Re: USA Africa Dialogue Series - Save African Studies at Howard University

Update:

The Howard University students had a protest rally this weekend against the cuts. And knowing the history of Howard students, the next thing may be occupying the Administrative Building and chasing out the administration.

Students Protest PCAR During Campus Tree Lighting Ceremony

By Derrick Haynes

Contributing Writer

Published: Monday, November 22, 2010

Updated: Monday, November 22, 2010 00:11

Photo By Bree Gant

Despite the evening's brisk chill, students and residents alike gathered to enjoy the tree-lighting ceremony held in the middle of the Yard. Before the 14-foot Christmas tree was lit, performances from Group Without a Name as well as others entertained the crowd.

Yet in the midst of performances, a group of student demonstrators gathered in protest against the steadily approaching deadlines for PCAR.

While other students and guests lined up for hot chocolate or swayed in their seats, the protestors passed around a petition in opposition to the academic renewal process that many view as lacking much input from students.

Among the protestors, students majoring or minoring in academic programs facing possible elimination were dominant, but other students with unaffected majors still participated to voice their disagreement with the way the academic renewal process has progressed.

Attallah Sheppard, a sophomore business management major, was one of the scores of ceremony attendees to sign the petition that circulated. "I feel like they could have gone about it in a different way," Sheppard said.

Andrew Wattley, a senior philosophy major, agrees with Sheppard. Wattley, one of the organizers behind the protest, said Friday's "peaceful protest" was to raise awareness about PCAR and hopefully prevent the elimination of proposed academic programs, such as philosophy and anthropology.

"People are still confused," Wattley said. "They believe that it's PCAR [working groups] that's trying to eliminate programs when it's actually the president's recommendations."

Wattley also faulted the miscommunication of the administration and student-led organizations like HUSA.

"I don't believe they did their best to let us know what was going on," Wattley said.

After the tree, which cost $4,150, was lit, most of the crowd-goers quickly dispersed to escape the cold as the temperature continued to drop. However, the protestors remained to continue to demonstrate their opposition to the president's proposed program cuts and pass around the petition to the remaining spectators.

President Sidney A. Ribeau and the 50th administration of HUSA plan to hold a discussion at 7 p.m. in the Blackburn Ballroom to discuss his recommendations. 

Wattley said that convincing people to go to the discussion was one of the protest's successes, which include two radio interviews scheduled for later this week with local media.

On Dec. 1, President Ribeau will submit his recommendations to the 35-membered board of trustees, which will ultimately make the final decision on the academic renewal process on Jan. 28, 2011. Whether or not, the board accepts President Ribeau's recommendation is up to discussion, but students who oppose his recommendations like Wattley plan to continue to make their voices heard.

"I'm doing everything that I can to try and prevent that from happening because I care about the academia at this school – not just philosophy but all the other Arts and Science programs facing elimination," Wattley said.

-----Original Message-----
From: Ikhide
Sent: Nov 22, 2010 6:11 PM
To: usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com
Subject: Re: USA Africa Dialogue Series - Save African Studies at Howard University

I applaud Dr. Sidney A. Ribeau, the president of Howard University for taking advantage of the current fiscal climate to clean house. It doesn't appear that this kind of analysis has been attempted at Howard in a long time. I appreciate that the African Studies faculty members are doing thw right thing - advocating for their jobs, etc, but they don't have to make the payroll, the president does.

 

I read the report very closely, very impressive and fair. The report says there is not a critical mass of students to justify having an undergraduate degree in "African Studies", whatever that means at the undergraduate level.  Howard University is right to trim its offerings of dead wood and ancient things that should have gone away along with the cold war. The question is this: Why should a youngster be studying "African Studies" at the undergraduate level? Four years to study what? It seems to me that this is a course better suited for a graduate program (Masters, doctorate, etc). The university did say some course offerings on "African Studies" would still be taught so I don't know what the wailing and carrying on is all about.

 

I am all for African studies and whatnot, in fact I think all undergraduate students in the world should be exposed to a class or two of a well thought out curriculum on Africa. My sense is that some of these lecturers have not updated their stuff in decades; they wear dashiki to work even in winter and read the same crap from stuff that were last copied using ditto machines. The world has changed jare and they should get off their behinds and get with the program.

 

If my child says to me na "African Studies" e wan study for "hondagraduate" I will shake her hands, show her a bank and make her get a bank loan. African Studies is too important a curriculum to be accessed that early in life. They should get at it at the graduate level. For undergraduate work, let them access a liberal arts program that broadens their intellect and better prepares them for undergraduate work. Where are they going to work with such a degree anyway, IHOP or JCPenneys? People just like to protect their jobs at all costs. Anyway, I am going to write the president a letter applauding him for his courage and innovation. This should have been done decades ago. All that drama!

