Editor's Note: This is the fifth article in a five-part series exploring the disparities between how the College presents itself and the reality that students encounter on campus. In this piece, The Dartmouth examines diversity.
Before arriving to campus, Timothy Sun '06 was already struck by the lack of integration at Dartmouth. After Sun received a pamphlet sent exclusively to pre-matriculated Asian students about Asian organizations at Dartmouth, he felt pigeonholed. To him, this signaled a commitment to segregation -- not diversity.
"What this told me was that as an Asian student I should stick with other Asian students, and that non-Asian students would of course not have any interest in their Asian peers or their activities."
Dartmouth promotes itself as a diverse college. According to the Office of Admissions, non-white students compose just over 30 percent of the Class of 2008.
But many see a lack of interaction among the races on campus, from racially divided groups eating in Thayer Dining Hall to racially isolated groups living in affinity houses.
"All you have to do is go to Food Court and look around," Sun said. "You'll see Asian kids sitting together -- black kids sitting together."
Elkin Cabas '06, who works in the Office of Admissions, said it is easy for students of all races to stick with their own majority or minority groups.
"It is pretty easy, though, to come to Dartmouth and put up a wall and compose your social circles solely of other members of your community of color, live at an affinity house and only participate in your community's affiliated organizations," Cabas said.
Ozzie Harris, head of the Office of Institutional Diversity, was unavailable for comment. Tommy Lee Woon, the College's dean of pluralism and leadership, refused to comment, saying only, "It's a complicated subject."
While David Satterwhite '07, a member of the Afro-American Society, acknowledged a lack of integration at Dartmouth, he objected to the use of the term "self-segregation," which he believes puts all of the blame on minority students.
"The way some white students react to groups of minority students makes them just as responsible for the phenomenon," Satterwhite said.
Others like Jose Ojeda '07, the vice president of La Alianza Latina, see Dartmouth's lack of integration as understandable.
"I feel that people just want to find a social comfort zone and at times find it hard to get away from that," Ojeda said.
Minkun Zhang '07 agreed that minority social groups make sense because they promote a sense of community.
"People ultimately will go or hang out with those they feel comfortable with. Besides, it gives them something to talk about -- something they share in common," Zhang said.
The College, some students said, is better at promoting diversity than integration. Their role is to create a diverse class, but it cannot ensure that different students will interact.
"The admissions office tries to promote diversity by having special programs," Dartmouth Asian Organization President Nancy Zhao '07 said. "However, whether they promote integration is a different matter."
In an effort to socialize with peers of similar backgrounds, some minority students join affinity houses. These houses can be construed as either physically separating racial minorities or promoting appreciation of diversity. While critics of the houses emphasize their isolationist tendencies, proponents focus on the desire for minorities to socialize with people with a common background -- a situation whites find themselves in more frequently.
While she acknowledged the benefits of affinity housing, Zhang criticized the self-segregation affinity housing causes.
"Yes, we have Native-Americans, Asians, blacks and Hispanics, but they don't hang out with each other when they just stay in their La Casa, Asian Studies Center, Shabazz and the Native-American House," Zhang said.
The College's new admissions brochure quotes College President James Wright, who says, "Dartmouth must be a place of opportunity for students of all backgrounds."
But some students have suggested that affinity houses isolate minorities from the College's many opportunities.
With mixed feelings about affinity housing, La Alianza Latina President Monica Barrera '05 is on the fence.
"They do physically marginalize students from the rest of campus," Barrera said. "However, they provide key support networks and a safe space for students who often feel underrepresented and marginalized in the classroom."
Others see affinity housing and minority groups as a positive force on campus. These organizations help promote respect for other cultures and are not necessarily exclusive, proponents say. They point out that anyone can join these houses, and moreover that fraternities and sororities lack diversity.
Assistant Dean of Student Life Alexander Hernandez-Siegel defended the affinity housing system. They are "designed to promote a residential learning environment for undergraduates based on the theme of the particular house," he said.
"I don't think affinity houses and minority student groups promote diversity or integration, but they do cultivate an appreciation for different cultures," David Satterwhite '07 said.
The focus on racial diversity, some say, ignores other types of diversity.
"I for one believe Dartmouth is very diverse not only in terms of ethnicity and race, but also in ways that people think and interpret day-to-day life," Cabas said.
