<p>It is an interesting perspective to think schools seek diversity for the benefit of the white students, but pretty self centered of the white students to think so… Most minority groups have historically been shut out of the higher education system, especially the more elite schools. I think many schools admit those students now to help open up the opportunities a top notch education gives to those ethnic groups.</p>
<p>Texas is less than 50% White non-Hispanic. [Texas</a> QuickFacts from the US Census Bureau](<a href=“http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/48000.html]Texas”>http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/48000.html)</p>
<p>For the fun of it. Pick Miami and a Texas city with the same percentage of Hispanics. Are those Cuban Hispanics and those Mexican Hispanics going to be the same? Pick a high percentage Asian west coast city and compare it to a New Jersey one. Will the cultures be at all the same- after all, they are all Asians. Is an Indian the same as a Chinese? Is a Korean, or Japanese, the same? Is a Chicago African American the same as one from a small town in the deep south? I’m mixing geography with ethnicity. Add in religion, socioeconomic status…</p>
<p>We live in an imperfect world. All we can do is try to change some historic injustices. Or at least give the next generation a different, more broad experience.</p>
<p>Top colleges are some of the least diverse places on earth–no matter what their skin tone, most students are 18-22 and have SAT scores in the top 3%. </p>
<p>The most diverse colleges are community colleges and urban commuter universities where you will find a real mix of students.
Most students who give PC lip service to “seeking diversity in their college experience” aren’t signing up for these schools–Do they want to mix with working single parents, retirees, recent immigrants, teenage homeschoolers, below average students taking remedial courses, folks in vocational and job training programs, kids who can’t afford to go away to college, etc.? Nope. True diversity isn’t a priority. </p>
<p>(BTW I have a community college student living with me who is just blown away by the diversity–in ages, life experiences, cultures, etc. at her school.)</p>
<p>Birds of a feather will flock together–doesn’t matter if that is language, culture, social class, style, hobbies, academic talent, sports, etc.–people seek out those they can share a connection with.</p>
<p>My favorite story is when my son’s friends discovered the bottom of his feet where white (while the rest of him is not…). After 17 years with some of the same friends, he can’t get why THEY don’t get he still needs sunscreen. They ALL laugh when they see a police car, and someone suggests he should just “start running”…And we do NOT live in some “inner city”.</p>
<p>
So much wrong here…</p>
<p>I’m pretty sure they went out of business because they were committing felonies - check kiting and money laundering.</p>
<p>And they were taken over by (what was at the time) Shearson-Lehman Brothers.</p>
<p>And just how do you know it was “filled with Ivy League, white guys from the best families” who “got along famously”? And how do you know all the other brokerages at that time weren’t the same?</p>
<p>Yet they somehow managed to avoid committing felonies…</p>
<p>I somehow doubt the presence of some minorities would have saved EF Hutton.</p>
<p>what the hell are you talking about?</p>
<p>vinceh: i’m right there with u on the skepticism. for me, it started with the whole “let’s- look-at-diversity-through-how-it-benefits-white-folks” perspective. something about this doesn’t settle well. smells like ■■■■■■■■.</p>
<p>now back to california: regardless of what the numbers are, this state has a clear racial majority… and it isn’t white.</p>
<p>I teach at an extremely diverse campus. My courses are largely discussion based and projected oriented. Neither the class discussions nor projects would be remotely as educational if not for the diversity of the student body.</p>
<p><<it is=“” an=“” interesting=“” perspective=“” to=“” think=“” schools=“” seek=“” diversity=“” for=“” the=“” benefit=“” of=“” white=“” students,=“” but=“” pretty=“” self=“” centered=“” students=“” so…=“” most=“” minority=“” groups=“” have=“” historically=“” been=“” shut=“” out=“” higher=“” education=“” system,=“” especially=“” more=“” elite=“” schools.=“” i=“” many=“” admit=“” those=“” now=“” help=“” open=“” up=“” opportunities=“” a=“” top=“” notch=“” gives=“” ethnic=“” groups.=“”>></it></p>
<p>But elite schools have been aggressively seeking URMs for the past 40 years. And I wholeheartedly agree that universities should want to create the leaders of tomorrow by offering URMs a top notch education. But I would imagine that the institution is also desirous of providing a richer, multiethnic college experience for their often sheltered white students.</p>
