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Program Houses on College Campuses

Cultural Immersion or Self Segregation?

Hello, I am a 2L at Harvard Law School and a student in Professor Hanson's Systemic Justice course. For my 2017 Systemic Justice Conference Project, I have explored the historical causes, benefits, and drawbacks of demographically targeted housing at our nation's colleges and universities.

Those interested in this subject should look to the "Further Reading" tab for additional topics to explore. Please reach out to me with any questions!

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The Program Houses

These buildings have existed for decades, but are becoming increasingly more common.


Note: Although this website focuses on housing for Black and Latino students, similar facilities exist along other dimensions, including: housing for female, international, and Jewish students. I am writing a research paper that will cover these other demographics.

University of Iowa: Young, Gifted & Black

  • Opened during the 2016-17 academic year to bolster its recruitment of minority students.

  • It is also intended to provide cultural support in an effort to improve the graduation rate of minority students. Racial minorities graduate at 62.8%, a full 7.8% lower than their white peers. African-American/black students graduate at only 49.6%.

  • It is the first identity-based community on the campus.

  • There is space for 40 students to join the community.

  • Located near the Afro-American Cultural Center.

University of Connecticut: ScHOLA2RS House

  • Opening 2017 school year: received grant from Booth Ferris Foundation.

  • Designed to “support the scholastic efforts of male students who identify as African-American.”

  • Six year graduation rate for Black males is 54%, compared to 80% for white male students.

  • The program for 40 students will include mentoring from upperclassmen, counseling, and networking with African-American male faculty.

  • Received criticism for its focus on a single gender.

  • University says it will be situated within a living learning center that includes several programs and 700 other students.

  • Received backlash from US Civil Rights Commissioners who say it promotes racial division.

Cornell University: Ujamaa Residential College

  • Room for 144 residents and open to all students.

  • Founded in 1972. Located among North Campus dorms where first year students reside.

  • Offers cultural programming such as speakers, dinners, Black History Month celebration, and a weekly unity hour on a variety of topics.

  • One of the first program houses of its kind.


Latino Living Center

  • Open to 55 residents, also located on North Campus.

  • Opened in 1994.

  • Has café con leche weekly discussion series, community dinners, and celebrations for events like Dia de Los Muertos.

University of California-Berkeley: “Person of Color” House

  • Opened for 2016-17 school year at 2310 Prospect Street.

  • Result of task force by the BSC Board of Directors on Demographic Inclusion.

  • With 56 spaces, it is intended for low income students and students of color.

  • Focuses on three pillars: cross-cultural exchange, academic and professional support, and anti-oppression and allyship. Members have to dedicate 5 hours per semester of community service to serve these values.

  •  Received $250,000 grant from the Eucalyptus Foundation.

California State University: Halisi Scholars Community

  • Opened for 2016 – 2017 school year.

  • Located within the school’s 200-unit campus residential apartments.

  • Established after demands from Black Student Union for a space to fight micro-aggressions and racism in November 2015.

  • Spokesman for the  university say it is “designed to enhance the residential experience for students who are part of or are interested in issues regarding the black community.”

  • 24 students currently live in it and there is a waiting list.

Reed College in Portland, Oregon: Intentional Living Community

  • Has perhaps the most explicit focus on counteracting oppression.

  • Designed for returning students “to heal together from systemic white supremacy.”

  • Centered on black and indigenous voices as well as queer and gender noncomforming voices.

Sources:

  • Google images 

  • Cornell:

https://living.sas.cornell.edu/live/wheretolive/programhouses/ujamaa.cfm.

https://living.sas.cornell.edu/live/wheretolive/programhouses/llc.cfm.

  • Reed College

http://www.reed.edu/res_life/residence-halls/theme-communities/index.html.

  • UC Berkeley

Soldon, Emma, "Reclaiming a Safe Space," The Daily Californian, ​Mar. 4, 2016. 

