Newspapers / Black Ink (Black Student … / Oct. 6, 1978, edition 1 / Page 4
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Pagt* 4 Black Studies programs to be strengthened or created The NCBvSC hopes to initiate the creation of viable programs and courses of study of true Black history in the social sciences, literature, natural sciences, literature, natural sciences, etc., at colleges and universities within the state which do not offer such as a part of its regular academic curriculum. We will examine currently existing programs and-or courses of study to determine whether or not they are of sufficient African and Afro-American studies, how it relates to you Afiicaii and Afro-Amaicio Studlet Cunicnhun UNC-Chapd HOI There are two questions which students ask most often pertaining to African and Afro-American Studies. Students ask "Well, what good is it^” and more pointedly ‘‘What can it do for me^” 'rhese questions, of course are very legitimate and timely. Indeed, they are ((uestions which students sl.ould ask of every discipline. Our response to ‘‘What good is it?” is that we are training specialists and technicians, people possessing special skills to deal effectively with African and Afro-American communities. A few short years ago Black students, scholars, and professionals challenged the traditional disciplines in the humanities and social sciences to address the real problems facing the Black community. (Xit of this dynamic protest, African and Afro-American Studies was lx)m We, therefore, have inherited the responsibility of not only documenting the history of Black people, but we also inherited and accepted the responsibility of carrying out serious academic research and analysis to come up with new ideas and solutions to problems facing the world Black community. Our worth, then, as a discipline, lies in our fulHllment of this responsibility. Our response to the second question—“What can African and Afro-American Studies do for me?”—is this: first, the country is facing an economic crisis, the discipline of African and Afro-American Studies has emerged from its em bryonic stage to a stage of independence, stability, and credibility. Con sequently, African and Afro-American majors enjoy ascension to top flight graduate programs at universities both in the United States and abroad. African and Afro-American majors take advanced degrees in all areas. P'or example: law. nuHiicine. city planning, business, etc. Tliis combination of degrees registers these students as professionals in their respective fields of law, mtniicine. business, etc.. but it also registers them as specialists in dealing with the problems which Africans and Afro-Americans encounter in those artsis The advant«ig(^.affordel by this combined training can be achieved by you even at the undergraduate level ^’ou can simply double major You can major in African and Afro American Studies and speech or psychology, or chemistry, etc In addition to acquiring dna' area of specialization, majors in African and Afro American Studies ha\c .i' oppoitunity to develop a close working relationship with professors in i le rurriculum. This relationship becomes particularly helpful as each .'-luor..! Ix-gms work on his major research project which is usually of publishable quality These factors, among others, make the African and Afro-American graduate highly marketable in almost any field of endeavor For example, one im- nuxliate net*d which is met by our graduates is that of supplying both state and ft^leral agencies of civil rights, cultural resources and affirmative action with jH*ople who have acquiri*d an indepth view of the problems of the Black com munities and who have attained the expertise to solve them We are certainly aware that the job market is tight. However, we are sure that you realize that very few things of worth are acquired without conscious ;ind consistent effort The field of African and Afro-American Studies, because it is young and has tremendous cap;icity for growth will require conscious and consistent effort to insure its continued development Kverytime a student enrolls in the program, he not only strengthens the program but also assists African and Afro- American Studies to fulfill its inhenttHi responsibility of confronting the problems which face the Black community at home and abroad. We challenge you to give yourself the opportunity to determine both what African and Afro-American .Studies can do for you and what African and Afro- .\merican Studies is doing to fulfill its obligation to the World Black Com munity The Bargain House 105 MERRin MILL ROAD CARRBORO, NX. 27510 Come Check Out Our Fall Fashions On Sale Now! open 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Mon.-Sat. Sundays 1-6 p.m. breath and scope as to follow true expression and understanding of the Black man’s history. Ultimately we hope to get the general administration of the UNC system to institute Black Studies departments on all member institutions as degree offering departments. Strategies—Inquire into the present existence of Black Study Programs at each member institution as well as reviewing university catalogs and curriculum offerings. Develop a survey which would indicate specific areas of Black student interest. Solicit Black student activism in order to support requests for specific Black studies courses. In so doing, gather si^atures of interested Black students in order to show the demand for a particular Black studies course. Present information to the ap propriate academic body which determines curriculum offerings. As an alternative. Black studies courses may be presented as a selected topics course, a student design course, or a mini course. Determine whether or not currently existing Black studies courses are representative spectrums of Black thought. Examine authors and primary sources used in such courses. Suggest the expansion of sources to include a variety of Black per spectives. Present to the Board of Trustees of each member institution of the UNC system a proposal to adopt and recommend the institution of a Black studies department which offers a baccalaureate degree for such a major. Members of the NCBSC from Appalachian State will gather university catalogues from the 17 member institutions of the public system and from selected private institutions which have a Black student organizaton. By the end of September, a letter will be sent to all niembers of the NCBSC concerning the findings of the search. Member organizations of the NCB SC in Greensboro will develop strategies and guidelines to help Black student groups in presenting requests to their respective in stitutions. By February 16, members at Bennett will prepare materials to be presented at a NCBSC meeting in preparation for a unified push for the departmentalizaton of Afro-American Studies. Affirmative Action Programs to be monitored on Campuses The NCBSC is addressing Affir mative Action in North Carolina by way of its intervention in the case of Bostic V. Byrd. We have adopted the following resolutions and strategies: Whereas . . . The Bakke case threatens to undermine the goals of affirmative action and Whereas . . TTie Bostic v. Byrd case is one of the intitial spin-offs of the Bakke case, and WTiereas . . The future of af firmative action is being further jeopardized, and Whereas . . The membership and recipients of the affirmative action programs are predominantly recognized as Blacks and other Third W'orld people. Therefore Be It Resolved: That the North Carolina Black Student Coalition utilize its resources to lobby and pressure for the dismissal of the Bostic V Byrd case and also to discourage similar cases. liostir vs. liyrd Bostic V I- - I strategies for the North ’aroiina Black Student Coalition lo pursue 1 Provide statistical information on the status of Blacks in the legal profession in North Carolina: a. Blacks turned down at UNC law school since beginning of special admissions program. b. Number of Blacks graduating from UNC law school compared with those beginning first year. c. Number of Black lawyers in North Carolina—rate of increase. d. Number of Blacks accepted by UNC law school from predominantly Black institutions in the state. e. Historical background on legal education of Blacks Resources: N.C. Assoc, of Black Lawyers. Alumni and Friends Coalition. NAACP Legal Defense Fund 2. Compiling information in a form to present to students a. brochure b. news article 3. Distribution a. campus newspapers b. national magazines c. radio stations d. campus forums e. panel discussions 4. Bostic V. Byrd to be focal point of next NCBSC meeting in order to provide speakers to respective campuses. 5. Research group of NCBSC up dating information on Bostic receiv^ from NAACP Legal Defense F'und •Note: We strongly urge all campus leaders to obtain and monitor a copy of your schools affirmative action plan.
Black Ink (Black Student Movement, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill)
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Oct. 6, 1978, edition 1
4
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