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Many colleges in the United States strive to have diverse student bodies with the intention of creating worldly, cultured campuses. While there are instances in which having a diverse student body creates a better, enriched environment for all, there are also many cases when attempted diversity merely results in different sects within the university. Cliques appear in many different social environments and manifest themselves in various ways and when it comes to college life, fraternities are arguably the most dominant cliques on campuses. Although historically Jewish and historically black fraternities exist, fraternities, in general, do not intend to exclude students based on their ethnicities or religious views. Unfortunately, minorities on college campuses often experiences some sort of exclusion as it pertains to fraternity life. This occurs especially at the "top-tier" schools in the United States because of the underwhelming number of black students on campus. I plan to conduct research with the aim of uncovering the reasons why many fraternities remain un-integrated and to use insight from peer interviews to examine ways to unify college communities through greek life.
When it comes to diversity in colleges, there are two main issues. The first, which colleges are actively aiming to improve, is simply diversifying the student bodies. The second step is actively working to integrate and educate. Diversification is the first step in creating a fully integrated culture on campus. However, executing this first step properly often creates space for additional issues. As campuses become more diversified, rifts tend to arise which undermine the diversification in the first place. As a college student myself, I'm proud to attend a university that has a fairly diverse student body, but I do notice cliques, organizations, and greek life that seem to hinder integration on campus. I do not have an answer to the problem yet, but I will conduct research in search of at least a partial solution.
I’ll focus my research on diversity in greek life. I will research the documented pros and cons of having distinct "white" fraternities and "black" fraternities, I will center my research around the intangible effects of having separate greek lives. I will couple the research of sociologists and psychologists with my research work involving my fellow college students. In doing so, I will utilize the opinions and experiences of peers to hopefully provide the existing conversation about college diversity with insightful input.
Rather than simply surveying students or taking to social media to gather information, I am going to speak with students both individually and in groups. I believe that a fully interactive mode of research will allow me maximize my learning. The interview process will enable me to analyze body language as well as verbal language which I think will be very key. Many people feel uncomfortable talking about race, and by doing just that, I will be able to encounter and assess that issue firsthand.
Doron, a black sophomore at a top ranked university, is one of many black students at his school who are uninvolved in fraternity life. When I asked him about his perceptions and opinions on “white fraternities” at his school (and in general), his unique experiences provided me with good insight. Doron actually explored the white fraternities at his school and decided to join one of them. Unfortunately, the high expenses of joining coupled with being the only black guy in the frat eventually dissuaded him from finishing the pledge process. He told me that he realized that he never felt at home. He often felt like “a token black guy”. When asked about his opinion on the black fraternities at his school, Doron told me that he knew very little about them because at the time of his fraternity interest, there were a total of six black students involved in greek life on campus. Plus, Rachel, a black freshman at a top college, had very cemented opinions about the greek life at her school. When I asked her if she was interested in sorority life, she quickly responded with a definite “No”. As I inquired further, I discovered that she found the “sea of white girls” to be discouraging. Because she’d be one of the only (if not the only) black girl in the sorority, she feels that she’d face an uphill battle against stereotypes and misconceptions regarding herself, as a young black women.
Additionally, Brianna, a hispanic freshman at a top college, provided me with with valuable input about sorority life on her campus. Although she is not currently in a sorority, Brianna engaged in the joining process earlier in the year. She said that while she did enjoy some parts of the process, she felt that being a minority made it difficult to make connections and that the other girls viewed her as different. Brianna said that of the over 500 girls interested in joining sororities, there were less than 30 girls of color. She thinks that her concerns would be eased by some sort of active effort to recruit and welcome minorities. Also, Ike, a black student on a predominantly white campus, decided to go against the grain and join a "white" fraternity. When asked about the process of joining the fraternity, Ike says that he did not feel uncomfortable because he's been in diverse environments for the majority of his life. However, Ike said he did experience some uncomfortable moments during fraternity events with sororities. He said that since the sororities, like the fraternities, are predominately white, some of the girls would act differently towards him. Overall, Ike is enjoying his fraternity experiences, but wishes there was more diversity. He thinks this can be accomplished by reaching out to minorities and and co-hosting events with the black fraternities on campus. He also wants sot encourage discussions, which he believes can bridge some gaps between races on campus
Nowadays, the college experience is about so much more than academics. College not only serves as a place to discover oneself, but it is also serves as many students' introduction to the "real world". In order to prepare students for their post-collegiate lives, universities aim to have diverse student bodies which foster a worldly community. While many schools, especially the top institutions in the country, have done a good job of diversifying their campuses, united student bodies do not necessarily exist at these colleges. The majority of the top universities in the United States have student bodies consisting of less than ten percent black students. This small percentage is exacerbated at these top schools because they often have considerably smaller student bodies than large state schools. It is for this reason that blacks are often not very well represented at the nation's top academic institutions. These shortages of black students at top schools make it difficult for them to have a strong voice and place on campus.