  • California State

Campbell, Andy, "CSU Defends 'Segregated Housing," Huffington Post, Sep. 7, 2016.

http://www.calstatela.edu/academic/pas/halisi-scholars-black-living-learning-community.

  • University of Connecticut

Werth, Julia, "Despite Controversy....," The Daily Campus, May 6, 2016.

http://lc.uconn.edu/schola2rshouse/. 

  • University of Iowa

Charis-Carlson, Jeff, "UI to start living learning community for blacks," Press-Citizen, Jan. 29, 2016.

https://housing.uiowa.edu/living-learning-communities/young-gifted-and-black.

 ​

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Media Criticism

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Opponents have not been silent as race-specific housing has become more common. Reservations and criticisms voiced by numerous media outlets have even reached the point of open hostility. In some instances, newspapers on the respective campuses have invited debate on the topic. Below we have compiled several examples of the widespread antipathy.

As you can see from the New York Times article about Ujamaa at Cornell University, the debate dates back several decades. Aside from the Times article, you will note that the majority of criticism has come from Conservative media outlets such as Fox News and Breitbart. However, several professors of color and civil rights activists have also voiced some disagreement.

  • Fox News article suggesting black students are inappropriately harassing their white peers to demand these houses: (http://www.foxnews.com/us/2016/10/24/berkeley-protesters-demand-spaces-color-harass-white-students-trying-to-pass.html

  • Breitbart article capitalizes on historical concept of segregated housing, for instance leveraging a picture of whites fighting against discrimination: (http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2017/02/24/black-students-university-michigan-demand-segregated-space/

 

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Reasons We Have These Facilities

  1. Historical Inaccessibility


The existence of demographic-specific housing is a result of the intentional discrimination inflicted by institutions throughout our country’s history. Even at Harvard Law School, an institution founded to promote social change, housing options were unavailable for female students when the school begrudgingly became co-ed. This fundamental view of difference between males and females inspired the construction of separate facilities for females. Similarly, the University of Georgia constructed Brumby in 1966 as the enrollment of female students increased in the 1960’s.   

Specific to college campuses, discrimination in social space also led to the need for program houses. Fraternity houses remained exclusively reserved to white males for most of the 20th century. Sigma Chi, one of the nation’s largest fraternities, had a “White Clause” from 1870 until 1970. Similar membership restrictions throughout Greek organizations made these social and living facilities inaccessible for minorities. Since Greek organizations have historically provided a sizable percentage of housing to students, they have directly contributed to segregation.

2. Micro-aggressions and Campus Climate

Program houses provide a chance for students of color to escape their daily encounters with prejudice. According to the National Center for Educational Statistics, there were 781 hate crimes on college and university campuses in 2013. In 41% of these crimes, race was found to be the primary motivation. After the most recent election, rates of hate crimes have increased, and many of these incidents took place at colleges. For example, at Wellesley College, students from Babson College drove to a housing unit for black students, harassed individuals and even spat on a black female. These horrifying and disturbing stories come out repeatedly. And we can only imagine how many are not reported.


High-profile incidents of hate are not the primary barrier for many students of color to thrive. Micro-aggressions in the classroom, in the dining hall, and other places on campus are commonplace for the minority experience. In 2014, the Harvard Voices of Diversity Project published a study on the topic. It found that unintentional discrimination—in the form of subtle comments and other indications of bias—is pervasive on campuses across the country. Among the 200 students surveyed, the vast majority recalled daily instances of racism. One of the schools included in the study, Missouri State University, acted swiftly by creating a new administration position on diversity and inclusion.


Colleges that do not have designated housing also acknowledge that, at times, separation can enhance the chance for honest conversation. The University of Michigan received criticism for sponsoring diversity forums in which white students—among them Michigan Daily reporters—were asked to leave the room solely for minority participants. The University of Wisconsin Madison held similarly segregated forums and Oregon State University recently started funding retreats along racial dimensions. These efforts result from an understanding that students of color deserve an opportunity to communicate without fear of being under surveillance. Since students of color operate under the assumption that they are constantly being viewed and judged, it is vital that they have some opportunity to speak without it affecting their campus life.


