Ohio State students rally for change on campus

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WSYX) — OSU students lifted their voices and shared some serious concerns on Tuesday. A large group spoke out on everything from campus housing issues to pushback from university administration over protests on campus.

The protest was organized by a coalition of Ohio State University students and local activists. The group directly called out OSU President Ted Carter. For many of those students, the frustration runs deep. They hope that speaking up will help to spark what they call needed change.

Another major issue for protestors is a shift in university policy regarding diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives to fall in line with new guidelines from the Trump administration.

Cuts to DEI programs have been a major talking point at colleges across the country.

A spokesman for OSU sent ABC 6 the following statement regarding student concerns for DEI changes:

"Being proactive will allow the university to best uphold the values of excellence, access, and opportunity that we hold dear.

The initial reorganization of DEI programming will not reduce current student scholarships, financial aid or student employment. Every current student who has earned a scholarship will retain their scholarship, and all student employees impacted by the program changes will be offered alternative jobs at the university. In cases where positions were eliminated, we have identified job opportunities for all interested employees.

We have maintained the Morrill and Young Scholars programs, and we remain committed to welcoming individuals of all backgrounds from every community in Ohio. Going forward, we will be working with students and the community to understand what programming was most impactful and how we can reimagine those initiatives while also ensuring that they're open to all."

For those at the demonstration, the frustrations are real. Part of their push is for university administration, specifically president Ted Carter, to acknowledge their issues and take concrete steps to address them..

Those at the rally promised that Tuesday's demonstration would not be the last as they continue to push for a shift in university policies.