William Gipson | DuBois: a diverse and welcoming College House

DuBois College House is the smallest and arguably the most racially and ethnically diverse of the 11 college houses at Penn.

Less than 200 students live in "The House," as it is affectionately referred to by current occupants and alumni whose experiences at Penn were shaped by living and learning at DuBois.

However, DuBois' presence resonates deeply into the life of the University because of its unique place in the history of Penn and for American collegiate life, especially with regard to issues related to access and equity. By history and occupancy many of these are African Americans or blacks of the larger African diaspora.

Here are some quick facts: 1) Most black students do not live at DuBois. Most black students live in other College Houses or in off-campus housing. 2) A notable number of DuBois residents are not black. A good contingent are international students who are not from African or Caribbean countries. 3) DuBois is proud of its heritage and of it current students, programming and activities.

Like all of the other college houses, placements in DuBois are made by the Assignments Office (not DuBois staff) and are determined by interest and available space. Some students live at DuBois because of its size. Others are attracted to certain programs in residence. Others have reasons that are particular in personal ways. Others are drawn to DuBois as a proud center of Penn's history and the legacy of alumni who helped Penn become stronger and more appealing to college-bound students who otherwise might not have considered Penn. Each of these is a legitimate reason to be drawn into DuBois.

I am aware that some confuse the totality of Penn's commitment to diversity to this one College House. In that line of thinking, DuBois becomes the litmus test for the depth and breadth of the quality of Penn's diversity commitments. This view holds that all diversity initiatives at Penn pivot on the composition of the community at DuBois and its activities.

Following this logic, the University commits the entirety of its stake in these matters to DuBois and absolves all other units and persons of any responsibility for advancing the ideals of cultural pluralism and cross-racial engagement.

Of course, one readily recognizes the unreasonableness of such expectations. No one unit of the University nor one racial or ethnic group can or should seek to be singularly responsible and bear the burden of work all citizens of the University ideally ought to be interested in and attentive to.

Thankfully, to the contrary, Penn's commitment to diversity in its student body, faculty, administration and staff is set on a broader plane and distributed throughout several of its operations, even as it remains core to the University's mission. DuBois is a very good example of how diversity is practiced and engaged at Penn, but it is by no reasonable measure the sole example, the deciding factor in judging the health of our diversity efforts.

All are welcome to apply to live at DuBois. All are welcome to attend programs at DuBois - whether it's an all-female Icelandic musical group, a martial-arts class taught by one of our faculty fellows or the Souls of Du Bois Conference, for which planning is currently underway.

In addition, DuBois welcomes opportunities to connect across the campus. Recently, for example, DuBois partnered with Fisher-Hassenfeld on a speaker and dinner event on health care. Another faculty master and I are in exploratory conversations about what holds some promise as an exciting joint project among interested students of our two College Houses.

Diversity is a contact sport, if you will. One must have skin in the game and be willing to cross boundaries and come through doors and actually engage others with respect and mutual regard. To the extent that another person's being or life experiences make one uncomfortable, soul searching in the most earnest sense is required.

This view, I am sure, would be shared by Sadie Tanner Mossell Alexander and the other Black intellectuals whose images gaze down with self-assurance and awe-inspiring poise as one enters DuBois, seemingly so comfortable in their own skins and confident in their intellectual powers.

In that spirit, DuBois College House will remain open and welcoming to anyone who has interest in its history and programs in residence and our absolutely remarkable population of racially, ethnically and internationally diverse students.

William Gipson is the chaplain of the University of Pennsylvania. He is also the faculty master of DuBois. College House

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