Many people falsely assume that diversity equates to unity on college campuses. Unfortunately, diversity often strengthens divides between groups. The word diversity often implies some sort of unity and togetherness, but that is not always the case. Unfortunately, diversity has the ability both unify and divide. There are many instances where divides and sects form on diverse campuses due to miscommunications and misunderstandings between different types of people. The forming of different sects often perpetuates the same stereotypes and issues that campus diversity is meant to dispel. Integrated experiences are needed to resolve these issues, but those experiences do not always occur. It's one thing to have an all-white fraternity on a an all-white campus, but having all-white fraternities on so-called diverse campuses send a strict message to many minority students.
While the top-tier universities in the United States aim to have very diverse student bodies, predominantly white campus communities often prevail. Sure, these campuses have plenty of multicultural clubs and events honoring students from different backgrounds, but an impermeable divide still remains. At top colleges, black students often make up less than ten percent of the student body. As such an overwhelming minority, they often face barriers which most people believe to be non-existent. As overwhelming minorities on most college campuses, the college experience of black students is often different from that of white students. One of the most common and persistent issues that black students face on college campuses is simply fully becoming a part of campus community. Because people naturally gravitate towards those who look like themselves, black students tend to drift towards other black students. While it often creates a strong black community on college campuses, this self-segregation also proves to be detrimental to campus diversity as a whole.
Due to seemingly inevitable self-segregation, campus diversity takes multiple steps backwards. Self-segregation often occurs on college campuses because people naturally want to be in a state of comfort. This state is often achieved by recreating a familiar and comfortable environment. In the case of black students as minorities on campus, they usually congregate with one other to achieve that state. For white students, it may appear as if black students are choosing to separate themselves, but that is not the case. Unfortunately, however, that notion often causes a self-segregation of white students as well. This perpetual cause and effect scenario only deepens campus divides, showing why diversity does not automatically equal unity. Plus, these steps in the wrong direction allow other issues to arise. As the divide between the student bodies broadens, social divides persist as well. Black students often become subject to false assumptions and feel excluded in some aspects.
The word diversity refers to the various types of people at a certain place, but it does not imply inclusion. Experts understand that many divides often exist within diverse campuses. For example, obvious divisions between white students and black students can be seen in greek life. Most campuses have both historically black fraternities and "white" fraternities. Fraternities are organizations which foster brotherhood among its members. Various stereotypes surround fraternities and what they stand for. Many people who are uninvolved in greek life believe that fraternities are merely social cliques filled with misogynistic, young men who excessively party and drink together. However, that is not always the case. While there may be some fraternities that fit that description, most fraternities place an emphasis on brotherhood and service instead of partying. Contrary to popular belief, frats are meant to create unbreakable, life-long bonds through shared, invaluable experiences. While they are often perceived as groups of young men who just like to party, they often do good in the community as well. Fraternity membership is not meant to be something that ends when one's collegiate career does. Instead, it's intended to create a strong bond between members nationwide. In terms of on campus fraternity life, fraternities can be viewed as almost official cliques. Frat brothers can usually be seen sporting their fraternity colors and gear.
Additionally, frats often hold events in which they promote themselves, fundraise, and/or socialize with other frats or sororities on campus. Sororities are the female versions of fraternities. They, too, aim to be a tangible presence in the community. In addition to service, sororities often hold social events, like mixers and date parties, with other fraternities. Unfortunately, however, stereotypes surrounding sororities do exist. Many people view sororities as mere superficial cliques. They have a reputation for accepting or denying young women based simply on looks alone. Overall, however, sororities can be very positive. They serve as way to meet many people on college campuses and can even provide connections for the future.
While historically black fraternities do have a special place in black collegiate tradition, their presence alone causes a rift. They cause black students to self-segregate in a sense. On college campuses where greek life dominates, this fraternity segregation often leads to, or represents, a social segregation on campus as well.
