College guides and planners boast that UCLA possesses one of the
most diverse student populations of the country’s higher
learning institutions. They fail to mention that the campus remains
racially divided and severely lacks understanding and communication
between the various ethnic groups that comprise the student body.
How did this happen and who is to blame?
Segregation of a sort starts before students even set foot on
campus. Through a “comprehensive review,” admissions
counselors separate students based on their background ““
criteria that includes family situations, socio-economic status,
and life experience. Students that may not be academically ready to
set foot at UCLA still have a chance of being accepted.
But separating students based on their background criteria in
the admissions process is only the first step toward segregation
among different ethnicities and groups on campus. Once accepted,
some students are encouraged to take part in special programs such
as the Freshman Summer Program, which focuses on giving
underrepresented students an edge by allowing them to live in the
dorms and take college classes before the academic year begins.
Such programs aimed at helping students become adjusted to college
life encourage separation through their general practices.
But moreover, participation in one program can start a
separatist chain reaction. For example, the Academic Advancement
Program provides special tutoring, counseling and opportunities
mainly for minority students on campus, as a means of aiding them
in their college careers. Students who partake in FSP, or are
considered to be at-risk students, are usually accepted into AAP,
while other students may find it more difficult to apply. Once
again separated from other groups on campus, these students receive
benefits that other students are otherwise denied based on their
family background. Whether or not it is valid for these students to
receive special treatment, the university undoubtedly encourages
separation among ethnicities, pointing out and even exaggerating
unimportant differences.
Yet segregation at UCLA runs even deeper, penetrating the social
structure of campus life. Students have the opportunity to live in
residence halls with themed floors that aim to provide students
with “cultural awareness.”
However, these floors help separate different races and allow
students to remain in various bubbles. While students may become
more familiar with their ethnic or cultural identities, they are
denied the opportunity to engage with a variety of different
ethnicities and backgrounds.
Furthermore, when students join student organizations, they are
encouraged to join groups that fit their races. Many organizations
recruit students of one specific background. While many of these
cultural organizations insist they open arms to all students to
heighten awareness, the reality becomes evident in their behavior
and even their agendas, which, in extreme cases, may promote
radicalism approaching the level of hate activity.
Even our student government indirectly supports a form of racial
segregation by using student fees to fund and sponsor these groups.
Not surprising, since a majority of Students First! councilmembers
can be associated with one of these multicultural organizations.
The campus community remains closed to facilitating positive
relations between differing races, religions and political
identities.
Since university policy and campus social structures support
various forms of separation on campus, the question remains: Will
true integration ever be achieved?
Small steps that promote change within society, such as the
passing of Proposition 54 the Classification of Race, Ethnicity,
Color, and National Origin initiative ““ which would eliminate
the collection of race-based information on applications and
questionnaires ““ would help to eliminate segregation on
campus by cutting out the questions on university paperwork that
affect our way of thinking about race. CRECNO would hopefully help
eradicate society’s fixation on race.
University policy must reflect the ideal ““ an integrated
society ““ which must be supported through student government
and student groups. Only when policies ““ set forth by
governmental institutions and university administration ““
change, will the structure of campus society change.
Paganini is a third-year geography and political science
student.