Running head: RACIAL AND GENDER INSENSITIVE PARTIES ON UNIVERSITY CAMPUSES

Point of View: Racial and Gender Insensitive Parties on University Campuses Tracy Phutikanit SDAD 576 - Leadership and Governance of Post Secondary Education Seattle University March 4, 2013

RACIAL AND GENDER INSENSITIVE PARTIES ON UNIVERSITY CAMPUSES A lot of emphasis has been put on recruiting and obtaining diverse students to make up student bodies at colleges and universities, but not as much emphasis has been put on successful relations between groups and multicultural competency. Colleges and universities are supposed to be institutions of higher learning and student development but there do not seem to be many

campus wide initiatives to educate students on how to successfully interact with each other, have dialogues, and stop the perpetuation of stereotypes. Just because a student body is made up of diverse individuals, it does not mean that theyll be able to successfully coexist which is why I believe there are so many conflicts on todays college campuses. A common example of this lack of sensitivity happens across the U.S. in the forms of race and gender themed parties put on by students that are offensive to a target group of students. The fact that campuses still have these types of parties and that students are behind them is worrisome because students are not realizing the impact that these seemingly for fun parties are offensive and the reason why they are hurtful. Campuses should care about this issue because they do not only have to worry about offending and alienating the existing students on campus, but also have to worry about the reputation of the college or university to prospective students and families. How can a campus successfully attract a wide range of students while current students do not understand how to accept them? An institutions failure to address racially themed parties can inhibit a climate conducive to learning and hinder the educational opportunities of Students of Color and other marginalized groups on campus (Marcus, 2008). Racially themed parties are defined as any social event where guests are invited to show up dressed representing racial stereotypes or to mock any racial or ethnic group (Garcia et. al., 2011, p. 6). These types of parties are not isolated incidents but have been recorded in American universities as early as 1986 and some university organizations have a long-standing reputation

RACIAL AND GENDER INSENSITIVE PARTIES ON UNIVERSITY CAMPUSES of throwing these types of parties. Students of the University of California, San Diego (UCSD)

held an off campus Compton Cookout themed party mocking Black History Month. Participants were urged to wear chains, don cheap clothes and speak very loudly and invitations mentioned that female participants were encouraged to be ghetto by having gold teeth, starting fights and drama, and wear cheap clothing. With less than 2% of the UCSD 29,000 student population identifying as black/African American, this incident shined a light on the large racial gap and drew attention to lack of inclusion on the UCSD campus. Mexican/Latino/Hispanic culture has also been the target of these themed parties. Most recently in 2012, members of Chi Omega sorority at Penn State University held a Mexican themed party where members were photographed dressed in ponchos, sombreros, and mustaches holding signs that read, Will mow lawn for weed and beer. Also in 2012, University of Texas at Austins Alpha Tau Omega chapter advertised but later cancelled A Border to Cross themed party where guests would have to cross over a border from one side of the party to another with one side representing Mexico and the other Texas. In 2007, Santa Clara University students held a South of the Border themed party where guests dressed as janitors, gardeners, gang members, and pregnant teenagers. Other racial groups such as Asians, Pacific Islanders, and Native Americans have been the subjects of themed parties as well. In 2013, Duke Universitys Kappa Sigma chapter advertised an Asia Prime party where invitations had misspellings making fun of Asian accents and guests wore chopsticks in their hair, kimonos and conical hats. The University of Florida, Gainsvilles Delta Tau Delta hosted a post Vietnam War themed party where women were to dress as Vietnamese prostitutes. In 1997, two Greek organizations at University of Kansas held a Fiji Island Party that included a sacrificial member of a sorority to a cannibal king. At Dartmouth

RACIAL AND GENDER INSENSITIVE PARTIES ON UNIVERSITY CAMPUSES University in 1999, A Hawaiian themed party was cancelled after the controversy was brought up due to cultural insensitivity from the two organizations that were hosting. A Conquistabros and Navajos party took place at Harvard College in 2010 encouraging students to dress as pilgrims, conquistadors, and Indians. The problem with these types of themed parties is that students are perpetuating long fought stereotypes while disregarding the struggles and history behind the cultures of the races they are exploiting. In the A Border to Cross party, the theme itself can be a trigger for students

