FVSU shelving African studies institute

[Simba Nerevu]

http://www.macon.com/mld/macon/14902008.htm

Posted on Mon, Jun. 26, 2006

FVSU shelving African studies institute
By Ayanna McPhail
TELEGRAPH STAFF WRITER

FORT VALLEY - The new president of Middle Georgia's historically black university is abolishing the African World Studies Institute created by his predecessor four years ago.

Fort Valley State University President Larry E. Rivers, who took office in March, said although the institute won't be around after Friday, students will still be able to take the African Studies classes, including those planned for the fall semester.

"I'm trying to make it very clear here that students will not be disadvantaged because the institution as a building, as a place, will be abolished. Their studies will not be abolished," Rivers said. "I had to make some adjustments in personnel there and the institute itself."

This is one of the latest changes in the president's ongoing restructuring process.

"The entire university is going to be evaluated," said Canter Brown, special assistant and counsel to the president. "Any changes that are ongoing are not occurring because the president or anyone at the university is picking on programs to drop, it's occurring because of the serious financial challenges that the university faces because of a declining enrollment."

There are five employees at the institute, which was created as its own entity by former university President Kofi Lomotey, who saw it as a fit endeavor for a historically black university.

The fate of the personnel working at the institute is still being evaluated, Rivers said recently.

Employment counseling has been established to help individuals whose credentials may not meet the requirements of other programs offered at the school. While professors may have polished rŽsumŽs, the school has to adhere to accreditation standards that are becoming more particular, Brown said.

Meanwhile, the school is forming a committee to determine the future of African World Studies at Fort Valley State, Rivers said, including whether classes will continue after students currently pursuing majors and minors in the program graduate, and whether some of the courses should be required.

The committee will represent a cross section of faculty, students, staff and administrators, Rivers said.

Since 2002, the institute has staged an annual film festival to expose the public and students to African culture. It also produces a newsletter and publishes a journal in which students contribute written pieces.

The executive director at the institute is coordinating a yearlong program designed to prepare black males in high school for college. The initiative was awarded a $20,000 grant from the state Board of Regents.

It is unclear which, if any, of the activities at the institute will continue.

"All this is happening so quickly that those kind of decisions haven't had a chance to be made yet," Brown said.

It is that uncertainty that troubles African World Studies majors.

Anthony Abner, one of those students, is concerned about the fate of the teachers and the institute's activities, including a study abroad program.

"The whole purpose of college is to help you find yourself; those activities open the doors to other experiences," said Abner, who is among five people majoring and six people minoring in the program.

The program won't be the same if there aren't teachers who are passionate about the subject matter, said the 19-year-old junior from Atlanta.

"As soon as you walk into (the institute), you are just happy. You are just infused with something. You just want to work hard. You want to do more," said Abner, who found out about the changes from a classmate. "I feel like it's so much that we're not taught as African Americans, or just people, about our history. When you go into the institute, you're given a different view."

Jessica Mitchell, a rising senior, transferred from Albany State University so she could major in African World Studies. She gets emotional when she talks about the institute.

"This program is more than just a piece of paper that somebody can discard. It's a part of our lives," said Mitchell, her cracking voice punctuated by sniffles.

She said she wants to pursue a master's degree in theology and use what she's learned at Fort Valley State to establish a school that includes African culture.

"It has really done some wonderful things and just expanded some students' views. A lot of students appreciate it," Mitchell said.

Mitchell doesn't understand how her school, founded for black people, cannot make curriculum about themselves mandatory.

"It seems that because we are at a (historically black college and university), a black history course should be required with the rest of the core curriculum when you are a freshman," said Mitchell, who is studying abroad in Africa.

But everyone on campus doesn't agree with Mitchell.

"I don't feel like just because we're a historically black college we should have to take an African Studies class, because everyone is not here because it's a historically black college," said Micah Johnson, a 19-year-old who is taking her first African Studies class next semester.

Some students are enrolled at Fort Valley State because the school is near their home and they can pay in-state tuition, said Johnson, a mass communications major.

Rivers said the continuation of African World Studies courses ultimately depends on how many students want to take the classes.

"It will be offered only if there is a demand for those courses," Rivers said. "If we have one student and we are paying professors 'x' amount of dollars then it would not be economically feasible to continue."

"We have got to try to use the money as efficiently as we possibly can," he said. "That's one of the mandates I had from the Board of Regents."

Instead of having an institute, Rivers suggested African World Studies will be combined with another department, which could include political science and history.

