Racial self-segregation continues to be a driving force in theselection of friends and lovers among college students, accordingto a recent study.
The Ford Foundation Campus Diversity Initiative study suggestswhite students are the least likely to mix with other races and thegroup most likely to practice self-segregation.
Of the students surveyed, 21 percent of white students attestedto frequently dining with members of a different race, as comparedto 55 percent of African-American students and 78 percent ofMexican-American students.
Students at The University of Memphis said they feel racialself-segregation is a strong force in the social dynamic of TheUniversity.
"I don't think it's just white people," said April Sahlin,junior nursing major. "I'm white, and I went to an NAACP dance withmy Philipino date and was treated badly and made to feel veryuncomfortable."
Racial self-segregation on campus can be observed in the waymany students distribute themselves in the classrooms, said juniornursing major Hal Owens.
"The black students are on one side, and the white students areon the other side," he said. "I don't think it's necessarily racism-- it just happens subconsciously."
The study suggests white students segregate themselves more thanother groups because they tend to come from highly segregated highschools and neighborhoods.
Students' friendship patterns closely reflect the make-up oftheir schools and living conditions, according to the study.
"People are more comfortable with what they are familiar with,"said Seth Joneas, junior advertising major. "Being with people youare raised with is easier than exploring something new."
Nathaniel Flemmings, junior computer engineering major,agreed.
"White people don't really tend to try to learn about thingsthey don't know about," he said. "All groups are guilty of it, butI can see how white people do it more because of the environmentthey were raised in and where they went to school."
Racial self-segregation continues to play a role in the datingselection process on campus, some students said.
"I have never and will probably not date any one other than ablack woman," Flemmings said. "It's nothing personal, it's just theway I feel."
Mandy Polk, freshman special education major said she hassimilar views on dating.
"Before I got engaged (to a white man), I never considereddating anyone who wasn't white," she said.
