News of University President Lawrence Bacow's appointment to U.S. President Barack Obama's Board of Advisors on Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) was disseminated by Tufts E-News on March 2, 2010. Established by former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, the purpose of this advisory committee is to support the advancement of these institutions that have been invaluable to the progress of American society. According to the HBCU Digest, this committee is represented by a diverse group of academics, four of whom currently serve as presidents of HBCUs, and one of whom will do so next fall.
HBCUs have endured huge financial blows due to the developing economic recession this country finds itself in. It is within this regard that the appointment of Bacow to this committee seems fitting and appropriate. According to Campus Compact, a national coalition of over a thousand presidents of colleges and universities, "under President Bacow's leadership, Tufts has enjoyed its three most successful years of fundraising..." Due to his expertise in economic relations, I am optimistic that President Bacow's appointment to this committee will be extremely beneficial to the financial progress of these pivotal institutions in our society.
However, in the nearly 10 years President Bacow has been at Tufts, there has been a lack of legitimate progress made by the administration to foster the intellectual advancement of students through the foundation of a substantially diverse black curriculum. This is evident particularly, but not uniquely, by the lack of development of the Africa in the New World program, which awards a minor certificate upon completion. This program is the only of its kind, highlighting the void of an African-American or black studies major. Furthermore, the fact that this program only receives a total annual budget of $1,000 is an indisputable representation of the administration's very shallow acknowledgment of, if not antagonism toward, the social and historical importance of a diverse academic curriculum concerning African Diaspora studies. Currently, there are only a handful of consistently offered courses that can count for either an Africa in the New World minor or a possible African-American studies concentration through the American Studies department.
Without a legitimate black studies program here at Tufts, President Bacow's advisement to the committee seems misguided. HBCUs have been crucial pillars in our society, graduating revolutionaries, scholars and activists like Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. (Morehouse College), Alice Walker (Spelman College), Langston Hughes (Lincoln University) and keynote speaker at Tufts' Emerging Black Leaders Symposium held on March 13 Nikki Giovanni (Fisk University). These institutions have demonstrated sincere dedication to the communities in which they are based, as well as the critical study and scholarship of the history of black people in the Diaspora. Not only does the Tufts curriculum not reflect these commitments, as all educational institutions' curriculums should, but the lack has proven to be a hindrance to the black community here on campus. Without a legitimate academic and intellectual space in which students can reflect on black history, interpret their presents and realize their futures, I argue that Tufts has been overcharging its students since 1852.
Bacow's acceptance of the appointment to this board of advisors demonstrates his institutional commitment to HBCUs, and I would like to see a similar commitment made here at Tufts. This declaration of responsibility would not be solely to the black community, but to the relevant voices that either are not present on campus or are marginalized by their small numbers. In addition to being beneficial to the entire student population, a commitment of this nature would help place Tufts on the same academic level as the institutions with which we compete.
I view President Bacow's appointment not as a detriment, but as an opportunity to critically assess the nature of intellectual diversity on this campus, represented in the academic major curriculum. I anticipate a community-wide engagement in purposeful dialogue with President Bacow, University Provost Jamshed Bharucha and the senior trustees concerning a concrete plan of action that fosters the creation of a broader and more inclusive intellectual community on campus.
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Emerald Carter is a senior majoring in sociology.
