racism??

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of Southern California
1

<p>so... personally, I LOVE USC, I can't think of a better school to fit my career path {since I want to go into screenwriting}. I am a black female and I've heard many accounts of an absurd amount of racism on campus. I've heard that there are even some frat parties that don't allow in black people and that some professors are overtly racist...</p>

<p>can someone please straighten this up for me? ..I know that no matter what college I go to, I'm going to experience a tad bit of racism, but I don't want it to be to the extent that I can't even get into parties during my weekends because of my skin color!!</p>

2

<p>There has in the past been problems with some of the fraternities. Their actions were not well-received by other students. Note that this occurred in 2005.</p>

<p>LA</a> Weekly - News - Partying Out of Bounds? - Christine Pelisek - The Essential Online Resource for Los Angeles </p>

<p>My son never mentioned any problems with professors.</p>

3

<p>thanks so much for the article, I really appreciate your reply!
I understand that it happened in 2005, but it's still extremely disturbing.</p>

4

<p>The whole story paints a disgusting picture. 2005 is not that long ago, I am sure that crap like this continues on Fraternity Row (and elsewhere) to this day, perhaps not as overt. Three years is just not enough for a meaningful change without action more serious than issuing yet another policy. The recent OD incident at New/North and the continued excessive drinking at that dorm without any meaningful action by the administration to curtail what is by law an illegal activity shows a serious lack of will.</p>

<p>Don't get me wrong, I am no prude, and I think that liquor laws and the general attitude towards alcohol in the US is ridiculous and smacks of prohibition and puritanism. However, the law is the law whether I like it or not, and it is the administration's job to make at least a nominal effort to enforce it.</p>

5

<p>As a minority, that's really scary. :(
I still love USC but that is horrible</p>

6

<p>This is going to be controversial. If you are sensitive and cannot hear an opinion from the other side without getting upset, please do not keep reading. </p>

<p>Just talked to my son who graduated in 2006. He saw this party referenced in the article but he is not in that frat. I'm passing on what my son told me. </p>

<p>He told me that frat is an international Jewish Fraternity. That particular chapter happens to have quite a few Mexican Jewish members. The theme was done with that in mind: the Mexicans in the house were involved.</p>

<p>It is very difficult to say this well because there is an over sensitivity to this subject. This particular article is written on one side and can really be looked at differently. The article really is biased and unfairly portraying and attacking. My son said that no one he knows is racist and and that if anyone thinks there is racism, it is sad because it is part of the victim mentality. The frat scene really is all-inclusive. If you feel racism, it is coming from inside of you, not from those around you. My sons frat was very diverse. They are all brothers for life. No one is treated different because of race, color, nationality, etc.</p>

<p>There is always the possibility that racism occurs. It is just not overt or to any point near absurdity. It is not the norm at USC. This article really is unfair, inciting, one-sided, and full of hyperbole. It is also very difficult to criticize because this is such a pc subject that normally is hand-off. There is often a knee-jerk response calling out for racism when it is not there at all.</p>

<p>Of course this is one student's opinion. But son #2 is at USC now and also has not seen it. Two of his close friends are Jewish Mexicans and two other close friends are from Sri Lanka. Racism is not any part of his or his friend's vocabulary. As long as they want to play Wii, they can be friends.</p>

<p>This was hard to write and I should probably edit it a little more but I'm just going to post it and ... oh well. I don't mean this in a strong argumentative voice. I should put smilie faces all throughout because I'm trying to just pass on an opinion without inciting any anger. Sorry in advance if I did not communicate well. :) I just couldn't let this thread stand without a offense on the OP's post.</p>

7

<p>I've never heard of frat parties that don't allow black people in them. And a frat will rarely, if ever, deny a girl access to their parties. For guys in general its a lot harder to get into parties. For registered parties, like the one mentioned in the article, guys have to be on the list. Registered parties are also required to have fences set up around them, which have black plastic trash bags on them so you can't see inside. Most of the time frats will decorate them like the one mentioned in the article. I know guys in AEPi, and they really never meant for that party to be offensive in any way.</p>

