Diversity at Brandeis?

SilverClover
Sat, 29 Mar 2008 19:51:28 +0000

Dadofsam is talking about Mosaic which all freshman are invited to join. No matter how lame it sounds in the pamphlet you will get about it, please do it! Not only do you get to move onto campus 2 days early (avoiding the craziness of freshman move in day) but it will be the most worthwhile experience of your life.

I participated in fall of 2006 and it was the best decision I made (after choosing to go to Brandeis of course!). I thought I was a pretty openminded person, but it took everything I already thought, poured it into a blender, and pressed “on”. It’s hard to explain how it was not PC because, for most of us, we’ve grown up in a paradigm of discussing diversity in such a PC way that it’s difficult to imagine it being otherwise.

No one is going to leave you out because you are Christian. It actually could be a good experience because you kind of see the “other side”. Like, the complaints I hear from my Christian friends such as not understanding celebrations and being mistaken for being Jewish are what I, as a Jew, have experienced my whole life living in a Christian community. There is a Christian Awareness Week which people like to poke fun of, but many people participate. Plus, the priests/pastors often are speakers at all kinds of things. I think the Catholic priest on campus is one of the leaders of the weekly peace vigil, but I have class during that time so I’m not sure.

In terms of other diversity, to be frank there aren’t as many Hispanic, blacks, Asians, or other minorities as at many schools. Since Brandeis does draw students from the Jewish community all over the country, that’s part of the reason. However, the minority community is well integrated into the Brandeis community at large and some of the most active clubs are ones organized by different ethnic groups (and anyone is allowed to join or attend functions- and they do!).

The one area Brandeis (and most colleges) crashes and burns at is economic diversity. I came into Brandeis with a family income far below the poverty line for the past 5 years due to extreme health problems with both of my parents. While most activities are cheap, I did have a really hard time finding support when all of my friends were going out to eat every weekend and just didn’t get it. In fact, my roommate was constantly calling herself poor even though her mother was a doctor making 6 figures a year. Obviously not everyone is that insensitive, but it is something Brandeis needs to work on.