So why don't black students just join "white" fraternities instead of self-segregating themselves? Very few do, but most do not. The problem lies in the underestimated social awkwardness of black students joining "white" fraternities. Because there are not any "whites only" signs hanging on fraternity doors or official exclusionary policies in place, the notion that "white" fraternities are welcoming and easily permeable exists. However, this notion is untrue. The same way in which historically black fraternities do, in fact, have historically black members, the "white" fraternities also have historically white histories. Whether intentional or unintentional, exclusion can have detrimental effects to a college campus's community. Many minority students, especially those from non-diverse backgrounds, feel uncomfortable in situations where they are an overwhelming minority. For that reason, distinct racial divides can be seen in places on college campuses like fraternities and club meetings. These divides even reach settings such as cafeterias, libraries and parties. In my opinion, exclusion is simply the absence of inclusion, so the fact that minority students do not feel especially welcomed in some places causes those places to just remain undiversified. Plus, even though some "white" fraternities may welcome black students, many black students feel uncomfortable being one of the few, if not the only, black student in his whole fraternity. Naturally, people feel more comfortable being around people who resemble them in some aspect, and this comfort level often goes unreached for black students in a "white" fraternity setting.
When I began my research, I understood that the issue I was investigating has been investigated for centuries and that the chances of me finding a concrete solution were unlikely. So, it does not surprise me that did discover that there is, in fact, no simple solution to racial divides. While I did not uncover a secret, missing link in the conversation about ways to unify in diversity, my research did confirm some views and thoughts I had. My research project confirmed that the root of disconnect between races stems mainly from a lack of communication and understanding. In interviewing both white and black college students I noticed that both groups made very substantial generalizations and assumptions about the other group without even realizing they were doing so. So, ultimately, my research proved to me that dialogue is the key to overcoming the issue of diversity without unity. While some students realize that the phenomenon exists, many (usually the majority) even fail to realize this happens. A dialogue among the actual college students is needed to create awareness on actual college campuses. Only with conversations between the effected parties can the issue be properly addressed, thus spreading awareness and positioning students to make tangible changes on their campuses.
Many colleges in the United States strive to have diverse student bodies with the intention of creating worldly, cultured campuses. While there are instances in which having a diverse student body creates a better, enriched environment for all, there are also many cases when attempted diversity merely results in different sects within the university. Cliques appear in many different social environments and manifest themselves in various ways and when it comes to college life, fraternities are arguably the most dominant cliques on campuses. Although historically Jewish and historically black fraternities exist, fraternities, in general, do not intend to exclude students based on their ethnicities or religious views. Unfortunately, minorities on college campuses often experiences some sort of exclusion as it pertains to fraternity life. This occurs especially at the "top-tier" schools in the United States because of the underwhelming number of black students on campus. I plan to conduct research with the aim of uncovering the reasons why many fraternities remain un-integrated and to use insight from peer interviews to examine ways to unify college communities through greek life.
When it comes to diversity in colleges, there are two main issues. The first, which colleges are actively aiming to improve, is simply diversifying the student bodies. The second step is actively working to integrate and educate. Diversification is the first step in creating a fully integrated culture on campus. However, executing this first step properly often creates space for additional issues. As campuses become more diversified, rifts tend to arise which undermine the diversification in the first place. As a college student myself, I'm proud to attend a university that has a fairly diverse student body, but I do notice cliques, organizations, and greek life that seem to hinder integration on campus. I do not have an answer to the problem yet, but I will conduct research in search of at least a partial solution.
I’ll focus my research on diversity in greek life. I will research the documented pros and cons of having distinct "white" fraternities and "black" fraternities, I will center my research around the intangible effects of having separate greek lives. I will couple the research of sociologists and psychologists with my research work involving my fellow college students. In doing so, I will utilize the opinions and experiences of peers to hopefully provide the existing conversation about college diversity with insightful input.
Rather than simply surveying students or taking to social media to gather information, I am going to speak with students both individually and in groups. I believe that a fully interactive mode of research will allow me maximize my learning. The interview process will enable me to analyze body language as well as verbal language which I think will be very key. Many people feel uncomfortable talking about race, and by doing just that, I will be able to encounter and assess that issue firsthand.
