DuBois panel discusses randomized housing

Students voiced their fears yesterday about losing W. E. B. DuBois College House in light of new discussions regarding University residences that have arisen over the proposed 21st Century Undergraduate Education initiatives. The proposed initiatives currently contain no specific directives regarding the implementation of randomized housing. But the university chapter of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. held a panel discussion entitled "The Crisis of Randomized Housing" in DuBois last night to gauge the opinion of the University community on this very controversial issue. "It's been a major concern," Wharton senior and Zeta Phi Beta corresponding secretary Carla Miller said. "We just wanted to hear different people's vision on the issues, which is what impact randomized housing will have on Low Rise North." The panel consisted of four individuals who are against randomized housing for various reasons. Residential Living Manager of Safety and Security Joe Louis Kirk -- a University alumnus who has been on campus since 1977 -- said he "became appalled" at the idea of randomized housing. He said he feels that DuBois is presently fulfilling its mission statement, which includes exploring African-American tradition and culture. Wharton and College senior Dara Colok, who lived in DuBois her freshman year, was adamantly opposed to the implementation of randomized housing for freshmen. "They want to take it away and they don't want to put anything in its place," she said. "[Students] need a support network." Colok said she would not have liked to live in a mainstream residence when she was a freshman because she would get "tired of educating black culture to a white person -- like explaining why you don't wash your hair every morning." College junior Cardell Orrin said he fears the dismantling of DuBois because it would mean the loss of the college house's comfortable environment. "It's more of a home environment and a center of black activities on campus," he said. "If you want to live around people who think more like you, that should be fine." Others voiced similar sentiments, saying that students should be able to live where they feel the most comfortable -- which may mean not living with students of other races. "You need to be around people like you and you're not going to find that in the Quad," said one participant.

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