FINAL DRAFT
Sarah Katz December 28, 2008 Period 1 AP Language and Composition
Collegiate Ethnic Housing: Hurting Society, One Dorm Room at a Time
“…Students have the right to be immersed into cultural diversity” (NO discrimination, 2008), as stated by the College Media Network. The United States is a land of diversity, cultural and religious freedom, and nationwide acceptance. However, there are still many people who demonstrate and show prejudice towards many inhabitants of this so called “free nation”. Many of the colleges in the United States are accurate reflections of these characteristics and traits of society and sometimes these reflections are not as positive as one would hope them to be. Every year students apply to college to continue their education to higher levels of knowledge and understanding. Accompanying each student’s application to college is an application for student housing. Many colleges in this great nation have all female housing, all male housing, co-ed housing, and then there is ethnic housing. Ethnic housing is a type of housing accommodation in which the students that reside in the dorms are from the same ethnicity and cultural background. However is ethnic housing separating the nation even more and creating more people to be unaware of other cultures and different backgrounds? Ethnic Housing is separating the nation even more as far as prejudice is concerned, and creating a situation where people are becoming extremely unaware of other people’s cultures and backgrounds. Each year in elementary school, middle school, and high school, children are taught to accept others for who they are and learn how to integrate disperse themselves in to groups of friends with various religious, economic, and ethnic backgrounds. However, once a student reaches college, they have the option of reversing all of this learning about different cultures, etc. just so they feel “comfortable” with people from their own ethnic background. This is severely affecting society! If one does not learn to live amongst other people from different cultural backgrounds, how will they survive in the business world after college or even at a party that they want to go to on the weekends? If one does not grow up learning to feel comfortable and confident around other varieties of people, one will never know how to truly expand their horizons and knowledge of other cultures. Colleges are in a sense, setting society up to fail miserably. Yngve Lithman (Lithman, 1997) commented that, "In ethnic housing segregation, the distinguishing feature should be ethnic belonging...established use of ethnicity as denoting a socially effective distinction between 'those who are like me' and 'those who are not like me." This idea is creating the notion that students should become more comfortable with people from their own culture instead of intermixing with other ethnicities and students from diverse backgrounds. This notion, of only being comfortable with one’s same ethnicity is completely inefficient and a terrible contribution to society. Meyers Hill, a Christian Science Mentor stated that, "I think segregation does great harm, because it postpones and delays the opportunity to get to know people without regard to their race or their background," (Hill, 1996, p.12). This statement by Hill is absolutely, one hundred percent true. How can institutions of higher levels of education, such a colleges, take away a students opportunity to meet and greet new diverse people? It is injuring society and directing the future of this nation along a path of prejudice and negative outcomes. The only way that students will be able to live together in one country under one flag, even when they come from different backgrounds, is to grow up learning about each other’s ways and traditions. Colleges are looked up to as being institutions of a diverse student body that learn to cope and work well with each other to better comprehend one another in order to succeed in school, sports, socialization, and the real world. College is not supposed to be a place where students clump together to form stereotypical cliques, well known in the high school realm of society, that make fun of others for being ignorant about the clique’s complex and specific culture. "Critics say ethnic houses in particular contribute to de facto segregation on some American college campuses, encouraging stereotypes and undermining the role college plays in broadening students' horizons"(Hill, 1996, p.12). Thus proving the point that ethnic housing is slowly but surely separating society one dorm room and clique at a time. Understanding various cultures and different ways people celebrate holidays, cook a meal, or talk to each other is the keystone to getting to know the people who live in the same society that one is living, breathing, and growing in. If he or she does not understand a specific culture, students should take the responsibility and initiative to comprehend what they do not know, rather than to remain unaware to what is all around them. Collegiate ethnic theme housing of all races adds a serious mound of negative outcomes and issues of stereotypes and misinformed ideas and thoughts. Ethnic Housing does not solve the problems of racism, prejudices, and a poorly informed nation, it only adds to the chaos and madness of our so called “free and accepting nation” that is hidden behind the veil of intolerance. Societies should come together as one large united melting pot of diversity, not separated by racial barriers and façades of acceptance.
