RADFORD (WSLS 10) - Students on Radford University's campus are trying to raise awareness about diversity issues facing students.
This comes after negative comments were posted on a social media site in response to some African American students protesting in solidarity with students at the University of Missouri.
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Students involved held a race relations meeting, where some made a list of request they say could bring more diversity to the campus.
Divanti Bedford is a student at Radford University. He's been there for about 2 years and said his experience has been good, but he's looking to make a change.
"We wanted to educate our peers on what we're doing, after what we read on the yik yak and what we heard in our faces it was truly disheartening to hear what some highlanders had to say," Bedford said.
Bedford said some students made negative remarks on social media, the negative comments sparked a race relations meeting that was held earlier this week.
About 500 people attended.
After the meeting, Bedford is asking university leaders to look into making changes he and other multicultural groups on campus feel could make the campus more diverse.
The list includes a bigger and better location for a multicultural center. Bedford said the current one is in the basement of Tyler Hall, a dorm on campus.
Second, a larger budget for multicultural programs, more diversity awareness classes, and a policy that enforces disciplinary actions for students who share racist comments.
"Those are the issues that can be addressed now I feel like they will be addressed, I know change doesn't happen overnight but those are the beginning steps to get where we need to be," Bedford said.
Crasha Townsend is the director of Diversity and Inclusion at Radford.
She said one way the school is addressing race relations is bringing in speakers to share their experiences with students, in hopes of creating an open dialogue.
"Encourage the students to have dialogues, discussion, about race and how it impacts them not only on campus but when they go back to their own communities," Crasha Townsend said.
Bedford said once the list is complete it will be sent to the Dean of Students.