Ethnic Housing
There are two sides to every argument, and in the case of a discussion about ethnic housing on college campuses, this is no different. On one side living on campus is extremely beneficial in that you can partake in the true college experience and form bonds with roommates of which most likely you had never met previous to arriving at college. On the other hand, the racial segregation in the dorms is creating a swirl of turmoil. Many believe that it is no different than the segregation that took place in the south during the civil rights movement. Racial housing can be both beneficial and detrimental to the college experience.
One of the many benefits to living on campus is that one is able to experience freedom and find their own niche in the new college environment. But instead of being held to the boundaries and rules of a parental household, one can set their own limits in how they want to grow and experience it for themselves. College dorm dwellers see that "on one hand, there are no more curfews, no constant reminders to do your homework, no questions about where you're going, or who you're going to be with" (McGuire, 2007). To some students, this lifestyle could be very tempting and there are many positive benefits to living this way. One is able to get their own personal feel for being able to set boundaries for themselves and learn what they really need versus what they do not. If a student were to continue to live at home with their parents, they are still attentive to their parents own rules and standards of living and are not able to enjoy the freedoms of college dorm living. Although living with parents makes life slightly more affordable seeing as though the price of living has increased, "adjusting to college life in a residence hall is the first step in understanding how to live and face challenges on a daily basis" (O'Leary-Buda, 2007). Living in the dorms in close quarters with someone who you have just met is going to require a lot of open communication, otherwise living with them is going to be very complicated. Although living with another person can be rough "it is important to remember that with am open mind and willingness to compromise, [one] can learn to live with almost anyone" (Preston, 2007). Residence halls teach a person how to, eventually, become comfortable with the idea of confrontation, communication, and acceptance. A student will encounter many people in the dorms that will become life long friends, role models, enemies, etc. Ethnic housing cannot be strictly restricted to one race without making the college look like it discriminates or is partial to certain races. "Critics of such housing argue that this self-imposed segregation undermines the diversity that many colleges seeks to promote," (Kirszner and Mandell, 2007, p.549). If the housing is built with a certain race of people in mind, it must also be open for anyone to live there, and therefore it will never be a true ethnic dormitory. Dan Taron (2004) argues that "not only does ethnic theme housing encourage perceptions of minorities as distinctly different humans, it also denies the true nature of a college experience to its residents." If colleges, some of the most liberal thinking facilities in America, and society will not allow ethnic dorms that only allow people from a certain race, it should be a clue that ethnic housing is a bad idea. It is clear to see the opposite sides of the spectrum in terms of the issue of racial housing. Living on campus creates many opportunities not experience by those who do not live on campus, but there is a possibility that it may come at a price. Hopefully sometime in the near future this issue can be resolved so that every student receives an equal chance to experience college they way that it should be. College Board. (2007). College Dorm Rooms: The True Hollywood Story. Retrieved November 13, 2007, from http://www.collegeboard.com/student/csearch/campus-life/79.html
Davis, . In Kirszner, L., Mandell S., Patterns for College Writing: A Rhetorical
McGuire, J. (2007). College Dorm Life: What to expect at college and how to put together your dorm room checklist. Retrieved November, 12, 2007, from http://www.collegeview.com/college_dorm_life.html
O'Leary-Buda, M. (2007). College Dorm Life: Sharing your space, shower, laundry facility, and more. Retrieved November, 12, 2007, from http://www.collegeview.com/articles/CV/campuslife/life_in_dorm.html
Preston, E. (2007). Next Stop, Dorm Life. Retrieved November 13, 2007, from http://www.myfootpath.com/CollegeLife/PrestonDormLife.php |