Students have also responded with their own methods of coping, such as: “Microagressions Overheard at Yale,” a social media campaign. But a more foundational solution may be necessary for students to handle the frequency of these incidents. Living among those who identify similarly makes it easier for many students to cope with these ingrained aspects of the college experience.

3. Improving Performance:

Mentorship

Cultural Immersion

Geoffrey Cohen and Julio Garcia of Yale University recently studied the effects of negative stereotypes on performance in the classroom. Similar to Claude Steele’s 1995 study, Cohen and Garcia found “disidentification” in their results. Many of the surveyed students were likely to opt out of potentially threatening situations regardless of the possible benefits. They also concluded that experiencing these threats is linked to lower self-esteem and lower test scores.


 Social psychologists have studied multiple ways to alleviate the effect of stereotype threat. Among the most common conclusions is the need for mentorship. Mentors serve a central role in providing affirmation. For instance, Steele found that black participants performed much better when they were given constructive feedback emphasizing how they were capable of meeting the high standards. Similarly, Aronson found that mentors could reduce the attention given to stereotypes by encouraging students to acknowledge stereotype threat itself. Candid conversations about the anxiety uniquely experienced by minority students are helpful in moving beyond it. Accordingly, the researchers would applaud the combination of program houses with mentorship programs. 

A similar rationale exists in the creation of pre-professional organizations targeting specific demographics. Universities across the country have student groups dedicated to promoting excellence among underrepresented groups in various fields. The National Society of Black Engineers, founded in 1971, aims to create an atmosphere where “black students can envision themselves as engineers.” Acknowledging the unique challenges these professionals face enables them to come together under a common motivation.

Housing is certainly not the same as a professional organization. But the programming in these facilities traditionally offers similar guidance. Colleges hopefully are not merely placing students of color in the same housing unit. It is important that the housing is paired with mentorship and professional development opportunities that leverage cultural identify to concentrate on achievement. 

Sources (in order):

UGA Housing, https://housing.uga.edu/site/housing_undergraduate. “The ‘White Clause,’” https://history.sigmachi.org/whiteclause. “Indicators of School Crime and Safety: 2015,” National Center For Educational Statistics.  “Calls for justice after Babson students harass Wellesley,” USAToday College, Nov. 11, 2016, http://college.usatoday.com/2016/11/11/students-want-justice-after-babson-students-harass-wellesley/. Elboute, Tasnim, “Microaggressions pervasive on college campuses,” Yale Daily News, Feb. 1, 2015, http://yaledailynews.com/blog/2015/02/01/microaggression-pervasive-on-college-campus-study-says/. Melchior, Jillian Kay, “University of Michigan Hosts ‘Diversity Town Halls,’” Heatstreet, Oct. 20, 2016, https://heatst.com/culture-wars/university-of-michigan-hosts-diversity-town-halls-that-are-racially-segregated/. Eze, Ugonna, “EZE: Overheard by whom,” Yale Daily News, Jan. 30, 2015, http://yaledailynews.com/blog/2015/01/30/overheard-by-whom/. Cohen, Geoffrey L and Garcia, Julio, “’I Am Us:’ Negative Stereotypes as Collective Threats,” J. of Personality and Social Psychology, Vol. 89, No. 4, 2005. National Society of Black Engineers, http://www.nsbe.org/home.aspx. Aronson, Joshua and Steele, Claude M., “Stereotype Threat and the Intellectual Test Performance of African Americans,” J. of Personality and Social Psychology, Vol. 69, No. 5, 1995.

