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Record for NoIndoctrination.org entry #250.

Brown University

Aug. 18, 2003

http://www.brown.edu

Freshman Orientation

Required: No

Level of Bias: Excessive

Comments: The Third World Transition Program is a non-mandatory orientation program for racial minorities that occurs before the mandatory Orientation for all incoming freshmen. As a participant of this program, I was told to give my experiences of "oppression" by white people, and in group sessions we were encouraged to speak out against not only racism, but specifically of oppression from other races. Some students were quiet and didn't want to share their complete experiences with being a racial minority, but since it was the objective of the program, most were ready to speak. There was no intimidation or coercion since there were many very vocal students who were more than willing to share every detail of their experiences. However, there were activities that forced students to reveal details about themselves. In one activity, everyone formed a large circle and we were asked to step inside the circle if a fact that was read aloud pertained to them. We were asked questions about being on financial aid, having only one parent in the home, having been called racial epithets, being the only minority in a classroom or program, renting or owning a home, and several others.

While at the program, I was told not to write for the college daily newspaper, having been told that they are "biased" and "against minorities." Several of the leaders of the program complained about minorities who did not take advantage of the Third World Center programs while at Brown. In addition, we were given advice on how to "deal" with a white roommate. This wasn't "official" advice, but advice given to some groups by group leaders and other TWTP participants, just to clarify. But as "leaders" of the program, they certainly should reflect the values of the program. My group in particular was told to come to the Third World Center if there were any problems with white roommates and was told specifically that there was a history of problems with white students not understanding concerns like student work, being on financial aid, or minority activities and groups.

One participant in the program joked that the University would soon be "whitewashed," and some of the leaders laughed at that. Given that minority students are encouraged to come to Brown before white students for this program, I found the sentiment inappropriate.

Several leaders expressed liberal views, and the idea that we should all support affirmative action programs was assumed. Although there were valid workshops and programs, the underlying current of the program was to perpetuate a feeling of "otherness." I would like to see this program disbanded. It fostered an "us vs. them" mentality with white students on campus and directly and indirectly encouraged minority students to seek out friendships with students of color before white students arrived on campus.

While I believe diversity programs are beneficial, this one in particular actively excludes white students from participating in any of the workshops. While the rationale behind this is that minority students are able to talk more freely without white people present, how can there be a true exploration of racism and race issues without having the viewpoint of white students represented in some way?

I also found that later on in the year, white students were reluctant to come to cultural dinners or other events, after not having been able to participate in the first diversity program they encountered on campus. Several of the program participants went into the required Orientation with a biased mindset, staying close to other minorities that they had met beforehand and just generally being suspicious of certain groups and people on campus. At a diversity discussion at the full Orientation, I found that students who attended TWTP were on the attack, using the ammunition they got at the program to counter any statements about racism that a white student would make, thus dominating the conversation. Having spent several days dealing with issues of race before white students even moved in, the minority students were definitely more adept at answering questions. So there too, the viewpoints of white students were not adequately represented.

Also, it's interesting to note that a visiting committee made recommendations about diversity and diversity programs in 2000. While the executive summary can be found here: http://www.brown.edu/Administration/George_Street_Journal/diversity.html, the entire report was deleted from the President's Web page. A link in the executive summary to the full report is now inactive. In short, the committee recommended that the Third World Center's name be changed and that TWTP "remain as a discrete program, but that it be integrated into orientation activities organized for all entering students." The visiting committee's "strong recommendation" about reforming TWTP has never been addressed by either the University or other groups. As evidence of the pressure to keep students quiet about what happened in TWTP ... from the website of a radical Brown minority group called "third world ACTION" (http://www.brown.edu/Students/Third_World_ACTION/alumni.html): "Coalition on MPC & TWTP: This coalition, largely consisting of Minority Peer Counselors, works on ensuring that myths are dispelled about TWTP each year."

[NoIndoctrination.org notes: A description of the TWTP program can be read at http://www.brown.edu/Student_Services/TWC/TWTP/TWTP.html. Read a Mar. 26, 2004 update concerning this Brown program at http://www.yaledailynews.com/article.asp?AID=25415. ]

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