"What I'm trying to do is expand what we once had in the institute," said Rivers, a historian who has written several books and articles, including the topics of slavery and African Americans.

The president wants additional courses to be offered within the department so there's something available for everyone who decides to take classes at the university. The courses could cover farming in Middle Georgia, Southern history, history of women in Middle Georgia and Civil War history, Rivers said.

Rivers envisions a center that would be a library, archives and museum all rolled up into one and open to the public. It would have records of oral history related by Georgia residents, he said.

But, some students think African World Studies should be separate.

"I'd rather it be its own department and maintain its own character," said Chris Outlaw, a sociology major. "I just think it's very distinct from history and very distinct from political science."

Outlaw took a class at the institute last year, and is among a handful of students who wrote administrators protesting its closing.

"I realize how important it is to have diverse perspective and reading these different articles really opened our critical thinking skills," said Outlaw, a rising senior. "Without these classes, black students will graduate and the only thing they will do is seek a job and add onto the American work force, but with classes like this, it will fulfill a sense of identity as a place in America."

He added, "If African World Studies was just phased away and we lose the major (and) we lose the faculty, I think it would be a big mistake."

The future of the African World Studies will be evaluated from the "bottom up" with discussions within the faculty senate and the committee studying various options, school officials said. Rivers will review those opinions before deciding the fate of the curriculum.

In the meantime, many students hope to see their school continue classes after the handful of students majoring in African World Studies are long gone. They say they want to be taught a different perspective and about their history.

"I'm not an (African World Studies) major, but this is something I feel strongly about," Outlaw said. "I think the university should take the opportunity to say our students should be required to know their history and have a sense of identity."

To contact Ayanna McPhail, call 923-3109, extension 238, or e-mail amcphail@macontel.com.

[BlakWolf]

i have a question...whats really motivating the head of the school to shelve the African studies Institute as a building at least? is it the lack of support, or is it the rich alumni or what? i mean i cant really see any reason to shelve an institute of greater importance beyond money or some other political factor.

[Simba Nerevu]

Originally Posted by BlakWolf

i have a question...whats really motivating the head of the school to shelve the African studies Institute as a building at least? is it the lack of support, or is it the rich alumni or what? i mean i cant really see any reason to shelve an institute of greater importance beyond money or some other political factor.

This seems quite peculiar to me too. Many suspect (and I too share this belief) that the current administration is attempting to attack the administration of FVSU's former president Kofi Lomotey.

Whatever their motives however this reflects an intractable myopia.

SN

[Guerilla Black]

I'm contactin the students from the article as we speak. Find out what's goin on over there.

[Baba Ahmed]

If they give u original context of a couple of years ago, u'll discover that not only a top administrator but also there were other instructors/professors who opposed its inclusion.

If memory serves me right, one top biggie is a Rhodes Scholar grad. Generally that spells trouble. Bleeve it, HBCU is more of a ploy now than ever before; with the drives to operate per a corporate structure and mission of cost effectiveness u'll see more so called Black Colleges fold. Generally their alumini punk out in providing dollar supports and somehow administrators seem to be ignorant of what other universities do re investments and large scale property acquisitions.

Very idealistically they seem to not understand that universities like other "public" institutions are first of all profit making ventures! Another example was when Dr. Clarke's Special Collection was finally "officially" classified, still the administration did little to have the collection put in a proper setting; to publicize its gift by Dr. Clarke to CAU and failed to provide labor to put the collection in place. One Sistah, and later I helped a bit at the end, did virtually all of the leg work and heavy labor.

Black wannabees are a sad commentary of Blackness! Too dependent on gov't fundings. The same holds true at Fort Valley State.

Look at the 11th hour rescue ex Ambassador/Mayor Andrew Young just negotiated for MLK, Jr's papers etc. I think Morehouse will get them. Emory U. is crying foul; they wanted and thought they'd get'em.

What difference does it make now. Black colleges are teaching students to be diverse and multi cultural. Ha!

[Simba Nerevu]

Originally Posted by Baba Ahmed

If they give u original context of a couple of years ago, u'll discover that not only a top administrator but also there were other instructors/professors who opposed its inclusion.

If memory serves me right, one top biggie is a Rhodes Scholar grad. Generally that spells trouble. Bleeve it, HBCU is more of a ploy now than ever before; with the drives to operate per a corporate structure and mission of cost effectiveness u'll see more so called Black Colleges fold. Generally their alumini punk out in providing dollar supports and somehow administrators seem to be ignorant of what other universities do re investments and large scale property acquisitions.