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Issues with Separation

Opponents Raise a Number of Criticisms

  1. Lack of Dialogue


A societal goal of higher education is to introduce adolescents to people of many different backgrounds. Doing so hopefully produces more well rounded adults who will carry their cultural education into the workforce. One dimension of this cultural exposure is learning and socializing among those of different races. Higher education remains as possibly the only opportunity for cross-cultural dialogue. 60 years after segregation was deemed unconstitutional in the landmark decision Brown v. Board of Education, the GAO reported that segregation in public schools has not improved. With neighborhoods and institutions like churches experiencing similar or even higher levels of racial homogeneity, colleges must serve a more prominent role.


Living arrangements contribute tremendously to the experience that students have on campus. These environments shape friend groups and impact the organizations that individuals choose to participate in. By sectioning off a certain percentage of the minority population, the chance for genuine, organic learning in these settings decreases. Emory University does not allow incoming students to choose a specific building because the school makes housing assignments “with the goal to create a well-rounded and diverse community.” Emory’s message is consistent with other institutions; although race is not explicitly mentioned, it is presumably one component of the diverse experience colleges aim to create within housing.

However, the premise must be questioned that it is the responsibility of minority students to “inform” the majority. In the midst of these large societal goals, we cannot forget that individuals are having their own college experience. If a person feels that she will be more comfortable in a certain program house, then that preference is important. As much of the research suggests, the choice of living arrangements has a substantial effect on performance in the classroom. Schools consistently maintain that their primary housing goal is to support students in this critical stage of life. For instance, UNC Chapel Hill says its goal for housing is “to provide you with an academically and socially supportive environment.”  For some students of color, attaining the requisite supportive environment means surrounding themselves with specific cultural support. We should not sacrifice their identities because society has made insufficient progress on race relations.

2. Stigmatization of Residents

One of the commonly touted criticisms of affirmative action is the stigmatization of minority students. Regardless of their intelligence and talents, students of color can be labeled as unworthy of attending certain institutions. In Fisher v. University of Texas, Justice Thomas wrote about the supposed “badge of inferiority.” He says that affirmative action hurts Black and Hispanic students because others cannot separate those admitted on their own merits from those admitted as a result of preferential treatment.

A similar dynamic exists in the debate over program houses and programs targeting minorities. Students who opt into these housing options can be viewed as distinctly separate and apart from the rest of the campus. The issue is not limited to the physical buildings; the extensive programming for minority students exacerbates the misperception. Brown University offers “Minority Peer Counselors” for first year students of color and MIT has an Office of Minority Education offering free tutoring and mentoring services. The existence of these programs reinforces common views among the majority that students of color are less prepared and less capable.

Colleges have been cognizant of this possibility. Thus, they often build these facilities within a broader community.  The Scholars house at University of Connecticut, for instance, will soon be part of a larger living center serving many different dimensions of student identity. Furthermore, unanimously, these facilities are open to students of all races. But the fact that such a low number of white students decide to live there evinces the central isolation problem. Even if located in the heart of campus, the prevailing perception among students is that these buildings house people who are fundamentally different from them.

One possible way to counter this inherent stigma is to offer more collaboration with student groups. These facilities work closely with student groups comprised of minority students. In fact, these organizations have often been the driving force behind their creation. Student leaders at Princeton, for instance, continue to urge administrators to approve plans for a new safe space for black students. These forms of “demand letters” became increasingly popular on college campuses across the country as part of a growing “Black Lives Matter” movement.


In addition to the facilities themselves, organizations are often the leading proponents of the programs offered within them. At Cornell, Black Students United (BSU) hosts the weekly unity hour events. It is an event for the entire black community—particularly for those who don’t live in Ujamaa. Groups have the opportunity to team with many types of organizations to invite in those who may feel alienated.