8

<p>nathanie,
Can you tell us what did you hear, who did you hear from? As fas as I've known, your charge is completely unfounded and unfair, especially the professor part. As an international student at USC, I felt a little slighted by an office assistant from my department only once in about 4 years. Other than that, people I have known here are truly embracing the diversity of this university. Professors actually want to have minority people in their labs, as long as you qualify. There is no perfect place, and racism may very hard go away completely. But it is also hard to imagine there are Universities in the U.S. having "many accounts of an absurd amount of racism on campus". Unbelievable ......</p>

9

<p>I'd like to follow-up my original contribution, which included the link above.</p>

<p>My son was involved in progressive campus politics, and I am very sensitive to your issues because of my work, and other than the matter in the article, which appears to me to be totally unrepresentative of the campus, I am not aware of any other serious incidents. </p>

<p>USC portrays itself as a university that attracts a diverse population both economically and racially/ethnically. The data bears them out. If you don't come you'll miss this guy, one of my son's favorite professors:</p>

<p>People</a> At USC
CET:</a> Awards and Grants: Awards for Excellence in Teaching: The Associates Award for Excellence in Teaching: Winners: 2008</p>

<p>Why don't you e-mail him with your concerns: <a href="mailto:tboyd@cinema.usc.edu">tboyd@cinema.usc.edu</a></p>

10

<p>It has taken me a bit of thinking to figure out how I wanted to respond to this thread. I remember discussing that article when I was about to go to USC as a freshman three years ago. I was disturbed by the story, but decided to judge based on my own experiences. </p>

<p>I have found USC to be very tolerant of differences. Students seem to look past initial impressions to really get to know each other. I have friends from many different backgrounds, and that seems to be pretty normal. I certainly haven't witnessed any sort of racism in the classroom, and that would anger all of the students at USC, not just the ones insulted. </p>

<p>There are several policies at USC aimed at dealing with any sort of hate crimes. One of them is called Bias Reporting. It is an anonymous process that any student can use to report an incident. It was widely advertised in the dorms last year- each RA had a poster on their door about it. </p>

<p>Here is the website, available to all students, discussing what USC does to stop racism and other attacks.</p>

<p>Residential</a> Education</p>

11

<p>What needs to be understood here is that the frat kids responsible for the "decorations" in the party were indeed expressing an opinion and expressing their feelings (even if done without "intent of harm").
The props at the party were not only racist, but also incredibly insensitive towards less privileged Mexicans, whom are likely to have parents or other family members who did have to climb or somehow cross the US-Mexican fence to come to the US.
I am certain that the "privileged-tuition-paying Mexican-Jewish" frat members do not consider themselves part of that crowd.
That speaks a lot about the socioeconomic system in Latin America....but that..... is a whole different story.</p>

12

<p>The search for racism lurking around every corner is the modern-day equivalent of the puritan witch trials. </p>

<p>It was a themed party. The theme was Mexico. They tried to recreate the Mexican border to fit the theme. </p>

<p>Most fraternities have guest lists for parties, and if they don’t, you need a friend in the house to let you in. This guy apparently wasn’t on the guest list and didn’t know anyone in AEPi, so he couldn’t get in. It had nothing to do with his accent, his race, or anything else like that. </p>

<p>And university policy required fences at registered parties. It’s considered a security precaution – to keep out potential rapists and random high school kids who want to experience a college party. </p>

<p>Ironically, many of you are engaging in patently unfair stereotyping. Just as all black people aren’t gang members, all fraternity members are not rich, privileged racists.</p>

<p>Political correctness is not harmless or victimless. When you lightly throw around invectives like “racist,” you trivialize its meaning, and thereby trivialize the genuine tragedy of real racism. Moreover, you unfairly malign AEPi’s members.</p>

<p>By assuming that people who are “privileged” are also racist or prejudiced, you coat over the nuances of humanity. People are not a function of their upbringing. Being rich and white does not make you a snob or an ethically-inferior being. </p>