Very idealistically they seem to not understand that universities like other "public" institutions are first of all profit making ventures! Another example was when Dr. Clarke's Special Collection was finally "officially" classified, still the administration did little to have the collection put in a proper setting; to publicize its gift by Dr. Clarke to CAU and failed to provide labor to put the collection in place. One Sistah, and later I helped a bit at the end, did virtually all of the leg work and heavy labor.

Black wannabees are a sad commentary of Blackness! Too dependent on gov't fundings. The same holds true at Fort Valley State.

Look at the 11th hour rescue ex Ambassador/Mayor Andrew Young just negotiated for MLK, Jr's papers etc. I think Morehouse will get them. Emory U. is crying foul; they wanted and thought they'd get'em.

What difference does it make now. Black colleges are teaching students to be diverse and multi cultural. Ha!

This whole thing begs the question of whether or not these institutions are to be taken seriously?

SN

[afrokaur]

Originally Posted by Simba Nerevu

http://www.macon.com/mld/macon/14902008.htm

Posted on Mon, Jun. 26, 2006

FVSU shelving African studies institute
By Ayanna McPhail
TELEGRAPH STAFF WRITER

FORT VALLEY - The new president of Middle Georgia's historically black university is abolishing the African World Studies Institute created by his predecessor four years ago.

Fort Valley State University President Larry E. Rivers, who took office in March, said although the institute won't be around after Friday, students will still be able to take the African Studies classes, including those planned for the fall semester.

"I'm trying to make it very clear here that students will not be disadvantaged because the institution as a building, as a place, will be abolished. Their studies will not be abolished," Rivers said. "I had to make some adjustments in personnel there and the institute itself."

This is one of the latest changes in the president's ongoing restructuring process.

"The entire university is going to be evaluated," said Canter Brown, special assistant and counsel to the president. "Any changes that are ongoing are not occurring because the president or anyone at the university is picking on programs to drop, it's occurring because of the serious financial challenges that the university faces because of a declining enrollment."

There are five employees at the institute, which was created as its own entity by former university President Kofi Lomotey, who saw it as a fit endeavor for a historically black university.

The fate of the personnel working at the institute is still being evaluated, Rivers said recently.

Employment counseling has been established to help individuals whose credentials may not meet the requirements of other programs offered at the school. While professors may have polished rŽsumŽs, the school has to adhere to accreditation standards that are becoming more particular, Brown said.

Meanwhile, the school is forming a committee to determine the future of African World Studies at Fort Valley State, Rivers said, including whether classes will continue after students currently pursuing majors and minors in the program graduate, and whether some of the courses should be required.

The committee will represent a cross section of faculty, students, staff and administrators, Rivers said.

Since 2002, the institute has staged an annual film festival to expose the public and students to African culture. It also produces a newsletter and publishes a journal in which students contribute written pieces.

The executive director at the institute is coordinating a yearlong program designed to prepare black males in high school for college. The initiative was awarded a $20,000 grant from the state Board of Regents.

It is unclear which, if any, of the activities at the institute will continue.

"All this is happening so quickly that those kind of decisions haven't had a chance to be made yet," Brown said.

It is that uncertainty that troubles African World Studies majors.

Anthony Abner, one of those students, is concerned about the fate of the teachers and the institute's activities, including a study abroad program.

"The whole purpose of college is to help you find yourself; those activities open the doors to other experiences," said Abner, who is among five people majoring and six people minoring in the program.

The program won't be the same if there aren't teachers who are passionate about the subject matter, said the 19-year-old junior from Atlanta.

"As soon as you walk into (the institute), you are just happy. You are just infused with something. You just want to work hard. You want to do more," said Abner, who found out about the changes from a classmate. "I feel like it's so much that we're not taught as African Americans, or just people, about our history. When you go into the institute, you're given a different view."

Jessica Mitchell, a rising senior, transferred from Albany State University so she could major in African World Studies. She gets emotional when she talks about the institute.

"This program is more than just a piece of paper that somebody can discard. It's a part of our lives," said Mitchell, her cracking voice punctuated by sniffles.

She said she wants to pursue a master's degree in theology and use what she's learned at Fort Valley State to establish a school that includes African culture.

"It has really done some wonderful things and just expanded some students' views. A lot of students appreciate it," Mitchell said.

Mitchell doesn't understand how her school, founded for black people, cannot make curriculum about themselves mandatory.

"It seems that because we are at a (historically black college and university), a black history course should be required with the rest of the core curriculum when you are a freshman," said Mitchell, who is studying abroad in Africa.

But everyone on campus doesn't agree with Mitchell.