Sources (in order):

Google images. Mezzacappa, Dale, “On Brown anniversary, GAO report finds segregation deepening,” thenotebook, May 17, 2016, http://thenotebook.org/latest0/2016/05/17/on-brown-anniversary-gao-report-find-segregation-deepening. Brown v. Board of Education, 344 U.S. 1 (1952). Emory University, “Residential Life & Housing,” https://www.emory.edu/HOUSING/UNDERGRAD/ughouse.html. UNC Chapel Hill, “Carolina housing,” http://housing.unc.edu/future-residents/first-year-students. Fisher v. Univ. of Tex., 133 S. Ct. 2411, 2432–33 (2013). Brown University, “Minority Peer Counselor Program,” https://www.brown.edu/campus-life/support/students-of-color/mpc. Wolfe, John, “Black Justice League demands…,” TheTab, 2016, http://thetab.com/us/princeton/2015/11/18/breaking-black-justice-league-demands-woodrow-wilson-school-be-renamed-1212

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Further Study

This project implicates many of the topics covered this semester in Systemic Justice. If you are interested in the subject of racial relations on college campuses, and education more broadly, then I recommend the following for further exploration:

  • Pygmalion Effect

This website focuses on the effects of stereotype threat on performance by students of color. Stereotype threat concerns an individual student’s own view of perceptions made about him. But it is important to note that the perception of teachers and evaluators does matter as well. Pygmalion Effect is the name for a phenomenon where student performance is tied to the expectations others have about them. A 2014 study sponsored by the Center for American Progress found that when high school students have high expectations for high school students, those students are more likely to attend college. The study noted that secondary teachers were much less likely to predict academic success for students of color. Based on the teacher assessments, compared with their white peers, black students were 47% less likely to graduate from college and Hispanic students were 42% less likely.

Full Study: Ulrich Boser, Megan Wilhelm, Robert Hanna, http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED564606.pdf

  • Inequality Dissonance

Many institutions have embraced the need for special attention to be given to inequality in America. The nation’s elite schools offer courses enabling students to explore inequality. New York University’s “Causes of Inequality: Analytical Strategies” taught by Professor Robert Max Jackson is one such example. Additionally, sociology departments across the country attract experts on the subject and dedicate resources for new research. One innovative study comes from Duke University. Sociologist Jessi Streib, along with several students, explored how inequality is showcased in major Hollywood films and, consequentially, the effect on commercial performance.

While schools like Duke, NYU and others continue to focus on inequality in America, surprisingly, much less progress is being made on the demographics of the student body itself. A recent study by Stanford’s Caroline Hoxby and Harvard’s Christopher Avery found that “the vast majority of high-achieving low-income students” are not applying to selective colleges and universities. One potential reason for this problem is that colleges are not incentivized to recruit low-income students. Low-income means more financial aid and less revenue for the school. Thus, while schools make some strides in racial diversity, socioeconomic diversity is severely lacking and our campuses are certainly not representative of the country.

Full Study: Caroline Hoxby, Christopher Avery, http://www.nber.org/papers/w18586.pdf.

  • Racial History of Universities

This website explores some of the historical reasons for the necessity of program houses. I encourage everyone to delve more into the historic relationship between race and America’s colleges. Due to substantial pressure from students, Harvard Law School recently elected to remove its crest—as it was based on Isaac M. Royal, a notoriously harsh slave trader. Apart from this development, Harvard has not expressed much of a willingness to acknowledge its early connections with slavery and other hostilities. For instance, the school’s first Dean, Joseph Story, spoke openly about the school’s mission to convert “Heathen” Indians.

Harvard is certainly not alone in this category. Craig Wilder’s book titled “Ebony and Ivy,” looks at the troubling juxtaposition of the slave trade and the growth of many of our country’s earliest universities. Wilder mentioned in an interview with the that he hopes this research will spark a renewed interest in how universities can improve the present experience of African-Americans on campus. Examining the historical link and long-term consequences is vital to contextualize the current debate over race-specific housing. 

Other Sources:

Meraji, Shereen, "Why many Smart, Low-Income Students Don't Apply," NPR, Mar. 16, 2015. "In the land of Fantasy, Inequality is Benign," Duke Research Blog, Mar. 7, 2016. "A Man of Letters: Joseph Story," Harvard Law Today, Oct. 1, 2012. 

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