that had to literally cross the border in their immigration process or have people in their lives that have crossed or died trying. Seeing students use that immigration struggle as a joke and theme for drinking and partying is absolutely insensitive. In the South of the Border party, dressing up as janitors or gang members makes it seem like it is fun when that is actually someones livelihood and way of life or can glorify the gang member lifestyle. These parties promote and glorify negative stereotypes of marginalized groups with the argument that it is just for fun. Theme parties are not only a problem for racial groups among students but also pose problems for gender equality as well. Along with racially themed parties, women have also become the target of these themed parties where women are supposed to be submissive. Winona State University had a CEOs and Office Hos party where women were encouraged to wear office attire but make the office attire revealing and scandalous. The University of California, Los Angeles had a Pimps and Hos themed party while Duke University had a Creepy Guys and Cutie Pies themed party (or more commonly known as PedoParties) where women are to dress as young childhood characters and men are to dress like pedophiles. While students may see this as innocent fun and an opportunity to dress up in character or a theme based on gender, the acceptance of these kinds of parties creates the campus culture that it is ok to represent women as

RACIAL AND GENDER INSENSITIVE PARTIES ON UNIVERSITY CAMPUSES sluts and hos. Having the established dynamic of powerful men and submissive women only

reinforces the stereotype that women are sexual beings to be taken advantage of. When you have a different set of standards in attire for men versus women, you are setting up the dynamic that there is a power difference as well. In looking forward on how to stop these theme parties from taking place amongst our institutions of higher education, the question of whose responsibility it is to educate students on these matters arises. Student organization advisors do not have the jurisdiction to stop off campus parties from happening, which is usually where these theme parties are held. Student Conduct can only get involved if a policy has potentially or has been blatently violated. The Dean of Students wouldnt have the time to check up on all the events that are being put on by students. So whose job would it be? This is a critical question to ask because many institutions find themselves in a reactive rather than proactive position in addressing the conflict that can arise from racially motivated incidents (Williams, Berger, & McClendon, 2005). The majority of the student organizations that are involved in these kinds of parties are fraternities and sororities that have a national office with full time staff to support the operations of the organizations. Most fraternities and sororities have several advisors who were members of the fraternity or sorority and regional advisors that are in closer contact to the chapters rather than the national office. With so many people dedicated to the organization, why arent they making more efforts to educate their members about what is appropriate conduct and representation of their organization? Non-Greek student organizations and groups of students such as sports teams or students in the same major are equally as likely to hold themed parties. There have been several instances where students in the same graduate program, sports teams, or other student organization have had the same types of parties. These organizations rarely have

RACIAL AND GENDER INSENSITIVE PARTIES ON UNIVERSITY CAMPUSES the same level of support that fraternities and sororities have to seek out advice on matters such

as multicultural competency so it is more likely that they will be prone to making these mistakes in the future. Racial and gender themed parties are institutional problems that need to be addressed. The problems with students holding these parties go further and deeper than marginalized students being made fun of during a party. Without recognizing that these actions are wrong, we are sending students out into the workforce and the rest of their lives with the reasoning that making fun of and diminishing someone elses culture or gender is ok when that is not the case at all. Such a priority is put on the academic learning within our higher education institutions, as it should. But shouldnt there be a priority of multicultural competency to encourage our young adults to understand each others struggles and journeys in life rather than using one negative aspect of someones culture or gender as a representation of the entire group? Continuing to allow these parties also creates an air of disrespect for prospective students. According to Gann (2006) Universities are very much in the public eye, and much of their efficacy depends on it (p. 28). Therefore universities and colleges need to be vigilant with how these parties are affecting their reputation of the campus climate. If students get the impression that their identities are not going to be valued within a campus community, why should they bother investing their time, money, and effort into that institution?

RACIAL AND GENDER INSENSITIVE PARTIES ON UNIVERSITY CAMPUSES References Garcia, G. A., Johnston, M. P., Garibay, J. C., Herrera, F. A., & Giraldo, L. G. (2011). When parties become racialized: Deconstructing racially themed parties. Journal of Student Affairs Research and Practice, 48 (1), 5-21. doi:10.2202/1949-6605.6194

Gann, P. B. (2006). Crises in waiting: A future challenge for university presidents. A response to chancellor gees essay. In D. Brown (Ed.). University presidents as moral leaders (p. 28) Westport, CT: Praeger Press. Marcus, K. L. (2008). Higher education, harassment, and first amendment opportunism. William & Mary Bill of Rights Journal, 16, 1025-1059. Williams, D. A., Berger, J. B., & McClendon, S. A. (2005). Toward a model of inclusive excellence and change in postsecondary education. Washington, DC: Association of American Colleges and Universities.