Bacon's Rebellion

This is Part 3 of a three-part series, DEI in the Dormitories

by James A. Bacon

The 200+ Resident Advisors who populate the University of Virginia’s undergraduate dormitories are required to put on several events for their hallmates and suitemates each semester. The RAs are given a small allowance for food for these get-togethers, one of which must have a Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging (DEIB) theme. For the DEI events, the RAs are strongly encouraged to consult a “DEIB Catering Guide.“

The 2024-25 edition of the Guide provides some pointers to keep in mind when planning a multicultural event. Food can be a great way to share a culture, but the handout warns, “We want to be aware of reducing a culture to just its food. Is there any additional lesson or discussion about the food and culture? Does this food have a larger cultural significance?”

The Guide helpfully provides a list of minority-owned businesses in the Charlottesville area that the RAs might consider patronizing: nine Black-owned businesses, three LatinX-owned, seven Asian-owned, one LGBQT+-owned, one Jewish-owned, and the Kindness Cafe, which “supports people with disabilities.”

Although they may not be minority owned, restaurants are listed that serve food of mostly non-White cultures: soul food, Mexican, Chinese, Thai, Korean, Hawaiian, Indian, Turkish, Mediterranean. Somehow an Italian restaurant, Mona Lisa Pasta, made the cut. “This list,” states the Guide, “can be helpful if you are centering an identity group and would like to share more about the culture and cuisine.”

Few details escape the eyes of the student leaders of the Resident Advisor program, which defines its mission of making UVA dormitory residents feel included and welcome. They are especially attentive to the perceived needs of so-called marginalized groups.

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Part 2 of a three-part series, DEI in the Dormitories.

by James A. Bacon

Eddie came to the University of Virginia as an out-of-state student. The move was a big leap for him, and the transition was not easy. Fortunately, the Resident Adviser (RA) on his dormitory hall helped him fit in. “He was here for me,” Eddie recalls. “I wanted to do the same for other guys.”

After applying to the program and getting accepted, Eddie (not his real name) arrived in Charlottesville before the fall semester to undergo week-long training. He expected to get practical counseling tips: how to help someone through a hard time, for example, or how to establish healthy boundaries. Some of the advice was useful, such as recognizing depression and dealing with suicidal ideation, but he says the training took an unexpected turn.

Much of the conversation revolved around the trainees’ “identity” — their racial, ethnic, religious, and gender background. Instead of focusing on academic excellence or the Honor Code or the multitudes of ways students could bond with others over common interests, Eddie says, RA training dwelled on the challenges of “marginalized” students.

White students were told at times to confront their privilege, Eddie says. “They’re very strict with the type of mindset they want you to have…. It’s almost to the point where you’re being indoctrinated into the DEI ideology.” He describes the training as “woke bootcamp.”

UVA President Jim Ryan is scheduled to report back to the Board of Visitors by April 7 on the progress he’s made in eliminating racial preferences and dismantling Diversity, Equity & Inclusion at UVA in line with presidential and gubernatorial directives. A close look at the Housing and Residents Life program shows how tricky that will be.

It’s easy to give jobs and programs new titles and delete DEI rhetoric from website pages — just swap out “DEI” with “inclusion and belonging.” Such superficial actions don’t touch the philosophy that animates DEI, however. It is difficult for Board members, who are fed carefully curated information by the administration, to know what’s happening on the ground.

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Part 1 of a three-part series, DEI in the Dormitories

by James A. Bacon

To visit the Instagram page of the University of Virginia’s residence advisors (RAs), who mentor dormitory students and enforce the rules, is to pass through a portal into a world of happy thoughts and contagious exuberance. The RAs, as they are known, exude positivity. In short TikTok-like clips, they express why they signed up for the job.

Allison, a third-year student, gives a two-handed wave and forms a heart sign as she shares what being an RA means to her. “I think about building connections and fostering a community within a dorm,” she says. It can be intimidating for first years to walk into a dormitory not knowing anyone, she explains, but by organizing teas or movie nights she can bring them together and “open up the conversation.”

The number of RAs is either 240 or 295, depending upon which UVA web page one consults. The slots are coveted because they provide free room, a meal plan, and leadership opportunities.

No doubt Allison’s enthusiasm is typical. But there is a dark side to UVA’s Housing & Residence experience. According to Bacon’s Rebellion’s sources, “woke” ideology permeates the program throughout: from the recruiting of the RAs, to their training, to the orientation and events they put on, to even the dormitories RAs are assigned to.

Critics say UVA’s mission has morphed from education to indoctrination. The process commences before students even enter a classroom. It starts with the dorm-room orientation they receive from their RAs, and it continues throughout the year.

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