There is a huge problem facing the entire University of Maryland, College Park community. One we can't ignore any longer. Today, June 5th 2020- I am formally requesting that President-Designate Darryll J Pines uses his power as the University of Maryland's first Black President to advocate for the increase of admitted Black students in the class of 2024.

Black freshman enrollment has been trending downward since 2006, and this year’s percentage is still the fourth-lowest the university has had (bit.ly/3gRdScF). My sophomore year, 2018, we made up just 7.3 percent of the UMD's population— the lowest proportion since 1992, when the office first started keeping track.

It's clear to see that throughout the years, UMD hasn't wanted black people to attend the school- going all the way back to the first Black undergrad admitted in 1951, Hiram Whittle, who wasn't able to graduate due to the harassment and racism he faced every day from his classmates and professors.

It is clear to see they don't want us here even to this day. In just my last 4 years at UMD I've had to live through seeing the use of excessive force from the UMPD through macing students at a Black graduation celebrations in 2016, the murder of Lt. Richard Collins III at a bus stop on campus, and the death of Jordan McNair following an offseason workout with the Maryland Terrapins football team.

The hatred, bigotry, and racism will not run us away any longer. We will be educated- by any means. I'm doing my part to support myself, my peers, the Black alumni that have come before me and the future Black minds that I'd like to see come after me. We deserve the right to a quality education, and to quote President Pines' address to the UMD community, I'd like to end with this: 

"Even though we are physically separated, now is the time to stand in solidarity and unite against any injustice."

Thank you,

Saba Tshibaka

University of Maryland, College Park C/O 2020

*Picture credits to Washington Post - Petula Dvorak*