The University advertises itself as a place where diversity flourishes, where students of different backgrounds and races live together, interact regularly and mix openly. But a recent informal survey by The Daily Pennsylvanian of 150 Penn undergraduates showed that 82 percent of the student body considers the University residentially segregated.
But this statistic shocked English Professor and Hill College House Faculty Master Robert Lucid.
“I want to know what they mean by segregation,” he said. “The element of choice operating in the residential assignment system is very great, and the way in which students choose to separate themselves out — I think this is an interesting subject,” Lucid added.
The same survey also showed that 59 percent of the student body was attracted to Penn because of its diversity.
“The University campus is not as diverse as University officials would lead you to think,” said Engineering freshman Steve Shaheen.
And Engineering freshman Lou Camaratta said he agreed.
“It’s diverse only in statistics,” he said. “Once you get here, then you see the Black Student League [and] the Asian Student League and realize that people hang with their own.”
And only 52 percent of students surveyed said they feel that their friendships include a diverse group of people.
“Diversity — what’s that?” asked College sophomore Lisa Joffe.
According to the survey, 46 percent of Penn students believe they live in a residentially segregated area of campus. But Associate Vice Provost for University Life Larry Moneta said that the University is not residentially segregated.
“I think that Penn does a better job than most at encouraging students to choose college houses, first-year houses, theme communities and the like,” he said. He explained that he defines segregation as “an imposed system which prevents people from integrating, and in that sense the University is not segregated at all.”
Lucid said that at Penn, “students sort themselves out according to the freedom of choice.” He noted that Hill House is certainly what he would call a diverse community, based on the choice of the people who live there.
Vice Provost for University Life Valarie Swain-Cade McCoullum emphasized that students should be able to make their own choices about where they live.
“It is very, very important not to characterize Penn — whether it is in a discussion of residential patterns or any other component of academic and university life — by only one measure when we think about our challenges, whether that measure is race, ethnicity, religion or any other aspect of our diverse community,” she said.
But many students expressed concern that allowing freshmen to choose “residentially segregated” programs limits their ability to interact with others.
“To come in as a freshman, I believe random housing would be the best option,” said outgoing Senior Class President and Wharton senior Lenny Chang. “A first-year student comes into the University with a fresh perspective and should have the opportunity to be open to all opportunities at Penn, and having randomized housing would maximize a first year student’s experience.”
“The Ghetto” — The first eight floors of High Rise North
According to College junior Micah Selya, Orthodox Jews live on low floors of the high rises because they cannot take the elevators on the Sabbath. And those who keep kosher have dietary regulations they must keep within their apartments.
Selya, who lives on the fourth floor of High Rise North, explained that the first few floors of his high rise are known as “the ghetto.”
“I look at it as a snowball effect,” he said. “When I was moving from the Quadrangle, I needed a kosher [room] and low floor since I can’t take the elevators.” Selya explained that he moved into a high rise room that an Orthodox friend of his previously occupied. And next year two others “in the same boat” will move in.
High Rise North sixth-floor resident and College and Engineering sophomore Aaron Geller said he does not think the high rise is segregated in the traditional sense.
“I think they are segregated in that certain groups try to live by themselves, but usually when you say segregation there is the connotation that one group is pushing the other into a corner and marginalizing it,” Geller said. “It is true that most of my friends have the same background as I do, and if I was denied the opportunity to live with people who were so much like me, I would be exposed to a much wider range of people,” he added.
Geller noted that he has “certain needs” that can only be met by living with those who have similar needs.
College senior Aaron Ross, who lives on fourth floor of High Rise North, stressed that living in the residences is not the only way to find diversity on campus.
“I came to Penn because there is a supportive Jewish life but that doesn’t preclude anything beyond the Jewish life,” he said. “ The Jewish life is there, but I also have the whole rest of the University in class.”
DuBois College House
Among many students, any discussion of residential segregation ultimately leads to W.E.B. DuBois College House.
“When a black student chooses to live in the DuBois House they automatically limit themselves? into a black world,” College freshman Matthew Stein said. “If there wasn’t the DuBois House, black students would still meet and develop friendships with each other.
“If the black program was abolished, I think it would help create the diverse atmosphere that Penn’s information pamphlets lie about,” he added.
But Wharton senior Jamal Powell, who is president of DuBois’ representative council adamantly disagreed.
“I don’t think Penn is residentially segregated at all,” he said. “I think people choose where they want to live.
“Certain programs focus on different aspects of college life and life in general, such as Modern Languages and Van Pelt, and DuBois is one that focuses on African American literature and culture,” Powell said.
“People choose programs that are appealing to them, not necessarily along racial lines.”
Powell also explained that he is frustrated with the idea that people from DuBois are “expected to go out and socialize with others.”
“No one takes the opportunity to come to DuBois and take the opportunity to find out what we do,” he added. “Yet they are the first ones to criticize DuBois and its existence.”
Powell noted that DuBois has white residents and is no different from any other University college house.
Crawford stressed that African Americans do not only associate with one another.
“It’s not like the whole world will be all black or all white,” he said. “Your friendships depend on you and how friendly a person you are, because I guarantee you will not be in an all-black class.”
Crawford further explained that interaction between different groups depends on the maturity of the student body.
“There has to be contact at some time and if people are open and mature enough to have contact and development then they will do that no matter where they are living,” he said.
Latin American Living Learning Program
The Latin American Living Learning Program consists of two floors in High Rise East. Association of Puerto Rican Students at Penn President Lola Bertolez said she believes that students must choose where they live and should be provided with a variety of choices to fulfill their individual needs.
“One of the goals of the program is to be among people of the same culture and learn about each other’s culture,” the College senior said. “The only requirement is to be interested. You don’t have to be Latin American.”
Bertolez, like Powell, noted that approximately 20 percent of the people on the floors are not Latino.
“Some of them participate in the floor’s activities, but this is the exception,” she added. “It’s definitely a problem that people not from Latin America feel shy to participate.
“The program doesn’t segregate,” Bertolez said. “People segregate.”
Asians in High Rise South
Many students said High Rise South has been dubbed the “Asian” High Rise.
Wharton sophomore and High Rise South resident Eric Lee said he believes that Penn is residentially segregated.
“I don’t think that we intentionally segregate ourselves, but with such a large Penn community and students are really diverse and the first people you meet and feel comfortable with are from own ethnic community,” he said.
“This results in living with people you are most comfortable with.”
And Lee stressed that a chain reaction results, since in the past, many Asians lived in the high rise as freshmen. Also, ethnic organizations allow Asian students to meet other Asians who live in High Rise South.
A resident in High Rise South who requested anonymity explained that it is difficult to live in a residentially segregated area if one does not belong to the predominant group.
“On my floor, they all did community living and so they purposely segregated themselves,” she said. “It’s really hard and I’m not excited to live here.”
The College sophomore noted that she has “been thrown into a totally different culture.” She added that she was placed in a room randomly — and her roommates are also of a different culture than she is.
“There is a total language barrier; my roommates speak Vietnamese,” she said. “I had a fourth roommate who moved out because she couldn’t stand the odorous cooking and the fact that they are not clean. “I don’t want to stereotype but this is what I’ve found,” she added.
