The Journal of College and University Student Housing - Volume 43, No. 3 - 37

Racism, Power, and Place

Culturally-themed campus housing,
designed to support minoritized
populations, will continuously be
met with opposing and uninformed
perspectives.

Current student demands coupled with
consistent research trends that reveal persistent marginalization of students of color at
PWIs, and the negative perspectives assessed
in this discourse analysis, provide further evidence to support the establishment of culturally-themed campus housing programs like
UCSH. Increasing these housing options will
provide all students the opportunity to learn
about the challenges minoritized populations
face on campus, while also providing students
of color with validating spaces that encourage
their success.
Harper and Hurtado (2007) asserted racial
tensions are probable at PWIs. We support
their assertion and argue that the same sentiments expressed in the online article we
analyzed are present on many college campuses. The CDA revealed critics in opposition
to developing culturally-themed on-campus
housing, despite evidence that PWIs often
promote a negative racial climate and have a
disproportionate effect on racially minoritized
students (Solórzano et al., 2000). The analysis
also revealed racially charged discursive strategies situated in white fragility. It is important
to note that regardless of the commenter's
race, the actual comments were laced with
white, racist ideologies.

While the comments of our analysis relate
to UConn on the micro level, they also symbolize attempts to exercise racial dominance
and social power on the macro level, and may
have repercussions. For example, institutional leaders and residence life administrators might read the comments and choose to
forego efforts like UCSH to avoid backlash or
avoid accusations of promoting segregation.
Similarly, student exposure to the comments
could shape their decision about attending an
institution or campus living options. More importantly, the comments might influence institutional decision-making regarding resources
for racially minoritized students.
Culturally-themed campus housing, designed to support minoritized populations,
will continuously be met with opposing and
uninformed perspectives. Another recent
example occurred at Cal State Los Angeles,
where the Halisi Scholars Black Living-Learning Community received its share of public
scrutiny, particularly accusations of segregated
housing. For our analysis, the opposing viewpoints were offered via anonymous online
commentary. Because a majority of these views
are no longer socially acceptable or considered
politically correct, online commenters can use
anonymity to make racist comments, purport
segregation, and maintain stereotypes of black
inferiority (Hughey & Daniels, 2013). Similar
activities occur when anonymous students
vandalize campus property with racial slurs
and offensive images, or when students use
YikYak and other social media tools to engage
in racist rants and spew threats of violence. In
either instance, anonymity allows individuals to comfortably exercise racial power and
dominance through discourse without fear of

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The Journal of College and University Student Housing - Volume 43, No. 3

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