Reference List Davis, D. S. (2001). College housing policies should avoid ethnic and religious balkanization. In L.G. Kirszner & S.R. Mandell (Eds), Patterns for college writing: A
Hill, M. J. (1996). Do theme dorms sanction self-segregation. Christian Science Mentor, 88(160). Retrieved October 29,2008 from: http://web.ebscohost.com/src/detail?vid=6&hid=15&sid=2ecc12aa-ce07-43c6- 8960-e6fd39aff1b2%40sessionmgr9
How Cornell Student Housing Really Works. 1994 Query.New York Times.com. Retrieved October 29, 2008 from: http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=990DE2D91E30F937A35756C0 A962958260
Lithman, Y. G. (1997). Spatial concentration and mobility. Retrieved 11/7/07, from http://www.ercomer.org/metropolis/proceedings/Lithman.html
NO discrimination against students. 2008. Beacon.com. Retrieved October 29, 2008 from: http://media.www.berkeleybeacon.com/media/storage/paper169/news/2008/03/20 /Editorial/No.Discrimination.Against.Students-3277395.shtml
Parker. R. (2002). Why special housing for ethnic students makes sense. In Laurie G. Kirszner & Stephen R. Mandell, Patterns for college writing: A rhetorical (pp.544-546). Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's.
Steele, C. (1992). Race and the schooling of black americans. Beacon.com. Retrieved October 29, 2008 from: http://all.successcenter.ohio-state.edu/epl259- su2001/readings/steele_article.htm
Draft 2: with teacher editing
Sarah Katz November 14, 2008 Period 1 AP Language and Composition
Collegiate Ethnic Housing: Hurting Society, One Dorm Room at a Time
The United States is a land of diversity, cultural and religious freedom, and nationwide acceptance. However, there are still many people who demonstrate and show prejudice towards many inhabitants of this so called “free nation”. Many of the colleges in the United States are accurate reflections of these characteristics and traits of society and sometimes these reflections are not as positive as one would hope them to be. Every year students apply to college to continue their education to higher levels of knowledge and understanding. Accompanying each student’s application to college is an application for student housing. Many colleges in this great nation have all female housing, all male housing, co-ed housing, and then there is ethnic housing. Ethnic housing is a type of housing accommodation in which the students that reside in the dorms are from the same ethnicity and cultural background. However is ethnic housing separating the nation even more and creating more people to be unaware of other cultures and different backgrounds? Ethnic Housing is separating the nation even more as far as prejudice is concerned, and creating a situation where people are becoming extremely unaware of other people’s cultures and backgrounds. Each year in elementary school, middle school, and high school, children are taught to accept others for who they are and learn how to integrate disperse themselves in to groups of friends with various religious, economic, and ethnic backgrounds. However, once a student reaches college, they have the option of reversing all of this learning about different cultures, etc. just so they feel “comfortable” with people from their own ethnic background. This is severely affecting society! If one does not learn to live amongst other people from different cultural backgrounds, how will they survive in the business world after college or even at a party that they want to go to on the weekends? If one does not grow up learning to feel comfortable and confident around other varieties of people, one will never know how to truly expand their horizons and knowledge of other cultures. Colleges are in a sense, setting society up to fail miserably. Yngve Lithman (1997) commented that, "In ethnic housing segregation, the distinguishing feature should be ethnic belonging...established use of ethnicity as denoting a socially effective distinction between 'those who are like me' and 'those who are not like me." This idea is creating the notion that students should become more comfortable with people from their own culture instead of intermixing with other ethnicities and students from diverse backgrounds. This notion, of only being comfortable with one’s same ethnicity is completely inefficient and a terrible contribution to society. Meyers Hill, a Christian Science Mentor stated that, "I think segregation does great harm, because it postpones and delays the opportunity to get to know people without regard to their race or their background," (1996, p.12). This statement by Hill is absolutely, one hundred percent true. How can institutions of higher levels of education ,such a colleges, take away a students opportunity to meet and greet new diverse people? It is injuring society and directing the future of this nation along a path of prejudice and negative outcomes. The only way that students will be able to live together in one country under one flag, even when they come from different backgrounds, is to grow up learning about each other’s ways and traditions. Colleges are looked up to as being institutions of a diverse student body that learn to cope and work well with each other to better comprehend one another in order to succeed in school, sports, socialization, and the real world. College is not supposed to be a place where students clump together to form stereotypical cliques, well known in the high school realm of society, that make fun of others for being ignorant about the clique’s complex and specific culture. "Critics say ethnic houses in particular contribute to de facto segregation on some American college campuses, encouraging stereotypes and undermining the role college plays in broadening students' horizons"(Hill, 1996, p.12). Thus proving the point that ethnic housing is slowly but surely separating society one dorm room and clique at a time. Understanding various cultures and different ways people celebrate holidays, cook a meal, or talk to each other is the keystone to getting to know the people who live in the same society that one is living, breathing, and growing in. If he or she does not understand a specific culture, students should take the responsibility and initiative to comprehend what they do not know, rather than to remain unaware to what is all around them. Collegiate ethnic theme housing of all races adds a serious mound of negative outcomes and issues of stereotypes and misinformed ideas and thoughts. Ethnic Housing does not solve the problems of racism, prejudices, and a poorly informed nation, it only adds to the chaos and madness of our so called “free and accepting nation” that is hidden behind the veil of intolerance. Societies should come together as one large united melting pot of diversity, not separated by racial barriers and façades of acceptance.
