American University recently piloted a new “black affinity” section of their first-year student course, Aux2, created as a “safe space” for black students to avoid having to “divulge their trauma” to their non-black peers.
According to AU’s website, the course seeks to “Evaluate how racism intersects with other systems of oppression,” examine efforts to “confront or disrupt systems of oppression, such as racism and white supremacy,” and practice “anti-racist principles.”
Young America’s Foundation was made aware of the course by an anonymous tipster through the Campus Bias Tipline.
AUx and AUx2 are mandatory first year courses for all incoming students. While AUx is a general course to help transition students into college life, AUx2 is a secondary version with a different focus: race.
AUx2 began in Fall 2020 as a follow-up of the original AUx course. Last Spring, AU launched a pilot program for a “black affinity” course section.
Zoë Washington, a peer facilitator for the program, told The Eagle that herself and other facilitators “saw a need for a safe space for Black first-year students and transfer students.”
“With some topics within AUx2, some non-Black identifying students often look at the Black students to share their experiences, to share and divulge their trauma for learning purposes,” she added.
Izzi Stern, the AUx program manager, told The Eagle that they are even considering creating other racially segregated affinity groups.
AU isn’t the first to revive segregation. In June, YAF reported that resident assistants at University of California Davis attended mandatory trainings at which they were taught to “disrupt racism and white supremacy.”
Chapman University advertised segregated “cultural graduations” for “APIDA (Asian, Pacific Islander, Desi American), Black, Disability, Latinx, Lavender (LGBTQIA+), [and] Middle Eastern” students, as reported by YAF in June.
YAF reached out to AU multiple times by phone and email but the school declined to comment.
Racial segregation is creeping its way back into everyday life, as schools incorporate it under the guise of social justice. American University is moving backwards and regressing. Race is not a defining factor and should not be treated as one.