Doron, a black sophomore at a top ranked university, is one of many black students at his school who are uninvolved in fraternity life. When I asked him about his perceptions and opinions on “white fraternities” at his school (and in general), his unique experiences provided me with good insight. Doron actually explored the white fraternities at his school and decided to join one of them. Unfortunately, the high expenses of joining coupled with being the only black guy in the frat eventually dissuaded him from finishing the pledge process. He told me that he realized that he never felt at home. He often felt like “a token black guy”. When asked about his opinion on the black fraternities at his school, Doron told me that he knew very little about them because at the time of his fraternity interest, there were a total of six black students involved in greek life on campus. Plus, Rachel, a black freshman at a top college, had very cemented opinions about the greek life at her school. When I asked her if she was interested in sorority life, she quickly responded with a definite “No”. As I inquired further, I discovered that she found the “sea of white girls” to be discouraging. Because she’d be one of the only (if not the only) black girl in the sorority, she feels that she’d face an uphill battle against stereotypes and misconceptions regarding herself, as a young black women.
Additionally, Brianna, a hispanic freshman at a top college, provided me with with valuable input about sorority life on her campus. Although she is not currently in a sorority, Brianna engaged in the joining process earlier in the year. She said that while she did enjoy some parts of the process, she felt that being a minority made it difficult to make connections and that the other girls viewed her as different. Brianna said that of the over 500 girls interested in joining sororities, there were less than 30 girls of color. She thinks that her concerns would be eased by some sort of active effort to recruit and welcome minorities. Also, Ike, a black student on a predominantly white campus, decided to go against the grain and join a "white" fraternity. When asked about the process of joining the fraternity, Ike says that he did not feel uncomfortable because he's been in diverse environments for the majority of his life. However, Ike said he did experience some uncomfortable moments during fraternity events with sororities. He said that since the sororities, like the fraternities, are predominately white, some of the girls would act differently towards him. Overall, Ike is enjoying his fraternity experiences, but wishes there was more diversity. He thinks this can be accomplished by reaching out to minorities and and co-hosting events with the black fraternities on campus. He also wants sot encourage discussions, which he believes can bridge some gaps between races on campus
Nowadays, the college experience is about so much more than academics. College not only serves as a place to discover oneself, but it is also serves as many students' introduction to the "real world". In order to prepare students for their post-collegiate lives, universities aim to have diverse student bodies which foster a worldly community. While many schools, especially the top institutions in the country, have done a good job of diversifying their campuses, united student bodies do not necessarily exist at these colleges. The majority of the top universities in the United States have student bodies consisting of less than ten percent black students. This small percentage is exacerbated at these top schools because they often have considerably smaller student bodies than large state schools. It is for this reason that blacks are often not very well represented at the nation's top academic institutions. These shortages of black students at top schools make it difficult for them to have a strong voice and place on campus.
Many people falsely assume that diversity equates to unity on college campuses. Unfortunately, diversity often strengthens divides between groups. The word diversity often implies some sort of unity and togetherness, but that is not always the case. Unfortunately, diversity has the ability both unify and divide. There are many instances where divides and sects form on diverse campuses due to miscommunications and misunderstandings between different types of people. The forming of different sects often perpetuates the same stereotypes and issues that campus diversity is meant to dispel. Integrated experiences are needed to resolve these issues, but those experiences do not always occur. It's one thing to have an all-white fraternity on a an all-white campus, but having all-white fraternities on so-called diverse campuses send a strict message to many minority students.
While the top-tier universities in the United States aim to have very diverse student bodies, predominantly white campus communities often prevail. Sure, these campuses have plenty of multicultural clubs and events honoring students from different backgrounds, but an impermeable divide still remains. At top colleges, black students often make up less than ten percent of the student body. As such an overwhelming minority, they often face barriers which most people believe to be non-existent. As overwhelming minorities on most college campuses, the college experience of black students is often different from that of white students. One of the most common and persistent issues that black students face on college campuses is simply fully becoming a part of campus community. Because people naturally gravitate towards those who look like themselves, black students tend to drift towards other black students. While it often creates a strong black community on college campuses, this self-segregation also proves to be detrimental to campus diversity as a whole.
