The Ohio University Black Student Union works to uplift students of color while fostering an inclusive space for students of all races.
“The physical spaces might be changed, but our voices are still here,” BSU said in an Instagram post.
Zadrian Neloms, a junior studying creative writing who serves as the BSU’s vice president, joined the BSU’s board when he was a sophomore, serving as treasurer.
“We really want to harbor a safe environment for people to just be themselves, whether it’s through informing individuals about what is going on in campus or the world, or just playing silly games,” Neloms said.
BSU has more than 200 members registered in its GroupMe, but meeting attendance has been impacted by the effects of Senate Bill 1, the state law responsible for the closure of OU’s Multicultural Center, Pride Center and Women’s Center, at the beginning of the 2025-26 academic year.
“Our attendance has been low, and I think that is a result of the Multicultural Center not being the Multicultural Center anymore,” Bailey Smith, a senior studying retail and fashion merchandising and BSU president, said.
Aside from attendance, SB1 affected the annual Multicultural Exposition, an event hosted by BSU.
After years of support from the OU administration, the typical $6,000 of funding was not received for the 2025 event, meaning BSU board members had to accumulate money themselves to continue the tradition, according to a previous report by The Post.
Previously, the event would receive contributions from various colleges within the university, providing monetary or basket donations. This past year, no university affiliates assisted with the event.
Smith said BSU relied on its own businesses and small Athens vendors to raise around $500 for the exposition.
“It was definitely a lot harder than it needed to be, especially since we didn’t have the support of the DEI department that was in the Multicultural Center,” Smith said.
On Jan. 2, BSU shared a letter addressed to OU’s President Lori Stewart Gonzalez and Executive President and Provost Donald J. Leo, dated Nov. 26, 2025, on its Instagram account.
The letter expressed dissatisfaction with the administration’s lack of support for students following SB1, requesting that funding for the exposition be restored and a demand for a 30-minute in-person meeting with administrators to express concerns.
Neloms, who was tasked with writing the financial request, said the letter took a lot of preparation and was revised by faculty members.
The university has yet to respond to the letter, but BSU has received acknowledgement from other university members and over 200 interactions on Instagram, receiving comments from alumni and current students.
Following initial coverage of the letter by The Post, BSU scheduled a 30-minute meeting with the Office of Student Affairs for Jan. 30.
Additionally, Student Senate President Dan Gordillo reached out to BSU.
“They’re having a meeting for the Student Senate, and Lori obviously goes to that, so hopefully they can push that even more so we can actually get a meeting,” Smith said.
Sara Togni, a sophomore studying integrated mathematics, said she chose OU nearly two years ago for the inclusivity of the community, but thinks the post-SB1 university would not be on her radar if she were choosing a college today.
“It doesn't feel like what I signed up for,” Togni said. “It doesn't feel like the home I thought it would be. Had I been a senior this year in high school, this would dock points.”
Togni said she believes the response OU had to SB1 could have been executed differently.
Nolmes said other universities in the state did not handle closures similarly to OU, referring to Kent State University.
Although Kent State also closed various offices, Nolmes explained that administration at OU seems less transparent with the implementation of SB1 than other campuses, referencing the lack of response to BSU’s letter.
“My good friend goes to Kent; she basically said that ‘the way you guys are handling it is crazy,’” Nolmes said. “It seems like at OU, we’re not being sympathized with. We’re kind of just forgotten about.”
