The University at Albany Provost has begun the process of merging the Departments of Latin American and Caribbean Studies with African American and African Studies.  Many students, faculty, alumni and supporters believe that this merger is part of a process of disinvestment in these programs—disinvestment that could lead to their nonexistence!  We demand a pause or stop to this merger!

       "A 2020 National Education Association analysis found that K-12 and college students who participate in ethnic studies" are more academically engaged, develop a greater sense of self-efficacy and personal empowerment, perform better academically and graduate at higher rates...More recently, a 2021 study found that ninth-graders who took an ethnic studies course were significantly more likely to graduate from high school and remain engaged in their educational experience. Despite generations of controversy, advocates say, African American and ethnic studies are here to stay" (https://www.nationalgeographic.com/history/article/african-american-black-studies-origins-explained

 

 

Will you sign this petition demanding the #UAlbany administration to stop the merger of these programs and commit to investing in these Departments?!     

       Although our University indeed promotes "a safe, equitable, growth-minded and engaged campus community that embraces the strengths of our differences" there are changes recommended that do not align with this goal.  Actually, these Departments are being subjected to "statistical discrimination" because "there is no academic rationale for a merge!"

        We, the undergraduate, graduate and alumni students of the University of Albany believe that there is a rich value in the authentic epistemological, ontological philosophy each individual Department.  With respect to the different history and worldview paradigms, we collectively demand  that University of Albany Provost and SUNY Board of Trustees please stop the Merger of the Department of African/African American Studies with the Department Latin American, Caribbean, and U.S. Latino Studies. 

Also, we need these programs to be enriched, funding for PhD programs, additional faculty lines and the right to be informed about the trajectory of each Department by our students and faculty. 

We do not accept any forms of disinvestment!    

 

  #The_Merge_Is_Truly_A_Purge

 

We Demand the Following: 

• For UAlbany leadership to engage in dialogue with the students and faculty of these Departments with a serious commitment to the goal of enrichment to both fields of study. 

 

• To Reevaluate the Metrics utilized to measure the effectiveness & strength of each department

 

• Increase the faculty lines and invest in Recruitment (advertisement and promotion efforts), with the aim of improving enrollment in both Departments
  

 

• Invest in the development of a PhD program for Africana Studies, provide adequate funding & faculty for the Department of Latin American Caribbean & U.S. Latino Studies & African and African American Studies doctoral programs

 

• Equitable promotion of the African & African American and Latin American Caribbean Studies Departments on social media, through email, and on recruitment tours both on-campus and outside of campus from the Offices of Communications and Undergraduate Admissions 

 

• Provide direct funding for both individual Departments from local, State and Federal agencies; private funding and grants
  

 

• Reevaluate/reform potential bias in Academic Advising for the fair and equitable promotion of African & African American and Latin American Caribbean Studies courses

 

• Implement and commit to transparency in the administrative procedures and decision making process for Department and curriculum changes

 

• Hold a university-wide town hall that is open to all students (Graduate and Undergraduate) as well as faculty; that fully explains the plan that addresses the aforementioned requests.

 

The above requests are subject to change as the results of our data survey are analyzed (11/16/23).

 

If you are an undergrad, alumni, ally or supporter of the Department of African & African American Studies and the Department of Latin American, Caribbean & U.S. Latino Studies, please represent your status #Undergrad #Grad #Alumni #Supporter in our comment section. 

 

 

 

 

The Origin of Ethnic Studies (Students Promoting Empowerment & Knowledge (SPEak):

http://www.columbia.edu/cu/speak/SPEaK_history_theOriginsofEthnicStudies.htm 

 

Fikes, Robert (2015). What Can you Do with a Black Studies Major? 500 Answers

https://africana.sfsu.edu/sites/default/files/documents/black_studies_majors_2015.pdf 

 

Zhou, Isabella (2023).  Black Studies Is Under Attack by Conservatives, but The Teachings Are for Everyone ("In this op-ed, an Asian American college student explains how Black studies shape her worldview.") https://www.teenvogue.com/story/black-studies-under-attack-schools 

Huerta, Alvaro (2020). Why Students Should be Required to Take Ethnic Studies, Inside Higher Education https://www.insidehighered.com/advice/2020/05/15/why-students-should-be-required-take-ethnic-studies-opinion 

 

(Podcast) The Movement to Erase Black History, Culture and Joy:

https://www.aclu.org/podcast/the-movement-to-erase-black-history-culture-and-joy 

 

Racial & Ethnic Equity in U.S. Higher Education:

https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/education/our-insights/racial-and-ethnic-equity-in-us-higher-education