General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Black men only: UConn's proposed 'learning community' sparks controversy [View all]Behind the Aegis
(53,956 posts)Personally, if students have asked for this, I support it. Often, minority groups do this informally, when it is done in a structured way, it allows for extra programming geared toward a specific group which is additional education, IMO. When I was a residence hall coordinator, I had a building which had an "Umoja house", but mine was mixed (male and female). We hired a very specific RA for the floor and certain requirements were put in place. We had a very good return rate. Higher than most floors and one of the few floors which had a waiting list, and never an open room.
Universities have gender specific halls, the freshman-only halls, they have athletic halls, so why not groups which are underrepresented or have requested such a space? Keep in mind such spaces aren't about "keep others out" but rather about building community from within.