Dive Brief:
- The University of Connecticut is facing backlash for a planned living-learning community dedicated to black male student success within NextGen Hall, a 700-student housing complex designed to hold eight learning communities of various themes.
- Connecticut Post reports ScHOLA²RS House, or Scholastic House of Leaders who are African-American Researchers & Scholars, will be open to students of all races, but preference will be given to black or mixed-race underclassmen.
- Black women on campus expressed concern about being left out, and a number of students have called the plan a form of racial segregation and discrimination against whites — but the school has remained committed to the space, which already has about a dozen interested students.
Dive Insight:
In the wave of protests that swept the country this fall, black students fighting for recognition on their campuses have called for more black faculty, black studies programs, and space on campus dedicated to black students. The University of Connecticut’s plan fulfills that desire, and it aligns with research showing black male students are particularly vulnerable to the isolation of being on majority white campuses. On virtually every metric, black men are behind their peers.
A number of colleges and universities have launched targeted initiatives to support this population. In many ways, the impact is small as they only reach the couple dozen students who participate. The better option is systemic change. K-12 schools in the United States are now majority-minority, meaning higher education will soon have to adapt to the country’s changing demographics if postsecondary success is to remain a national goal.