In the recent The Northerner article, titled “Student Use Annual Event to Raise Issues,” is very informative to the racial problems here at Northern Kentucky University. As a student at Northern Kentucky University, I am deeply concerned with the racial problems at our campus. I believe without the student organizations and university programs geared towards helping minorities on campus they would experience more prejudice and discrimination. Not that they do not experience enough already.

There are many organizations and programs that help minority students to adjust to college life. Most students who go to NKU are from local high schools, which are not that diverse. Many students are not locals, they are either from diverse cities and towns or from overseas. Students blame the university’s administration for not doing enough to handle racial issues. Eric Smith from the Black Men’s Organization stated that NKU succeeded in treating bullet wounds as paper cuts in relation to racial issues on campus not being handled in a manner he and other students see fit. The article in The Northerner shows that students at NKU care about other students who feel out of place here.

College is supposed to prepare students for the real world and the real world is not white. There are many ethnicities and races the entire world and we need to be able to accept those different form us. If not then we will not be able to see past differences instead of seeing the similarities. By focusing on resolving racial issues students will not be afraid at NKU.

The event at NKU discussing racial issues is a tremendous step in creating equality and safety on campus. It is encouraging is see students use their freedom of speech to combat an evil in our society. If racial problems continue at NKU, our college will lose its diversity.

Jennifer Sheriff