As many criticisms as I have of academia, I honestly can't believe that it is a racist institution-. certainly not directed towards African-Americans. True, we all want to see more blacks in college and we want them to succeed in college. Today, universities are bending over backwards to be welcoming and accommodating to African-American students. True, there will always be isolated incidents by some knuckleheads, but I do believe they are rare. (Oops. I guess that puts me in violation of UC Irvine's new policy of not saying that acts of racism are rare. Acts of anti-Semitism are hardly rare.)
Among all the universities emulating the University of Missouri, Eastern Michigan University must stand out. At a conference dedicated to "Institutional Racism in Higher Education", a list of demands were presented that are eye opening.
http://www.easternecho.com/article/2015/11/black-student-demands
Black Homecoming? Really? I'll bet the KKK would be happy to sign off on some of those demands.
Here is my point: Anything that smacks of segregation I am against. Having things like black dorms, black study areas, and anything else limited to ethnic groups is taking our society backwards. Furthermore, in my view, these ethnic studies departments and majors don't prepare students for anything other than to become professors and teach the next generation.
I don't know anything about the situation at Eastern Michigan University, but we are drifting too much into tribalization of our society, and it is divisive.
Hey! I have an idea. How about a color-blind campus?
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