Discrimination at UNH

by Nilanjan Banerjee

Applications to the University of New Hampshire increased 14 percent this year, and the increase will yield a slightly larger freshman class than the current one. Next year, the Durham, New Hampshire campus can expect about 2,600 new students. The number is just what the UNH administration wanted, according to Provost and Vice-President for Academic Affairs David Hiley. “Our target for the incoming freshman class is 2,600 students,” he told The New Hampshire, UNH's student newspaper.

But the growing student population exacerbates an already-extant housing crunch at UNH. Last month, the University's Department of Housing announced that it may be short 200-250 beds next year.

According to an official statement, the Housing Department does “not believe that massive overcrowding (like we experienced this year) is acceptable.” If necessary, the statement read, the Department would hold a lottery to identify the 200-250 students to be denied housing.

“It's quite likely” that the lottery will take place, Peter Ames, residential life chairman of the Student Senate, told TNH February 18, “considering that there is only adequate housing for about 4,339 students on campus.”

Not every student would be included in the proposed lottery, however. The UNH Housing Department decided to guarantee housing to freshmen, sophomores, and minorities.

Yes, that's right: minorities. “This is in keeping with the University's commitment to increase the quantity and quality of diversity on campus,” read the Housing statement.

“This is blatant and gross discrimination. The University is using nothing other than the color of our skin to determine who will live in the dorms next year,” wrote UNH sophomore Todd Ptak, in a signed February 22 editorial.

“This is what the Civil Rights movement was created to end and prevent forever. Apparently, despite last month's celebration of New Hampshire's first Martin Luther King Day, the administration at this university thinks that reverse discrimination in the name of `diversity' is a worthwhile goal and thus can supercede federal anti-discrimination laws. Perhaps they forgot the words of Martin Luther King when he told us, `I have a dream that my four children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.' It's too bad the Department of Housing and the administration does not share that dream.”

Ptak urged action: “Whether you are black, white, green or blue, using race as a factor for any decision in employment, student selection or even housing positions should not be tolerated or supported. Please let the administration know that we, the non-discriminating student body, will not stand for this discrimination in any way, shape or form.”

Ptak's editorial prompted a debate over racial preferences in the pages of The New Hampshire, but also earned him some harsh ridicule, and personal threats.

He received, for example, an anonymous voicemail message: “Hi, good afternoon, Todd. I just read your very enlightening little letter to TNH and I'm sure you did make some good points and you'll probably pass this little voice mail on saying I threatened you or whatever, but that doesn't really matter at this point. How dare you use Martin Luther King's little words in your little thing, you little spineless, worthless nothing? Please don't do that again. Because as you say, `Whether you are black, white, green, or blue, using race as a factor for any decision' in this process really doesn't make a difference because as we all know the University of New Hampshire by letting people like you even enter this campus does support discrimination and does tolerate it.

“And how dare you live in Smith Hall, the international dorm, and have the nerve to write something like this? I have about nine people around me right now supporting this voice mail so if you want, you can say we called and threatened you...We'd like to chat with you because obviously this was a spineless move on your racist little behind. Have a good day.”

In a letter to the editor published February 25, UNH junior Terence McSweeny asked, “If you're so concerned about racial equality, why haven't you written about the injustices that this country's minorities face every day? You've lived your whole life as a white male in a society that caters to the wants and needs of the white male...”

“When you see a black student getting preference over you for university housing, please bite your tongue and just deal with it,” wrote McSweeny. “If anything, take it as a lesson of what it's like to be discriminated against.”

Pat Gormley, Special Assistant to the President for Affirmative Action, labeled Ptak's arguments “spleen.” Ptak, said Gormley, is fighting to “retain white privilege.”

But Ptak, it turns out, was right; the policy constituted illegal discrimination. Ron Rodgers, the University's lawyer, advised that a minority exemption from the lottery could lead to lawsuits. By February 24, UNH had abandoned the plan.

“Last week, you received a lottery facts sheet that indicated that minority and international students would not be part of the lottery pool, in the event that a lottery is deemed necessary. We made this decision in the belief that cultural diversity is our compelling interest in the university community,” explained Director of Residential Life Scott Chesney. “We learned through our university attorney that we need to demonstrate that we have thoroughly analyzed our legal position. Since we have not carried out this analysis, we are now removing references to any group's exclusion from the lottery pool.”

The University of New Hampshire was sure, however, to reaffirm its commitment to creating a diverse student body. “We maintain our commitment to diversity, which is to create a place where many cultures can exist together to the benefit of our students,” Leila Moore, Vice-President of Student Affairs, told The New Hampshire February 25. “We do not want to continue to preserve an insular education, which is one culture.”

Still, said Moore, “I interpreted Ron Rodgers' remarks as moving away from the typical way we held lotteries before would not be advisable. So we are adhering to our past practice of including all eligible students in a lottery if necessary.”

On March 4, however, the Department of Housing decided that a lottery would not be necessary. The number of students requesting housing, said the UNH administration, is lower than they had expected.

Next year's freshman class will still be as large as this year's—with 2,400 of the 2,600 students requiring on-campus housing. To accommodate the students, UNH plans to convert many two-person rooms to triples. Moore told TNH that she hopes there will be fewer such conversions than the 187 forced triples UNH students saw this year; but there may not be.

To meet increases in cost because of more occupants and more supplies, moreover, UNH students will be faced with a 4.5 percent increase in the housing fee next year.

The University of New Hampshire, it seems, does believe that overcrowding is acceptable—that is, when they're forced to abide by anti-discrimination laws.