Pauley Hall

Will somebody please tell me why we have a residence hall on campus that supports the segregation of students based on their ethnic backgrounds? For the past year and a half at Oxy, I have sat back and haven’t said a word about this. But I refuse to sit in silence anymore. From my understanding, the purpose of Pauley Hall is to allow students of color to feel more comfortable in their daily settings. This is not what the current residents of Pauley believe. The other day I met with a professor in Pauley. I approached the hall with an open mind. I may not have agreed with the message such a dormitory sent, but I wanted to be respectful of their preferences. I was immediately disturbed when I noticed some of the peculiar looks I received from the Latino students who lived there. It was like they were saying, “Who are you, and what the hell are you doing here, Whitey? You already have the rest of the campus to inhabit, so why are you here trying to fit in our dorm?” Such looks and faces left me flabbergasted and utterly sickened. After all, we are all unaccomplished college students still trying to find our identity and passion in life. Although no component of me was attempting to fit in (I was simply asking around of the location of Prof Mills), the thought that Pauley Hall was “their hall,” very much irritated me. Whether it’s my sheltered life or not, I do cannot comprehend why a young person would want to avoid the social education that the college experience offers to simply feel better and more comfortable in their own dorm. Such an experience and outlook will not benefit you post undergrad when you enter the workforce and deal with people of completely different socio-economic backgrounds. Good luck…