Due to seemingly inevitable self-segregation, campus diversity takes multiple steps backwards. Self-segregation often occurs on college campuses because people naturally want to be in a state of comfort. This state is often achieved by recreating a familiar and comfortable environment. In the case of black students as minorities on campus, they usually congregate with one other to achieve that state. For white students, it may appear as if black students are choosing to separate themselves, but that is not the case. Unfortunately, however, that notion often causes a self-segregation of white students as well. This perpetual cause and effect scenario only deepens campus divides, showing why diversity does not automatically equal unity. Plus, these steps in the wrong direction allow other issues to arise. As the divide between the student bodies broadens, social divides persist as well. Black students often become subject to false assumptions and feel excluded in some aspects.
The word diversity refers to the various types of people at a certain place, but it does not imply inclusion. Experts understand that many divides often exist within diverse campuses. For example, obvious divisions between white students and black students can be seen in greek life. Most campuses have both historically black fraternities and "white" fraternities. Fraternities are organizations which foster brotherhood among its members. Various stereotypes surround fraternities and what they stand for. Many people who are uninvolved in greek life believe that fraternities are merely social cliques filled with misogynistic, young men who excessively party and drink together. However, that is not always the case. While there may be some fraternities that fit that description, most fraternities place an emphasis on brotherhood and service instead of partying. Contrary to popular belief, frats are meant to create unbreakable, life-long bonds through shared, invaluable experiences. While they are often perceived as groups of young men who just like to party, they often do good in the community as well. Fraternity membership is not meant to be something that ends when one's collegiate career does. Instead, it's intended to create a strong bond between members nationwide. In terms of on campus fraternity life, fraternities can be viewed as almost official cliques. Frat brothers can usually be seen sporting their fraternity colors and gear.
Additionally, frats often hold events in which they promote themselves, fundraise, and/or socialize with other frats or sororities on campus. Sororities are the female versions of fraternities. They, too, aim to be a tangible presence in the community. In addition to service, sororities often hold social events, like mixers and date parties, with other fraternities. Unfortunately, however, stereotypes surrounding sororities do exist. Many people view sororities as mere superficial cliques. They have a reputation for accepting or denying young women based simply on looks alone. Overall, however, sororities can be very positive. They serve as way to meet many people on college campuses and can even provide connections for the future.
While historically black fraternities do have a special place in black collegiate tradition, their presence alone causes a rift. They cause black students to self-segregate in a sense. On college campuses where greek life dominates, this fraternity segregation often leads to, or represents, a social segregation on campus as well.
So why don't black students just join "white" fraternities instead of self-segregating themselves? Very few do, but most do not. The problem lies in the underestimated social awkwardness of black students joining "white" fraternities. Because there are not any "whites only" signs hanging on fraternity doors or official exclusionary policies in place, the notion that "white" fraternities are welcoming and easily permeable exists. However, this notion is untrue. The same way in which historically black fraternities do, in fact, have historically black members, the "white" fraternities also have historically white histories. Whether intentional or unintentional, exclusion can have detrimental effects to a college campus's community. Many minority students, especially those from non-diverse backgrounds, feel uncomfortable in situations where they are an overwhelming minority. For that reason, distinct racial divides can be seen in places on college campuses like fraternities and club meetings. These divides even reach settings such as cafeterias, libraries and parties. In my opinion, exclusion is simply the absence of inclusion, so the fact that minority students do not feel especially welcomed in some places causes those places to just remain undiversified. Plus, even though some "white" fraternities may welcome black students, many black students feel uncomfortable being one of the few, if not the only, black student in his whole fraternity. Naturally, people feel more comfortable being around people who resemble them in some aspect, and this comfort level often goes unreached for black students in a "white" fraternity setting.
When I began my research, I understood that the issue I was investigating has been investigated for centuries and that the chances of me finding a concrete solution were unlikely. So, it does not surprise me that did discover that there is, in fact, no simple solution to racial divides. While I did not uncover a secret, missing link in the conversation about ways to unify in diversity, my research did confirm some views and thoughts I had. My research project confirmed that the root of disconnect between races stems mainly from a lack of communication and understanding. In interviewing both white and black college students I noticed that both groups made very substantial generalizations and assumptions about the other group without even realizing they were doing so. So, ultimately, my research proved to me that dialogue is the key to overcoming the issue of diversity without unity. While some students realize that the phenomenon exists, many (usually the majority) even fail to realize this happens. A dialogue among the actual college students is needed to create awareness on actual college campuses. Only with conversations between the effected parties can the issue be properly addressed, thus spreading awareness and positioning students to make tangible changes on their campuses.