<p>When you make these subtle yet sweeping allegations, you engage in the very same fallacious thinking as the racists you decry – you dehumanize people. You stereotype them based on their background. You set aside the nuances of individuality, instead embracing Marxist notions of class determinism. </p>

<p>AEPi is filled with good guys, and they held an innocent party themed after a popular spring break destinations. End of story. This article is a hit piece, and this discussion is much ado about nothing.</p>

13

<p>^ Nicely put.</p>

14

<p>Yea I'm going to have to call shenanigans about this racist feeling creeping throughout the campus. Attending orientation there were people from everywhere, I met a girl from Malaysia and a kid from Alaska. Most people got along fine and didn't really give a damn what color anyone was.</p>

<p>Besides, this is a FRATERNITY. Just because some drunk b**** was trashed outside doesn't mean she's speaking for an entire organization of people she's not even in.</p>

<p>And don't give me any nonsense about being privileged, white or rich. I'm a black kid who lives in a suburb with a mom and stepdad who are struggling to pay a mortgage on one income right now, so don't try to pass off that BS on me.</p>

<p>Stressed spits the truth, when you call all these microscopic nuances racism it really does turn it into a joke rather than something to be considered serious.</p>

15

<p>Yay- I'm glad to see so many students taking offense to the OP's notion and citing experiences and sharing opinions to show otherwise. </p>

<p>
[quote]
I've heard many accounts of an absurd amount of racism on campus. I've heard that there are even some frat parties that don't allow in black people and that some professors are overtly racist...

[/quote]
</p>

<p>nathanie- I hope you will take the time to tell us where you heard this. Or at least please read the responses here.</p>

16

<p>To make myself clear:
1. I do not think racism and xenophobia are rampant are USC. As a matter of fact USC is very diverse and I find the student/faculty/staff body non-discriminatory and actually routinely going out of its way to make the campus welcoming to all. That is one of the reasons why D is attending.
2. I do not believe for a minute that all privileged, white (or any other color) people are racist. As a matter or fact MOST are not.
3. I DO believe that what happened in that Greek party was WRONG. The people (students) who were involved in setting up the mock "Mexican fence" and were complacent, were either racist, insensitive or incredibly apathetic and ignorant.</p>

17

<p>I also want to clarify a little bit about my one experience of "being slighted". I do not think the guy who did it is a racist. On the contrary, he is also a minority (a minority can be a racist though) . The incident could be due to the inexplicable office politics, or I really got on his nerve. </p>

<p>At nowadays, if you, as a professor, openly show any bit of racism on the campus of a major American university, you pretty much kill your professional career there.</p>

18

<p>Just a small anecdote: my daughter will be a jr. this year and as a freshman her dorm floor had every ethnicity you could think of, with students from a number of countries and states. It was a wonderful experience and they all got along great (had dinner together Sunday nights, etc.). </p>

<p>USC, by all accounts, has one of the most "diverse" campuses around, including a high percentage of international students, and I can't imagine it being an environment where anyone would be uncomfortable. There may be individual jerks scattered here and there, but you're going to find them anywhere in the world.</p>

19

<p>To add to what PBk mom said, I think that if you ask most kids they would laugh at that notion. For example, my orientation group was me (black) someone else from greece, a girl from albania, kentucky, an asian dude who I became real close with from Maryland, a middle east and spanish kid from california and that girl from Malaysia and her friend from somewhere. </p>

<p>In the dorms it was more of the same. Had you came upstairs to see us watching the game you wouldve literally seen probably more than 50% of the World's races there. Black, white, asian, middle eastern asian, european, etc etc.</p>

<p>To be honest, I'm more worried about not having enough time to meet so many different people, not how I can exclude myself from them. There aren't too many people with that mentality of excluding themselves at USC that I know of.</p>

20

<p>Interesting that the OP never responded. She apparently liked trolling and dropping bait. She did it on the Vassar forum also.</p>

<p>Glad most seem to agree here: there is no "absurd amount of racism on campus."</p>