At Commons, choosing sides is a daily occurrence

and CHRIS LAKE Vision Staff Writer Every day students who eat in the Class of 1920 Commons make a decision: to sit on the "black" side, or to sit on the "white" side. Most students say they don't care where they sit, as long as they sit with friends. "I guess I can see how people think [Commons] is segregated, but wherever we get a table we eat," said College sophomore Lisa Yelen. "It doesn't matter where it is – we eat anywhere." But what statement is being made by the division that still exists between blacks and whites in the cafeteria? The majority of white students interviewed said it is reasonable for people to sit with people who are like them. "It's kind of understood why two people from the same race who have shared similar experiences would connect," said College sophomore Amy Krissman. "It's not necessarily good, but it's understood." She added that "it's really unfortunate that there's so much segregation on the campus" as a whole. Several white students said they did not even realize that Commons was separated, and one person said he thought the "other" side was designated only for residents of DuBois College House. But white students also expressed concern that separation in Commons is part of a larger campus problem. "The problem doesn't stem from where you eat, it's who you come here with," said College sophomore Suzy Levinson. "This is just the final thing – it goes so much deeper." Black students interviewed said they simply feel more comfortable sitting together, expressing little concern about the division. "People who sit on this side [of the Commons] are people I know, and I feel more comfortable around black people," said College junior Kris Love. "It's always been this way – it just continues." "All my friends are on this side [and] I have no white friends," said Wharton senior Barry Carty. "I can't see myself hanging with them." Whereas this division is often attributed to blacks wanting to separate themselves from whites, black students are quick to point out that the "white" side of the dining hall is equally separated. And over time the separation has evolved into an issue of territory. Black students are used to sitting on one side, and white students are equally used to sitting on the other side. The sides never change. "They've got theirs, we've got ours," Carty said. A glance on any given day reveals many white students sitting on the "black" side, but virtually no black students on the "white side." "It doesn't matter where I sit," said College junior Kevin Welch. "It doesn't bother me that everyone [here] is black." But several students – both black and white – said they would not sit on the other side. "I don't feel I need to integrate," said Wharton sophomore Felix Rouse. "I don't want to talk about rock, I want to talk about rap." A couple of white students added that they have felt uncomfortable while sitting on the "black" side in the past. The issue then arises as to whether the division is a problem that should be changed. And if it is, there seem to be no obvious answers. Several students pointed out that it would be impossible to force "integration" in Commons, because it would violate people's rights and students would be unwilling to alter their daily routine. Others suggested that the phenomenon exists because of the structural setup of the Commons building – two separate large rooms, and lots of small surrounding cubicles. Some people, like Commons Manager John Henkel, had no comment on the situation. Regardless, few students could come up with a way to integrate the Commons. "I thought that Penn would be so diverse – such a good opportunity to meet people," said Krissman. "It hasn't really happened like that at all." "I can't see how you can remedy the situation," she added. "I don't know what they can really do about it."