What are your thoughts on political diversity? The need for it at Oxy? Occidental currently has a very left-leaning feel to it and, in fact, is pretty devoid of any moderate/right leaning clubs and groups. For the sake of diversity I am curious how this makes you feel as a prospective student at Oxy.
That would be the same as 99% of LACs… why call out Oxy?
I suppose because it’s the place my daughter is most interested in. Many of the students there tout how diverse it is and I suppose I question that based on, well…lack of political diversity
I don’t think you are going to stir up a revolution of right leaning applicants to join the cause. It is what it is. Schools your D might consider with more of a centerist or right leaning student body (assuming this is her desire, not just that of her parents) - Rhodes, Elon, Davidson, Pepperdine, Rose-Hulman (if she has STEM interest), Sewanee, Furman, Trinity (TX).
You’re probably right. We actually are pushing for Oxy (she’s been struggling between it and UCLA). I think it provides a great education just wish it was more balanced. As a family we are more moderate but I’m confident she will do well wherever she goes
I agree @michpadams. D and I are touring LA schools this week. Walking the campus, I did see a diverse student body. In our short time on campus, I noticed asians were hanging with asians and AA’s with the other AA’s. Oxy may tout diversity, but I noticed the present but separate mentality on campus.
We’re all quite liberal-leaning politically. Anytime there is group-think, it can be a problem.
As a current student, I can say Oxy is 90% liberal. If you’re moderate-leaning you will definitely feel marginalized here. One of the main reasons why students transfer. Oxy may be liberal and tout inclusivity, but the campus definitely makes moderates and conservatives feel uneasy and uncomfortable. Oxy is not the place for non-liberals.
Though liberal, I don’t think people feel marginalized. The Intervarsity group is quite strong on campus (Christian Fellowship)
That is worrisome. I would think with a campus focused on diversity and inclusivity, tolerance for individual thinking would be embraced.
My son plans to attend in the fall and I have similar concerns. We realize he will be in the minority, but he is prepared for and okay with that. I am hopeful that he will find his niche.
My daughter has decided to enroll. Perhaps they will find each other since it sounds like they’re like minded 
A taste of the current atmosphere and Oxy’s feeble attempts to make it more politically diverse…
http://occidentalweekly.com/news/2016/03/29/republican-club-diversifies-campus-political-discourse/
Ox is definitely more left leaning as are many LAC. Our daughter is a sophomore at Oxy. She is a tree hugging lefty but her close friend group is fairly evenly mixed between conservatives and liberals, and is fairly racially diverse. You can find whatever you are looking for on any campus.
As noted in the Oxy Weekly from last week, there is a Republican club on campus that boasts 7 members. If there are more conservatives on campus, they are likely avoiding association with the Republican club for fear of being called out by the majority far left of campus.
Daughters are probably OK. Sons should be careful as the left-leaning atmosphere can lead to unfair accusations of sexual assault. A sociology professor there said that boys with high GPAs, on sports teams or from good families “fit the profile” of rapists, and the rest of the faculty seem to back her up. Google Occidental, “John Doe” and rape for more details.
Issues with sexual assault and accused challenging college decisions are not limited by any means to Oxy. To say that Oxy’s liberal leaning campus and the one John Doe case mean that male students “should be careful” is really over the top. Please bring up campus issues but refrain from making such inflammatory connections.
I’ve researched the issue and found that it’s really no different than every other campus. It’s tricky and it DOES appear that Oxy didn’t address it as they probably should have. If I were going to dissect every campus for flaws my daughter probably wouldn’t be going to college
I am transferring out of Oxy for several reasons, one being the lack of political diversity. During the Black Lives Matter protests on campus last fall (which turned aggressive, maybe partly due to the LA activists brought onto campus by Oxy students promoting the protest), students that were not participating in the sit in, march to the President’s house, or march to the Alumni Center were verbally abused -myself included. Because Oxy is so small, it is very apparent when a student chooses to not participate in political protests or other similar events on campus. Students will most definitely be called out for their lack of participation, and the far left liberals on campus were quick to assign labels to those who did not participate (to non-participating students of color, too) during the fall protests.
The liberal students at Oxy, the vast majority of the student population, are of the mindset that liberal = right and open minded. I consider myself a liberal, but I do not refuse to associate with conservatives and love having open minded conversations with people who have different beliefs and opinions than I do. However, when I try to do this at Oxy, I have been called names and labelled several times by many people -including who I thought were close friends.
Oxy is left leaning, and the majority of students I have come across are mean liberals. If you are liberal-minded, have a strong disdain for conservatives, and wish to be surrounded by people who think exactly the same as you do, Oxy is the place for you. However, for students who do not necessarily want to be surrounded by like-minded people 24/7 for the sake of expanding horizons/engaging in civil conversations/remain open minded to all beliefs, Oxy will not be the best fit for you.
I have recently been touring other colleges as I make my transfer decision, and am extremely happy to find that “every other campus” is not like Oxy. I look forward to continuing my studies at another institution that, among other things, has a well-balanced politically diverse student body that is not so hostile towards differing beliefs.
^^ Just curious, to which campuses are you considering transferring?
I am transferring to a school in Washington D.C.
To be clear, I am not averse to politics or political discussions. I just appreciate being surrounded by people of various backgrounds and beliefs, which Oxy does not offer.