CA State U L.A. is offering segregated housing - discuss

[05heel]

Sept 7, 2016 22:14:29 GMT -5 @foodielicious said:

Ok so I'll admit I know nothing of the demographics of CSULA, so I'll take kirkette's word for it. And I agree with cubed that the terminology is inflammatory. But I wonder about the idea of this as something that may catch on and other universities will follow suit.

20+ years ago when I was entering college, my university had a separate orientation for black students. Other groups had separate orientations too. I attended orientations for honors students and international students and I'm sure there were other similar special orientations, but for all other groups, the special orientation did not substitute for the general new student orientation, for the black students it did and it always bothered me.

I feel like for many, people college is the first time they are exposed and expected to coexist with a diverse population. For many it will also be the last, unfortunately. It is challenging for some, and it's supposed to be.

The people I spoke to in those first few weeks were the people I said hello to for months afterwards. Very few became friends and I've stayed friends with none of them, but imo the exposure was important and I feel like the black community on my campus did the university community and ultimately themselves disservice by distancing themselves so early.

Yes, I had people of all different shades in my classes, but I would venture that at least some people felt like they weren't welcome to approach.

On the other hand, I don't feel the same way about same sex dorms so I'm working through this. Where I am is I do believe that no person has an obligation to help another understand them, but if they refuse to be present can the other be blamed for not understanding? It's something I struggle with personally as well. (Not sure I'm being clear here).

The bigger question for me is whether a university that creates a "safe space" like this is letting themselves off the hook by not taking on the larger challenge of making the whole university community a safe space.

I think I disagree with everything you've said. Many, if not most, black students are already experts on coexisting with people who don't look like them. I certainly didn't go to college to find more white people to hang with. It was actually the opposite. I attended the black student orientation and never looked back. That was probably the single best thing I did for myself during those four years.

[cookiemdough]

I assume if you choose a university that is majority white then you are prepared to handle integrating with little diversity and have a path to find peers. If being with all black people is a priority then go to an HBCU. Go Hampton!

[threejs]

Sept 8, 2016 7:01:15 GMT -5 cookiemdough said:

I assume if you choose a university that is majority white then you are prepared to handle integrating with little diversity and have a path to find peers. If being with all black people is a priority then go to an HBCU. Go Hampton!

I was with you until the Hampton thing. Lol.

[threejs]

@foodielicious, I understand what you're saying, I just have no desire to be understood or present for anyone other than the people with whom I am most comfortable. In no way do I feel any responsibility for helping the foolish and he clueless understand me or my culture.

[sfy]

Sept 8, 2016 7:01:15 GMT -5 cookiemdough said:

I assume if you choose a university that is majority white then you are prepared to handle integrating with little diversity and have a path to find peers. If being with all black people is a priority then go to an HBCU. Go Hampton!

Just because you are prepared for it, doesn't mean that you might not prefer an environment that facilitates living with other black people.  As cubed mentioned, many schools have dorms geared toward certain groups.  Besides that, there are a myriad of reasons why people choose their universities.  That doesn't mean that having more diversity is not a priority, it just may not rank as high as things like, the best program, the best value, etc.
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[sarabi]

Sept 8, 2016 7:01:15 GMT -5 cookiemdough said:

I assume if you choose a university that is majority white then you are prepared to handle integrating with little diversity and have a path to find peers. If being with all black people is a priority then go to an HBCU. Go Hampton!

My DH is a Hampton alum. Worked out beautifully for him, so yes, go Hampton. Disagree with the rest completely though.

I went to a university that was/is about 5% black. I'd been going to diverse schools my entire life and was certainly equipped, ready to be in the environment. having orgsnizations and places for me to go to be around people that looked like me was important, critical even to my comfort and success in the broader environment, however.

I find HBCU's to be much more nurturing in general. The diversity office and "safe spaces" created a similar support system and I'm so grateful for them.

We had sorority housing at my school when I was there, and it's no longer there. I think they need to add some multicultural housing back at my university because I hear that the minority experience isn't as positive as when I was there.

[cookiemdough]

I am not opposed to frat/sorority housing, cultural clubs, black student unions, etc. i think that is necessary for creating a network of people you feel comfortable with. I can't get behind "segregated dorms" though. Maybe it is the title but I think it leads to a slippery slope where we won't like how it looks at the bottom. How do we argue segregated housing is needed on majority white college campuses but segregated housing or public schools is detrimental outside of that construct? I get it but it is not something I think the broad majority won't use against us later as "see separate but equal is good!"

I also am really passionate about the decline in HBCUs and wish enrollments were better.

[sfy]

Sept 8, 2016 11:59:24 GMT -5 cookiemdough said:

I am not opposed to frat/sorority housing, cultural clubs, black student unions, etc. i think that is necessary for creating a network of people you feel comfortable with. I can't get behind "segregated dorms" though. Maybe it is the title but I think it leads to a slippery slope where we won't like how it looks at the bottom. How do we argue segregated housing is needed on majority white college campuses but segregated housing or public schools is detrimental outside of that construct? I get it but it is not something I think the broad majority won't use against us later as "see separate but equal is good!"

I also am really passionate about the decline in HBCUs and wish enrollments were better.

I think it is the title.  And I think that was intentional. 
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[sarabi]

Sept 8, 2016 11:59:24 GMT -5 cookiemdough said:

I am not opposed to frat/sorority housing, cultural clubs, black student unions, etc. i think that is necessary for creating a network of people you feel comfortable with. I can't get behind "segregated dorms" though. Maybe it is the title but I think it leads to a slippery slope where we won't like how it looks at the bottom. How do we argue segregated housing is needed on majority white college campuses but segregated housing or public schools is detrimental outside of that construct? I get it but it is not something I think the broad majority won't use against us later as "see separate but equal is good!"

I also am really passionate about the decline in HBCUs and wish enrollments were better.

That makes sense and I agree with all of what you're saying here. The first post sounded more like "you chose this school, so survival of the fittest type thing".

All of my husband's peers from Hampton are doing exceptionally well and I think coming out of school they had a lot of opportunities that weren't available to me because of the companies that specifically recruited at top tier HBCUs. I've always said I'll encourage our kids to do HBCUs for undergrad and majority for grad school, but that might change based on sports, lol.

[cookiemdough]

Oh! I didn't realize the school didn't call it that it was Fox News giving that label. Okay well maybe my post is moot lol.