 

- Ikhide 

---

From: Lavonda Staples <lrstaples@gmail.com>
To: usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com
Sent: Sun, November 21, 2010 12:23:06 PM
Subject: Re: USA Africa Dialogue Series - Save African Studies at Howard University

My friend, colleague and peer.  With all due respect I have to add another brick to the load AGAINST the argument.  I believe that hte BA in African studies does a complete and total disservice ot htose pursuing the MA and Ph. D. in the subject.  I am couching my argument in foundational knowledge.  The BA degree provides, through prerequisites, general and overview information.  The graduate degrees offer the concentration of studies. 

 

In example, if one has concentrated courses in African Studies as an undergraduate, how  can one mount a successful study of an issue such as the era of independence(s) without sufficent supporting "columns" in European and American history?  There is NO WAY at all to study this area without knowing the following:

 

1.  United Nations votes/voting

2.  Beginning of CIA tentacles seeking (and giving) information on the African continent (Lumumba, later Mandela)

3.  Funding of NGO's (this also requires study in political science)

4.  Comparison and contrast of cultures and schools of thought (anthropology, sociology, history)

 

Do I have to go on and on and on? 

 

Also, I have sat and spoken with hte most BRILLIANT students of African Studies but when it came to information away from that area???  They changed into people who are dumbfounded. 

 

Last, how can you offer a point without the study of the "opposing" side?

 

So I vehemently disagree iwth you.  I believe that the studies we undertake for our writing and professorship should come in the form of our graduate degrees and that undergraduate should be fully dedicated to learning the basics, generalities, mainstream information, etc. and so forth and I know you get my point.  There is room in the undergraduate program for Africanist studies in the form of language classes which inherently involve cultural study(ies). 

 

Think about my points.  I am open to a petit tete a tete. 

 

La Vonda R. Staples

Howard University, Doctoral Student (United States and Public History)

University of the District of Columbia (History and Political Science)

 

On Sun, Nov 21, 2010 at 4:35 AM, Chambi Chachage <chambi78@yahoo.com> wrote:

Elimination of African Studies B.A. Program

On behalf of undergraduate and graduate students in African Studies at Howard, I want to alert you to changes that Howard's President and Board of Trustees are making to consolidate and eliminate academic programs at Howard. The B.A. in African Studies has been recommended to be eliminated. A group of undergraduate and graduate students met with the Provost yesterday to discuss this iss...ue. At the end of the meeting the Provost told us that he has yet to reach a decision on whether he will follow through with the recommendation to eliminate the African Studies B.A. program.

We need your help in making a case to Howard's administration to keep the B.A. in African Studies. I want to make clear that the M.A. and Ph.D. in African studies was lauded as one of the top academic programs at Howard and those programs will remain in tact. However, I want to emphasize that the B.A. degree is an integral part of the department and this cut is perhaps the gateway to future cuts to faculty lines.

The students are initiating a letter writing campaign that will correspond with the ongoing discussions we are having with the administration. We are asking that you write a letter to the President, Provost, and Dean and send it on Monday, November 22, 2010. The University is in a review period until December 1st. You can read the full report at http://www.howard.edu/president/RecommendationOnAcademicRenewal.htm .

In the letter please include:

1. Your views on why the B.A. in African Studies at Howard (the Mecca) plays a special role in the local, national and international community for advancing a multiplicity of issues concerning Africans and Africans of the Diaspora.

2. Maintaining the program does not require any additional budget costs. (Yes! the provost admitted that there are no extra costs in maintaining the program, so it is not a funding issue.)

3. Your affiliation with the program or interest in the issue. (For example: former undergraduate student indicate semester and year you took a class in the department, organizational affiliation, present position and location etc.)

Please email the letter to the following people:

President Sidney Ribeau
sidney.ribeau@howard.edu

Provost and Chief Academic Officer James H. Wyche
james.whyche@howard.edu

Dean James A. Donaldson
jdonaldson@howard.edu

Thanks and please pass this note on to your lists.

In Solidarity,

Anita

 

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My mission is to acquire, produce and disseminate knowledge on and about humanity as well as divinity, especially as it relates to Africa, in a constructive and liberating manner to people wherever they may be.
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Address: P. O. Box 4460 Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania

Cell : + 255 754771763/+ 255 718953273

Blog: http://udadisi.blogspot.com/
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