UR students propose Africana Studies Department
By Madyson Fitzgerald
In light of recent events of racism and hate on campus, University of Richmond students are demanding a more diverse set of courses, including a new department on campus that has been in the works for a while.
University of Richmond has been left in turmoil after incidents of racist graffiti and assault on campus. As a result, students at UR are finally addressing the social problems on campus. In addition to community meetings, open mics and continued conversation, a proposal for a new department is currently being considered. Students have introduced an idea for a new Africana Studies Department to be implemented on campus.
As of February 19, the Africana Studies Student Committee has submitted a proposal for the creation of an Africana Studies Department. According to the proposal, students have noted that “The University of Richmond prides itself on fostering diversity and inclusivity, yet as the fourth most segregated school in the country, the University has not yet reached its goal of creating a campus which promotes the inclusion of marginalized groups.”
This petition, which has been on the horizon for a while, is not the first instance of students taking matters into their own hands. Within this semester alone, students have organized new initiatives to combat hate, an open-mic session where students spoke out about the hate crimes on campus and a public protest at the biggest basketball game of the season.
“Students so far have been the number one signatures of the petition,” junior Kayla Corbin said. As a member of the Africana Studies Student Committee, she’s seen firsthand what students are able to do once they come together. “They’ve been asking for ways to get involved and I think after these recent incidents, people are looking for tangible ways to combat views of white supremacy and just white privilege in general. There’s a certain function that Africana Studies does in raising consciousness and understanding, and Africana Studies at the University of Richmond will play an important part of breaking down what we know as PWI culture.”
The role of education is one that sophomore Shira Greer says we cannot underestimate. “With education, it isn’t just something you can separate from the rest of yourself. I think it really does matter what you’re learning in the classroom, especially with a liberal arts education. We need to be training students here to be critical thinkers, to be empathetic and to be interested in engaging across different lines,” Greer said.
The changes taking place will benefit the school and its students for years to come. With the creation of an Africana Studies Department, students will be exposed to a more diverse education. “I think the University will benefit from an Africana Studies Department because Africana Studies as a discipline requires interdisciplinary learning, intentional engagement within and outside of one’s culture, and is one of many steps in the direction of addressing the University’s history while shaping its future,” said sophomore Akeya Fortson-Brown, another student in the committee. “This department will also empower students of color, especially Black students, through its demand to study non-white history and culture from a lens that is not always associated with fighting white oppression.”
Out of Richmond’s 31 peer institutions, most of which are predominately white institutions, only five lack an Africana Studies Department or program. By establishing one at UR, the University will be acknowledging and supporting scholarship that promotes a
more forward-thinking campus culture and “challenges the status quo.”
The Africana Studies Department will not only introduce a new set of courses that focus on black studies. Students are also hoping to see professors of color that they can relate to on a deeper level. Nicholas Papageorge, an Associate Professor of Economics at Johns Hopkins University, put it this way: “Many black students from low-income families encounter few college graduates who look like them. They may conclude college isn’t something to strive for. Black teachers can counteract that view, acting as role models that provide a clear example that black students can go to college.”
The Africana Studies Student Committee has dedicated lots of time and effort to this project, even before the racist epithets. Now, there is a renewed sense of urgency. The petition, signed by students, faculty and parents, has reached more than 700 signatures so far, and is expected to grow in upcoming weeks. This proposal will bring UR one step closer to an intellectually diverse community, a concept that Richmond students are in hope of.