<p>I think diversity is a laudable institutional goal, and personally, I would hesitate sending my kids to a school with little diversity.</p>
<p>I have read countless stories of the frustrations and laments of students at highly diverse institutions, who say that the diversity at their school is superficial, that URMs self-segregate in the dining halls and in even in the classrooms and other places of social and educational discourse and that many schools promote this segregation by offering cultural dorms that attract primarily one URM group.</p>
<p>"this state has a clear racial majority… and it isn’t white. "</p>
<p>What is it?</p>
<p>New Mexico is another state that does not have a clear majority.</p>
<p>[New</a> Mexico QuickFacts from the US Census Bureau](<a href=“http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/35000.html]New”>http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/35000.html)</p>
<p>We are 40% white, 46% Hispanic (the preferred term in our state), 10% Native American, 3% black and 2% Asian. </p>
<p>Here, Anglos [i,e, English speakers] refers to both blacks and whites without distinction. And the term “Indian” elicts the question “What pueblo?” rather than referring to someone who is Asian.</p>
<p>Why is diversity sought after?</p>
<p>Man, you need to get out more. The world is larger than you and the people on your street.</p>
<p>vinceh: I’m certain you’re right!!!</p>
<p>the diversity topic is one that appears on many college supplements. UMichigan had something about it last year. This year, it’s this:
</p>
<p>I think the whole diversity thing is a joke. During our college tours the last two years we found an amazing amount of self-segregation on campus. In the dining areas the tables showed little racial mixing. There are fraternities and clubs limited to one race or religion. </p>
<p>When I’ve asked recent grads about their experiences with diversity they start off by saying that their college was great because of diversity. When pushed for specifics they usually say that they have one Asian or black friend who grew up middle class and whose parents are thoroughly Americanized. </p>
<p>It is the university’s job to teach students from a curriculum, not to expect that middle class and wealthy kids will spend all their spare time for four years trying to learn everything they can about each others’ grandparents.</p>
<p>"When pushed for specifics they usually say that they have one Asian or black friend who grew up middle class and whose parents are thoroughly Americanized. "</p>
<p>I wonder if pushing for specifics could miss the point. I wonder if my (black) kids THINK their parents are “thoroughly Americanized”. Money? Yes. Americanized? No. No way.</p>
<p>Also good; plenty came this way this summer. Hip hop and corn salad!</p>
<p>NewHope, I do not wish to jump conclusions, but did you read my original post? Did you read my second post? </p>
<p>And, by the way, I suppose get out as much as the average person. But maybe not as much as you. And what you suspect is true. There isnt a heck of a lot of diversity in my town. Everyone looks and sounds exactly the same. Everyone is Asian, and no one speaks English.</p>
<p>tama - Actually I did read them. I simply felt that those posts addressed the wrong question … i.e., if groups self segregate at colleges that attempt diversity, then why not let them self-segregate in different schools? (Please forgive the paraphrase.) The issue isn’t whether diversity is beneficial … the issue is at which point in their lives people realize its value.</p>
<p>BTW, the promise of diversity is a double-edged sword. Yes, it means you and I would be better persons if we took into account what’s important to other groups. But it also means other groups should be equally sensitive to what’s important to you and me. JMHO, but I’d say we’re still in early innings of this “diversity game.”</p>
<p>^^
Agree. And maybe I’m naive, but my hope is that ultimately we would start seeing each other primarily as individuals, rather than as members of groups.</p>
<p>First of all, I hardly believe that diversity is set up to “educate” the white kids. I also don’t see self-segregation as a problem. I can be incredibly uncomfortable coming into an environment where no one else looks like you. Everyone wants to feel like they have a place to fit in. Every race has its own little quirks that only people of their race really understand. As a black female, I have to sleep with a silk scarf on my head. If I’m around people of other races, I usually put a hoodie over my scarf because they look at me like I’m crazy. If I’m around other black people, I just wear my scarf because they understand.</p>