"I don't feel like just because we're a historically black college we should have to take an African Studies class, because everyone is not here because it's a historically black college," said Micah Johnson, a 19-year-old who is taking her first African Studies class next semester.

Some students are enrolled at Fort Valley State because the school is near their home and they can pay in-state tuition, said Johnson, a mass communications major.

Rivers said the continuation of African World Studies courses ultimately depends on how many students want to take the classes.

"It will be offered only if there is a demand for those courses," Rivers said. "If we have one student and we are paying professors 'x' amount of dollars then it would not be economically feasible to continue."

"We have got to try to use the money as efficiently as we possibly can," he said. "That's one of the mandates I had from the Board of Regents."

Instead of having an institute, Rivers suggested African World Studies will be combined with another department, which could include political science and history.

"What I'm trying to do is expand what we once had in the institute," said Rivers, a historian who has written several books and articles, including the topics of slavery and African Americans.

The president wants additional courses to be offered within the department so there's something available for everyone who decides to take classes at the university. The courses could cover farming in Middle Georgia, Southern history, history of women in Middle Georgia and Civil War history, Rivers said.

Rivers envisions a center that would be a library, archives and museum all rolled up into one and open to the public. It would have records of oral history related by Georgia residents, he said.

But, some students think African World Studies should be separate.

"I'd rather it be its own department and maintain its own character," said Chris Outlaw, a sociology major. "I just think it's very distinct from history and very distinct from political science."

Outlaw took a class at the institute last year, and is among a handful of students who wrote administrators protesting its closing.

"I realize how important it is to have diverse perspective and reading these different articles really opened our critical thinking skills," said Outlaw, a rising senior. "Without these classes, black students will graduate and the only thing they will do is seek a job and add onto the American work force, but with classes like this, it will fulfill a sense of identity as a place in America."

He added, "If African World Studies was just phased away and we lose the major (and) we lose the faculty, I think it would be a big mistake."

The future of the African World Studies will be evaluated from the "bottom up" with discussions within the faculty senate and the committee studying various options, school officials said. Rivers will review those opinions before deciding the fate of the curriculum.

In the meantime, many students hope to see their school continue classes after the handful of students majoring in African World Studies are long gone. They say they want to be taught a different perspective and about their history.

"I'm not an (African World Studies) major, but this is something I feel strongly about," Outlaw said. "I think the university should take the opportunity to say our students should be required to know their history and have a sense of identity."

To contact Ayanna McPhail, call 923-3109, extension 238, or e-mail amcphail@macontel.com.

The article gives all the major reasons within it'z body.

I was raised in Macon and am a graduate of FVSU. I did one of my internships at the AWSI during my senior year.


Mentality:
"I don't feel like just because we're a historically black college we should have to take an African Studies class, because everyone is not here because it's a historically black college," said Micah Johnson, a 19-year-old who is taking her first African Studies class next semester.

Fort Valley still haz cotton fields and peach orchards in and along its outskirts. It was a town that moved slaves in and out on trains, the same trackz that we cross everyday to get to school. The town still shuts down at twelve noon, in former years to sell slaves, in the latter, "for prayer."

The "good ole southern way" mentality hovers dilligently over the community. The mayor, Mayor Stumbo, literally lookz like a replica of KFC man on the chicken box, and he also leads one of the largest congregations in the city which has a weekly televised services.

Wut can I say? It'z the southern way. Ah, atleast that is a lingering excuse for being against the AWSI.

The 'southern way' is ingrained deeply into most of FVSU'z students becuz a great deal of us come from surrounding counties in GA.

Wut is the southern way. As little change as possible. Especially not any change that would bring to light that there was anything pre Antebellum south or post Antebellum south, for that matter.

And so, we have faculty, staff and students who unintelligibly and sometimes unknowingly support the maintanace of these ways.


Political:

The president wants additional courses to be offered within the department so there's something available for everyone who decides to take classes at the university. The courses could cover farming in Middle Georgia, Southern history, history of women in Middle Georgia and Civil War history, Rivers said.


FVSU is a land grant institution and has the largest acreage (grazing fields, slaughter house, agricultural field galore) in the University System of GA. . (had fun cow tipping... lol)

For a long time now, there has bee some struggle eith the GA Board of Regents wanting to have a white president to "restore" the University.

FVSU has been in the news alot, as have many HBCUs, concerning management.

Additionally, FVSU does has done some cloning and matriculates the most pre med students in the state of GA. All of which are of key intrest of our melanin challenged counterparts.

