I recently read a Q&A thread on CC from a freshman at Oxy (http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/occidental-college/1094272-im-a-current-freshman-at-oxy.html) In the thread the OP states that the lack of diversity at Oxy (especially in the black community) is the main reason for her wanting to transfer. She says that as a black female she ran in to difficulty forming friendships due to the prevalence of racism on campus and dating (even stating that ~75% of black men at Oxy are gay). I realize that this post was made in 2011, but is it still relevant?
I don’t mean to come across as shallow, but as a black female, this concerns me. I would really appreciate your honest opinions about diversity/dating scene at Oxy.
According to Oxy’s latest incoming freshmen class statistics, 53% of students admitted were students of color/non-white. Oxy prides itself on its diversity. The protests last Fall definitely shed a lot of light on any issues being faced by the African American community here. The administration agreed to nearly all of the protesters’ demands, and significant steps have been taken to stomp out any racism on campus. I do not think anyone here has any problems forming friendships unless you are a conservative white person. Oxy’s student body is extremely liberal and extremely supportive of everyone else who is liberal or is a person of color. Unfortunately, due to the world we live in, a completely non-racist campus or student body is probably hard to come by. But Oxy comes pretty darn close. So I would say yes, that post is outdated, and that Oxy is an extremely tolerant community for students of color and the LGBTQI spectrum.
Additionally, Oxy’s “Students United for Black Liberation” is an extremely popular and vocal group on campus, and there are several cultural and historical appreciation events (for African Americans, other ethnic groups, and various sexual orientations) that go on throughout the year. Oxy students are very cognizant of the diversity of their campus and definitely try to make sure everyone on campus is educated about any issues that other students may be experiencing.
This is hard for me to believe. Oxy consistently ranks as one of the most diverse LACs in the country.
Although this article is a few years old, I found it interesting regarding diversity at Oxy, as expressed by their past presidents.
http://www.oxy.edu/magazine/summer-2012/life-after-100
Occidental College is actually very diverse, although the percentage of people of color may not seem very high due to the small number of people on campus (roughly 2,000). As a black female at Oxy, in my first year, I personally didn’t have any problems with racism on campus. While there may be occasional comments (which will be at any institution, regardless of how diverse it is), people will call you out and address any comments or actions that may make others uncomfortable. In terms of dating, there’s no basis for that statistic and seems a bit problematic to assume the sexual orientation of that many students on campus. If you want to date, there are people you can date. If you don’t want to date, that’s fine too. There are also other schools nearby to meet new people or if you find the pool on campus limiting.