New special interest housing approved

Soon, students will be able to live in a house with the specific purpose of accepting people of all races, religious backgrounds, and sexual orientations. "Unity House", name subject to change, was recently approved by Residential Services, and shall serve as a gathering place for minorities on campus. This new residential option will join Healthy Alternatives, the World House as a place promising to help students undertake positive experiences.

Unity House came about from the efforts of several student organizations, including Bi lesbian and Gay Alliance and the Excellence in Mathematics, Science, and Engineering Program (EMSEP). Two of the students who have championed the effort are Jess Pack, an SGA senator, and Joey Bufanda, a member of EMSEP. They have worked for much of the school year on the idea, coordinating the efforts of several minority groups on campus and drafting a proposal to bring forward to the administration. They have earned support from many administrators, including Mary Cox, Director of Healthy Alternatives; Dawn Johnson from the Minority Affairs Office; and Yolonda King and Tracy Cree from Residential Services.

Reasons why so many people feel Unity House is necessary can be found in the preliminary proposal, sent in the applications for special interest housing. According to it, one purpose for the house will be "to form a...support network of student leaders that seek to make all minority students of WPI...feel safe and welcome, as well as promote diversity awareness on campus." One of the stated goals of the WPI strategic plan has been to "actively recruit minorities and women." It is felt by the supporters of Unity House that the existence of such a place will help communicate WPI's plan and goals.

Another function of the Unity House will be as a meeting place for many of the cultural groups on campus, such as EMSEP, BiLaGA, Chinese Student Association (CSA), and the Black Student Union (BSU). As the proposal makes clear, "Cultural groups now act as nomads, traveling from place to place for meeting space. EMSEP lacks a permanent place to hold Advisory Board meetings," and neither the CSA, "BSU, nor BiLaGA have a space to hold meetings or small events."

However, the proposal states, the benefits will be farther reaching then that. For minorities, Unity House will act as a "comfort zone," helping to "decrease alienation, reduce stress, and build stronger self-esteem." The new space would allow minorities "a place to get away when needed from a community that often treats them as different beings." Meeting space provided by the house "would allow an increase in Consortium interaction...by offering an area to...maintain resources and a data base of contacts for such networking."

The rest of the campus would also benefit from the presence of Unity House. "The center could help organize training, workshops, discussions, and speakers on diver sity, racism, sexism, and homophobia." By increasing diversity awareness, it's hoped there will also be an increase in respect for minority and LGBT (Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender) students. According to the Vice-President of BiLaGA, Leah Shier, these groups have faced apathy and contempt from the general student body. "I think most students don't want anything to do with [minority and GLBTQ issues]. BiLaGA seems to be seen as an 'odd' group that most don't want to talk about outside of jokes and put-downs. Hopefully that will change in the next few years."

Unity House could also serve as a place to coordinate diversity-related programs, such as a New Student Orientation segment devoted to touching upon aspects of racism, sexism, and homophobia. It could also be the site for Admissions programs aimed at recruiting minorities and LGBT prospective students, like open houses and overnight stays. "I think that the programming the house will be doing, as well as the possibility of the house as a student resource, will definitely help improve the current climate on campus," said Shier.

However, there are those on campus who are critical about Unity House's purpose. However, according to Shier, "Unity House does not separate anyone from WPI, but serves as a living place for those few who want to live with students from different backgrounds, or who don't want to deal with the harassment and prejudice in other on -campus housing…Unity House can serve as a meeting place or resource the rest of the campus can tap into."

As proof of the effectiveness of a place like Unity House, anecdotal evidence from other schools in the area was presented to the administration. Clark University, for example, created the Mary Bethune Multicultural Center, with space for books, videos, computers, a copier, and space for organizations to meet. Tufts University has centers aimed at each minority group; there is a center for African-American, Asian-American, Latino, Women, and LGBT students. MIT's current minority program, MITE2S, has managed to achieve a student body comprised of 50% minorities. Clearly, says the proposal, Unity House would "improve WPI's reputation" compared to these schools and "help realize the school's Commitment to Pluralism."

Any kind of resource library, to consist of BiLaGA's current collection and any items from the other groups, would "need money for the television and player equipment, computer, and additional books, films, and video documentaries," according to the proposal. In a move to help increase financial aid, a work-study position could be created to run the resource center so it could be open on regular hours.

As Healthy Alternatives has helped students lead beneficial lives by providing them with an environment that promotes physical well being, Unity House promises to give students an environment that promotes social well-being. "It is evident that in other universities and colleges of higher education, cultural appreciation and support for...minority and LBGT students is significant and purposeful," says the proposal. WPI's Commitment to Pluralism states: "WPI is dedicated to creating an atmosphere that encourages diversity in all aspects of campus life and to promote a diverse community based on respect and open-mindedness." Unity House would appear to be a good step towards fulfilling this goal and securing "an educational and culturally enriching environment at WPI."