Adding these classes to make the AWSI title more palitable to the melanin challenge counterparts was surely that objective. but my question iz why? why go to a HBCU if you don't want this type of teaching?

Is it a lash out at Dr. Lomotey?

Perhaps. Sure, Dr. Lomotey ruffled lots of feathers. Many people were fired during his tenure. Many people were hired. The accredidation of the Education Department was lost during his tenure. Yet, the African World Studiez Institute wuz created during his tenure.

FVSU iz the land of "hookups" so to speak, and when Dr. Lomotey came some hookups stopped while others began. Some tenured professors, faculty, and administration didn't like that.

Personally:

My college experience was heightend by the programs Dr. Lomotey brought the university. I was heavily involved and recieved numerous awards and co founded The Arts Expo, but even more valuable, I began to seek out information outside of the classroom and direct text. I started looking for supplementary reading- which lead me to the AWSI.

I know that my life wuz enriched by the AWSI. Not just the program itself , but the knowledge of Dr.Mwalimu Shujja, Dr. Aboh, and Dr. Machintosh and Chewan Evans-Petway. The AWSI introduced me to the very essence of what I was searching for in the HBCU experience and certainly the knowledge I was seeking about the African Diaspora. The AWSI is a special place. Located and the same building as the infirmary and definately the right place because there are so many frail aching souls insearch of their African heritage.

My fondest memories from FVSU are centered around activities I attended sponsored by AWSI. My fondest was the gathering we had for the class of 2004 staff. We ate traditional African food and were presented with stoles.

I proudly wore my AWSI stole they presented me with when I graduated in 2004. It is on my desk at work and serves a convesation piece to break the ice when talking about Sankofa. (what's that thingy?>>> http://www.assatashakur.org/forum/im...es/sankofa.gif
)

I think to say that closing the program is, ONLY, a direct shot at Dr. Lomotey or the bidding of rich alumni would be naive of anyone to believe that. There are many factors to be considered some of which I touched on and many I won't touch on because I don't know and because there are always more variable than meet the eye or ears in such a decision.

[Baba Ahmed]

My brutha, a belated tho warm welcome to u!

Yes to close FVSU's Afrikan Studies program is a direct shot at Dr. Lomotey and others involved with it. I'd read newsletter from there, I think a couple of years ago. During that same period Morris Brown was under attack. But actually, since I moved South, over 25 yrs ago, and visited many of our HBCU's as a travelling jewelry craftsman what we see today at FVSU (yep been there too) is the continuation of a clear intent to either shut down Black Colleges and Universities or put so much "milk" in our coffee they're bcome colorless "tales of our ancients" So its not just your alma mater (sp?) its all predominately Black schools on down to High & Middle Schools. Do you remember what happened at Tenn. State? Right now CAU is changing faces. As u hint, the corporate mentality Black people have shut down the only college of Library Sciences and I heard that the Political ed classes are threatened. Two recurring heads appear: mismanagement of funds and programs/classes that aren't "cost effective."

Add to this scenario is a rising number of young Black people who agree whole hearted with yt: no need for "Black" colleges! Ignorantly they've swallowed hook, line & sinker the rhetoric included in MultiCulturism and Diversity.

If you're familiar with Dr. Llaila O. Afrika his saying is tight: Europeans move in a military mind. All across social life areas, Europeans feel they must conquer, control and dominate. Naturally it seems. They imperceptively, to those fooled by different nat'l names, etc, see themselves, as we should, ONE PEOPLE. Worldwide.

One thing I hope u've gained in your studies is a realization that we are one people and that we've no need to depend on gov't grants and loans. Both include what I call blood sucking compound interests! The grants of course not as openingly as loans; but surely u learned in economics 101: there is no free lunch... not in America.

Again welcome and share some of the info/knowledge u acquired at FVSU. Remember what Dr. John Henrik Clarke wrote as the purpose of education: to teach us how to gain and keep power!

Aluta continua and Uhuru
Kwame.

[afrokaur]

*smile* actually, I'm a sistah, but thankz for the welcome.

[Baba Ahmed]

No thing; Afrikan men who intend TO BE AFRIKAN need sistahs, big time!

So breakdown meaning of "Afrokaur" please and id the language.

Stay BlackXcellent!
Kwame Baba Ahmed

[manifestdestiny]

I think it is an attempt to once again control or castrate any afrikan socilization facet. Thats why an effective Afrikan-centered collegiate institution must be funded by community mileges and not governmental support. Caucasian have mastered the art of acting like they're helping but behind close doors they're hindering