No student should feel marginalized on campus, especially due to their race, but allowing same-race rooming to become an option for incoming students is not the answer.

Historically, different groups have been segregated based on their race. These distinct separations, based solely on race, emphasize differences instead of enforcing the American ideology that all people are created equal. Instead of finding ways to enforce these racial divides, Syracuse should be focusing on closing the divides and embracing everyone’s individual differences.

If Syracuse University allows their students to choose a roommate based on race, they are agreeing that there are differences between students of varying races. Students that are coming into the university with negative associations with certain races will have their racist attitude reinforced by the fact that they can choose to separate themselves from others that are different from themselves.

Although some students may feel more comfortable rooming with people that look like them, diversity is all about becoming comfortable with people who do not look like you.

Many diversity programs revolve around inclusivity and broadening people to other backgrounds and cultures. By providing an option that ultimately does the opposite of this, diversity and inclusion is not being enforced, but, rather, rejected. By demanding more open programs to discuss problems and diversity issues, the students are taking a step in the right direction in fixing a hostile and racist attitude.

Demanding students be allowed the option to separate themselves from other races is a step backwards for the promotion of anti-racist attitudes on campus and in society. Instead of emphasizing differences among us and allowing it to divide us, we must embrace others who differ from us and become comfortable with everyone.

Skylar Swart is a freshman political science major. Her column appears bi-weekly. She can be reached at saswart@syr.edu. She can be followed on Twitter at @SkylarSwart.