Recent racial conflicts at colleges in the United States are not as severe at the University, students said, but less blatant racism does occur.

Two incidents recently occurred at the University of Alabama, according to campus newspaper The Crimson White. A member of the Delta Tau Delta fraternity used a racial slur to insult a black student Feb. 4, and additional slurs written in chalk appeared across the campus the following week, reports said.

The Kappa Alpha Order at Georgetown College in Kentucky was suspended that same week after allegations that members used racial slurs against a minority student, a report from The Lexington Herald-Leader said.

Yet another incident occurred at the University of Missouri that week when a student graffitied racial slurs on a campus sculpture, according to a news release from Missouri Chancellor Brady Deaton.

Niya Blair, African American Student Affairs coordinator, said though LSU has not experienced recent incidents, the issue is always an important one.

“The University does not take these situations lightly,” Blair said. “National incidents such as racial controversies and school shootings always catch students’ and administrators’ attention.”

Blair said situations at other schools spur staff at the Office of Multicultural Affairs to discuss how they would handle these problems.

LSU’s racial makeup has remained stagnant in the past few years. Comparisons based on data from the Office of Budget and Planning show that from fall 2001 to fall 2010, the University experienced a 1 percent decrease of white students, 0.3 percent decrease of blacks, 1.3 percent increase of Hispanics and 0.1 percent increase of American Indians and Alaskan Natives.

Trends in enrollment are similar to racial population in Louisiana.

The white population in Louisiana has decreased 0.7 percent since 2000, according the results of the 2010 Census, and the black population had no change. But despite the small dip in the white population, white residents still outnumber all other races in the state with 2.3 million, compared to 1.5 million black residents in 2010.

The report shows drastic population increases for other minorities. American Indians and Alaskan Natives are up 20 percent, Asians are up 28.1 percent, Native Hawaiians are up 58.3 percent and Hispanics are up 78.7 percent in the state.

Blair said the University is not exempt from racial incidents, but more precaution is taken at LSU than at other schools to prevent and handle these situations.

Many programs are held to promote equality — especially during Black History Month, she said.

Racism, however, is not always blatant, Blair said, and students often do not realize when subtle, non-forceful discrimination occurs.

“Not all problems are reported,” Blair said.

Jamal Griffith and Michael Schmitt experienced far-from-subtle racism recently in Tigerland.

Griffith, a black business management freshman, and Schmitt, a white computer science freshman, said they were trying to enter a bar in Tigerland when a bouncer informed Griffith that his white shoes violated dress code.

Griffith said he changed into alternate footwear, but the bouncer told him there were no second chances.

Griffith said another night he was forced to remove a beanie identical to one a white individual was wearing.

Schmitt, however, said he sees no racism on campus.

Brittany Dupre, electrical engineering sophomore, said she agrees racism is not a problem on campus, but said she disagrees that dress codes in Tigerland are racist.

Garry Droze, black sports administration sophomore, said he has not experienced any racism either.

Racism will always be a problem, said Chris Eicher, electrical

engineering freshman, but bar dress codes are not racially specific.

“[Tigerland is] a private establishment. If they want to exclude a certain race, that’s their right,” he said.

Blair said her office handles racism by facilitating constant conversation on the issue.

“If any students see discrimination, come and discuss with us,” she said.