Reference List USE HANGING INDENTS - I'LL DO THE FIRST ONE. Davis, D. S. (2001). College housing policies should avoid ethnic and religious balkanization. In L.G. Kirszner & S.R. Mandell (Eds), Patterns for college writing: A
Hill, M. J. (1996). Do theme dorms sanction self-segregation. Christian Science Mentor, 88(160). Retrieved October 29,2008 from: http://web.ebscohost.com/src/detail?vid=6&hid=15&sid=2ecc12aa-ce07-43c6-8960-e6fd39aff1b2%40sessionmgr9
Lithman, Y. G. (1997). Spatial concentration and mobility. Retrieved 11/7/07, from http://www.ercomer.org/metropolis/proceedings/Lithman.html
Parker. R. (2002). Why special housing for ethnic students makes sense. In Laurie G. Kirszner & Stephen R. Mandell, Patterns for College Writing: A Rhetorical Reader and Guide NO CAPS IN TITLE AFTER FIRST (pp.544-546). Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's.
Steele, C. (1992). Race and the Schooling of Black Americans. NO CAPS IN TITLE AFTER FIRST Beacon.com. Retrieved October 29, 2008 from: http://all.successcenter.ohio-state.edu/epl259-su2001/readings/steele_article.htm
IF THERE IS NOT AUTHOR, USE TITLE. IT CAN NEVER BEGIN WITH DATE (1994). How Cornell Student Housing Really Works . Query.New York Times.com. Retrieved October 29, 2008 from: http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=990DE2D91E30F937A35756C0A962958260
IF THERE IS NOT AUTHOR, USE TITLE. IT CAN NEVER BEGIN WITH DATE (2008). NO discrimination against students. Beacon.com. Retrieved October 29, 2008 from: http://media.www.berkeleybeacon.com/media/storage/paper169/news/2008/03/20/Editorial/No.Discrimination.Against.Students-3277395.shtml
YOU ONLY USED 2 OF THESE SOURCES. - GRADE 70/100
Draft 1: with peer editing
Ethnic Housing: Hurting Society, One Room at a Time
The United States is a land of diversity, cultural and religious freedom, and nationwide acceptance. However, there are still many people who demonstrate and show prejudice towards many inhabitants of this so called “free nation”. Many of the colleges in the United States are accurate reflections of these characteristics and traits of society and sometimes these reflections are not as positive as one would hope them to be. Every year students apply to college to accelerate in the world and continue their education to higher levels of knowledge and understanding. Accompanying each student’s application to college is an application for student housing. Many colleges in this great nation have all female housing, all women housing, co-ed housing, and then there is ethnic housing. Ethnic housing is a type of housing accommodation in which the students that reside in the dorms are from the same ethnicity and cultural background. However is ethnic housing separating the nation even more and creating more people to be unaware of other cultures and different backgrounds? Ethnic Housing is separating the nation even more as far as prejudice is concerned, and creating a situation where people are becoming extremely unaware of other people’s cultures and backgrounds. Each year in elementary school, middle school, and high school, children are taught to accept others for who they are and learn how to integrate disperseintergrate disperse??? -Leland Curry 11/19/08 8:15 AM themselves in to groups of friends with various religious, economic, and ethnic backgrounds. However, once a student reaches college, they have the option of reversing all of this learning about different cultures, etc. just so they feel “comfortable” with people from their own ethnic background. This is severely affecting society! If one does not learn to live amongst other people from different cultural backgrounds, how will they survive in the business world after college or even at a party that they want to go to on the weekends? If one does not grow up learning to feel comfortable and confident around other varieties of people, one will never know how to truly expand their horizons and knowledge of other cultures. Colleges are in a sense, setting society up to fail miserably. Yngve Lithman (1997) states, "In ethnic housing segregation, the distinguishing feature should be ethnic belonging...established use of ethnicity as denoting a socially effective distinction between 'those who are like me' and 'those who are not like me." This idea is creating the notion that students