would say to that, I understand, but I do not empathize because I have to be uncomfortable every day as a minority student on this campus.”
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