California State University Los Angeles has debuted segregated housing available to students who “identify as Black/African American.”
The Halsi Scholars Black Living-Learning Community has opened approximately nine months after the CSULA Black Student Union issued a list of demands to the university, including a “Black student only” living space with a “full time Resident Director who can cater to the needs of Black students.”
The list of demands states, “Many Black CSLA students cannot afford to live in Alhambra or the surrounding area with the high prices of rent. A CSLA housing space delegated for Black students would provide a cheaper alternative housing solution for Black students. This space would also serve as a safe space for Black CSLA students to congregate, connect, and learn from each other.”
In an email to College Fix, CSULA spokesperson Robert Lopez described the living space as a community that “focuses on academic excellence and learning experiences that are inclusive and non-discriminatory.”
CSULA Housing Services claims the black student living community “is designed to enhance the residential experience for students who are a part of or interested in issues of concern to the black community living on campus by offering the opportunity to connect with faculty and peers, and engage in programs that focus on academic success, cultural awareness, and civic engagement.”
The CSULA Black Student Union posted to Instagram celebrating the segregated student living option, calling it an achievement that is “long overdue, but well deserved.”
Prior to the universities removal of the Halisi housing application online, Young America’s Foundation obtained the requirements students must agree to in order to reside in the community, including:
- Respect the differences of others that live in my community and look for positive thing to learn from them
- Be an advocate for change if the tools and resources available are deemed inadequate
- Accept that I am still learning and need to be open to new ideas and experiences
Ironically enough, the group of students celebrating the new living community and its standards of respect and open-minded thinking are the same students that protested and refused to tolerate conservative speaker Ben Shapiro during his event at CSULA this past February.
According to CSULA, The Halisi living community is now full and no longer accepting applications for the fall 2016 semester.