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Desire for diversity saves department
Despite few graduates ethnic studies program seen as school asset
By Josie Klemaier
jklemaie@mscd.edu

Photo by Heather A. Longway-Burke • longway@mscd.edu African and African-American Studies department chair Ronald Stephens compiles his tenure file.

Metro’s African and African-American Studies department graduated only two students in May 2006, a number that does not meet Colorado Commission on Higher Education standards for degree programs.

The CCHE’s standards require that baccalaureate degrees must graduate 10 students per year, or a total of 20 students over the last three years, to continue to operate. A certain number of exemptions are allowed depending on the institution’s size, which has kept the program afloat for some time.

The department has received one of Metro’s three exemptions for many years because it is “so critical to Metro’s mission,” according to Linda Curran, vice president of Academic Affairs.

“Civic engagement is very important,” Curran said. “(The department) ties Metro to the African-American community at a time when we are reaching out to the under-served community.”

Curran said the African and African-American Studies department is not expected to fulfill CCHE requirements soon, if ever, but it is required to report its progress in the spring.

“It can’t turn around in one year,” she said.

Department chair Ronald Stephens questioned Metro’s stated commitment to diversity in the face of the lack of space, resources and funding dedicated to his department, one of only two such programs in the state.

“Why aren’t we capitalizing on this?” Stephens asked.

Currently, there are 17 students registered who declared African and African-American Studies as their major, two who declared it as their second major and 16 who declared it as a minor, according to Metro’s Office of Institutional Research.

Those numbers are close to other ethnic studies, such as Chicano Studies, which has 25 total declared majors, but far short of similar, less specifically focused departments, such as the History department, which has 640 declared majors.

Stephens was hired as the new chair of the department in summer 2005 and is trying to strengthen graduation numbers by spreading the word about the program.

“Last year was the first stage of rebuilding,” Stephens said. “Our first challenge is to convey what we’re about.”

The African and African-American Studies department offers courses aimed at removing misconceptions and illuminating the contributions of people of African descent to history and culture, according to its website.

Stephens said there are many opportunities for students with degrees in African and African-American studies to apply their knowledge in the working world.

“Whatever you can do with anything else, you can do with a degree in African and African-American studies,” he said, including “a special niche” for people with an understanding of African history and African-American social knowledge.

Students from the program have served internships at the Black American West Museum and Heritage Center, the Blair Caldwell African-American Research Library, the Colorado Historical Society African-American advisory group and the Colorado Black Chamber of Commerce, Stephens said.

Stephens said he is trying to communicate the importance of the program’s existence to exiting majors and is working toward hiring someone who would be solely responsible for communicating directly with majors and minors.

Justice Jackson, a double major in African and African-American studies and psychology and general manager of MetRadio, said he has been part of the program for the past four years and is frustrated with the low registration.

“The recruitment isn’t there. I’d like to see active recruitment,” Jackson said. “I know one other student who is graduating (in the program) this spring.”

Jackson said it is imperative for black people learn about their history.

“If you don’t know where you’ve been, you don’t know where you’re going,” he said.

Jackson hopes to move on to a career in counseling, but eventually wants to attend Harvard, one of the few schools in the country with a doctorate program in African studies.

Despite the small numbers, Metro has held on to the department in its efforts to maintain a reputation for diversity.

“Dr. Jordan is very committed to the department,” Metro spokeswoman Cathy Lucas said.