should become more comfortable with people from their own culture instead of intermixing with other ethnicities and students from diverse backgrounds. This notion, of only being comfortable with one’s same ethnicity is completely inefficient and a terrible contribution to society, "I think segregation does great harm, because it postpones and delays the opportunity to get to know people without regard to their race or their background," Meyers says (Hill, 1996, p.12). This statement by Meyers is absolutely, one hundred percent true. How can institutions of higher levels of education ,such a colleges, take away a students opportunity to meet and greet new diverse people? It is injuring society and directing the future of this nation along a path of prejudice and negative outcomes. The only way that students will be able to live together in one country under one flag, even when they come from different backgrounds, is to grow up learning about each other’s ways and traditions. Colleges are supposed to be institutions of a diverse student body that interacts with each other to better understand one another to succeed in school, life, and the business world. College is not supposed to be a place where students group together to form stereotypical cliques that make fun of others for not knowing much about their complex culture. "Critics say ethnic houses in particular contribute to de facto segregation on some American college campuses, encouraging stereotypes and undermining the role college plays in broadening students' horizons"(Hill, 1996, p.12). Thus proving the point that ethnic housing is slowly but surely separating society one race at a time. Understanding various cultures and different ways people celebrate holidays, cook a meal, or talk to each other is the key to getting to know the people who exist in one’s society. If he or she does not understand one side of a culture, students should take the initiative to understand what they do not know rather than to remain ignorant to what is all around them. College ethnic theme housing only adds to more problems of stereotypes and misinformed ideas and thoughts. Ethnic Housing does not solve the problems of racism, prejudices, and poorly informed nations, it only adds to the chaos and madness of our so called “free and accepting nation” that is hidden behind the veil of intolerance. Societies should come together as one whole united melting pot of diversity, not separate it with racial barriers. More in text citations -Leland Curry 11/19/08 8:08 AM Reference List
Davis, D. S. (2001). College housing policies should avoid ethnic and religious balkanization. In L.G. Kirszner & S.R. Mandell (Eds), Patterns for college writing: A rhetorical reader and guide (pp. 558). Boston: Bedford/St. Martin.indent 2nd line -Leland Curry 11/19/08 8:09 AM
Hill, M. J. (1996). Do theme dorms sanction self-segregation. Christian Science Mentor, 88(160). Retrieved October 29,2008 from: http://web.ebscohost.com/src/detail?vid=6&hid=15&sid=2ecc12aa-ce07-43c6-8960-e6fd39aff1b2%40sessionmgr9indent 2nd line -Leland Curry 11/19/08 8:09 AM
Lithman, Y. G. (1997). Spatial concentration and mobility. Retrieved 11/7/07wrong date format -Leland Curry 11/19/08 8:11 AM , from http://www.ercomer.org/metropolis/proceedings/Lithman.html
Parker. R. (2002). Why special housing for ethnic students makes sense. In Laurie G. Kirszner & Stephen R. Mandell, Patterns for College Writing: A Rhetorical Reader and Guide (pp.544-546). Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's.indent 2nd line -Leland Curry 11/19/08 8:09 AM
Steele, C. (1992). Race and the Schooling of Black Americans. Beacon.com. Retrieved October 29, 2008 from: http://all.successcenter.ohio-state.edu/epl259-su2001/readings/steele_article.htmindent 2nd line -Leland Curry 11/19/08 8:10 AM
(1994). How Cornell Student Housing Really Works . Query.New York Times.com. Retrieved October 29, 2008 from: http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=990DE2D91E30F937A35756C0A962958260indent 2nd line -Leland Curry 11/19/08 8:10 AM
(2008). NO discrimination against students. Beacon.com. Retrieved October 29, 2008 from: http://media.www.berkeleybeacon.com/media/storage/paper169/news/2008/03/20/Editorial/No.Discrimination.Against.Students-3277395.shtmlindent 2nd line -Leland Curry 11/19/08 8:10 AM |