The Afrikan Student Union represents the voice for all people of African descent at Ohio State, said Ricardo Wilkins, president of the Afrikan Student Union.”It is meant to be an umbrella organization for all those separate organizations so that there is some networking and communication between all of the groups,” Wilkins said. “You have the networking and communication so that Afrikans know what is going on with each other. Because of this networking, we hope the union will become a link between the students and administration.”The union considers all black organizations on campus part of their group, he said. The union recognizes nine organizations on campus as active members which include The Study Circles on Racism, Iota Phi Theta Fraternity, African-American Media Association, Caribbean Students Association and OSU’s chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.In June 1996, the OSU community discovered that former OSU President E. Gordon Gee was trying to move the Office of Minority Affairs into the Office of Student Affairs, Wilkins said. About 100 students rallied at the steps of the Frank W. Hale Black Cultural Center to protest the change. As a result of the mobilization, some students met every week during the summer to work towards the formation of what was then called the Black Student Union, he said.”Students felt the need to unify in a more organized way in a form of a student union to keep an eye on things,” Wilkins said.The union continues to struggle for equality and the empowerment of all Afrikans in society, he said. The union tries to make sure that needs of the students are being addressed to OSU administration through the vice provost of OMA. They are currently protesting the lack of student involvement in the restruction of OMA.Chenzira Sneed, a junior majoring in African-American and African studies and a member of ASU, said the union represents her voice in what happens at OSU. Sneed joined the union to have an impact on the changes that occur on campus.”I want to have an effect on the issues,” Sneed said. “I want to be able to say that I was part of any changes that happen. I don’t want to complain when things don’t go right if I did not do anything.”Carla Marable, a junior majoring in business finance and pre-med, said she is not part of the union because she does not have any concerns that have to be addressed, but believes the union is doing a good job of keeping in touch with the issues at OSU.”The president and the members are on top of it,” Marable said. “If they feel there is a problem, they jump on it to make a change.”