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The minority experience: Isolation tempered by success

Abstract:
Though feelings of isolation pervade among minorities, they still find high levels of support and success. But soft lines of social separation persist nonetheless, making for a campus divide....

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Anon

posted 4/24/07 @ 9:04 PM EST

I don't understand why Brandeis should have to appologize for being Jewish. Brandeis was founded when the Jewish community stepped up to provide an excellent University to Jewish students who were being blocked from the Ivy League schools due to their racial quotas. It is funded almost entirely by the Jewish Community. It is a gift of the Jewish community to the American higher education system, and I think all of us who are here and are not Jewish should be grateful to the Jewish Community to providing us with this school and our education. Yes, Brandeis should seek and support diversity on campus because of its committment to Social Justice and as a way to provide a more expansive college experience to all its Students. But it has every right to seek to address the needs of its Jewish students (Kosher Dining) and to express its Jewish identity (Hebrew on the seal). Also, I think its a good experience for those of us who are in the majority elsewhere to experience being a minority. For those who are always in the minority, I think they may find if they reach out that they have a pretty understanding majority here - since the majority here knows what it is like to be a (persecuted) minority. Either way, as long as the Jewish community is footing the bills, its silly to expect the school to be anything but Jewish culturally.
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Lindsay

posted 5/02/07 @ 7:03 PM EST

I agree that it is foolish to characterize Brandeis as somehow divisive for having Kosher Dining options; when half the school has one set of dietary restrictions it makes sense to accomidate them. I also agree that the Hebrew on the seal speaks to Brandeis's history. However, your assertion that "all of us who are here and are not Jewish should be grateful to the Jewish Community to providing us with this school and our education" is rathere excessive. Am I glad that this school was founded? Certainly, but I and most of my classmates are paying good money to be here; the education being provided for us is hardly free. Also, asking that all the non-jewish students (and only the non-jewish students) be grateful to all the jewish people because of Brandeis is hardly fair. How about asking everyone, jewish or not, to be glad that when the founders said "hey, let's start a college" they followed through, and that we do have plenty of individuals who donate, and leave it at that.
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Alex

posted 4/24/07 @ 10:36 PM EST

Very well done, both in its reporting and writing. Also, the people quoted should feel good that they helped get this issue out in the open.
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Chris

posted 4/25/07 @ 2:11 AM EST

I think that this article was a much needed intiative on sparking dialogue about diversity on campus. For those who criticize the article, think about what you are criticizing.... this article is not meant to be a description of diversity overall on campus, but rather the opinions of students who feel under represented in different situations on campus. Overall, this may not seem like a pressing issue, but as a community we should try to make it so that no student should feel uncomfortable in any situation, whether it be race, religion, sexuality and gender, etc. Race is the focus of this article, but we need to understand that though diversity is encompassing of many other aspects.... Race is a very VISIBLE and limiting aspect of diversity. In other words, disability, sexuality, diversity of thought, religion, etc can occur in people of all races and so there are no real visible identifiers for each category, but for race, skin color is an envitable identifier for the most part.
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Lili

posted 4/25/07 @ 11:38 AM EST

Great job! I am very impressed by the article and the author's courage to talk so extensively about what I consider an important and sensitive issue at Brandeis. I dont think that that the article is criticizing Brandeis for being Jewish nor is it blaming anyone for the dynamic of the campus. Instead, the article is bringing light to the feelings and experiences of many students of color, who often find themselves in uncomfortable situations mostly due to their skin color/race. In my opinion, this article is an effective way to educate everyone and spark dialogue about issues of race on campus.
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Marty

posted 4/25/07 @ 2:42 PM EST

This article is an extremely well-written analysis that deserves respectful consideration. If one accepts the legitimacy of the identified problem, then what can one person do to help improve things? Although "majority" students are not personally responsible for fixing the isolation that some or all "minority" students experience on campus, each majority student can choose to make a small tangible effort towards improving the campus climate experienced by minority students. For example, the members of majority dominated performance group can choose to take the initiative to attend a minority students' club or performance, then invite that group to attend one of their performances. Performance-related groups are quite capable of respecting and being inspired by creative expressions that have a look or sound or feel that is different from their own.
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Anonymous

posted 4/25/07 @ 4:00 PM EST

I think that this article makes the same assumption I've seen over and over again at Brandeis--if you're white you must be rich. As a student from a poor, white family I often feel left out of all groups. I don't fit in with the predominantly rich white students because I'm poor, and I don't fit in with the minority groups because I'm white. At least the racial minority students have active groups on-campus where they can find people they can relate to. Poor white students have no such resource.
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Jon

posted 4/26/07 @ 11:46 PM EST

This article does what many people do when they refer to the Jewish majority as if it's a cohesive whole with no division at all. How many Orthodox Jews do you see hang out with non-Orthodox Jews or vice versa? Brandeis's Jewish population is deeper than simply "Jew".
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Ria Roberts

posted 4/27/07 @ 12:33 AM EST

I am NOT afarid of white people as stated in this article. I never told the journalist such a thing ,he took my quote that "I am used to be by myself" and make it seems like am a hermit and a racist and I am extremely upset by this so I just wanted the public to know the truth. When I said that quote, I simply meant that I am never the type to be in a large crowd, I like to be by self at times is that a crime?I have many friend of different ethnicities at Brandeis and I am enjoying my experience here. Ria Roberts'10.

Editor's Note: Ms. Roberts confirmed the accuracy of both the quote and the context in which it was used prior to publication.
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Jessica Wood

posted 4/30/07 @ 10:51 PM EST

Regardless of the supposed confirmation of the accuracy and context of the statement made by Ria Roberts in this article, it clearly upseted not only the quoted young lady, but many of her friends, who know that Ria is open to opinions and ideas from anyone. Her clear attempts to contact the author of the article, requesting that he offer an apology should warrant her one. A well established publication like 'the Justice' should appreciate its readers, and not force many to harbor resentment towards a paper which caused extreme turmoil for a wonderful yound woman. If 'the Justice' claims Ms. Roberts confirmed the quotation and context, then I am sure they have evidence of such, but an apology, whether formal or informal, should be issued.
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Michael Schakow '01, MA '01

posted 5/01/07 @ 2:59 PM EST

This is one of the finest examples of journalism I have seen, ever. National media included. Honestly, Dan Hirschhorn, this is an incredible achievement. Six years after I departed the campus, this sounds exactly like the situation when I left. Although I have to say, I think there is much reason for optimism and cause for celebration at the state of affairs now. Brandeis is tackling one of the toughest issues of contemporary American society head-on, and that is a credit to its Jewish heritage, not a blemish. As the article appropriately highlights, Brandeis is unique and special in its interplay between majority-minority and minority-majority populations. There aren't many analogous places anywhere in the U.S. What better place for feelings to bubble to the surface and real understanding to begin. There is no reason to run from this.
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