Does anyone know the president's reasoning for this action?  I assume  
that Howard is experiencing economic stress.  Are budget cuts the  
rationale for this decision?

If the president is making an opportunity cost decision, I'd like to  
know what the closure was measured against.

It is hard to formulate an effective argument without knowing  
President Ribeau's motivation.

Thanks,
Tim


On Oct 14, 2010, at 9:37 AM, Megan Springate wrote:

> Forwarded from the African Diaspora Archaeology Network email list.
>
> --Megan Springate
>
> ---------------------------- Original Message  
> ----------------------------
> Subject: [ADArchNet] Howard U. President Plans to Shut the Doors on  
> the
> Anthropology Program
> From:    "Florie Bugarin" <[log in to unmask]>
> Date:    Wed, October 13, 2010 9:22 pm
> To:      [log in to unmask]
>         "Eleanor King" <[log in to unmask]>
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>
>
>
> Dear Colleagues and Friends,
>
>
>
> Howard University
> President Sidney A. Ribeau recently revealed his plans to close the
> Anthropology Program in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology  
> (along
> with other programs such as the B.A. in African Studies, Classics, and
> Philosophy).  After a period of
> discussion, he will make his final decisions shortly after December 1,
> 2010.  Howard University is the
> only one out of 105 Historically Black Colleges and Universities  
> (HBCU) in
> the
> United States with a five-field approach to anthropology, including
> applied.  In particular, the program has a strong
> emphasis in bioarchaeology and archaeology.
>
>
>
> While faculty will
> apparently not be dismissed, they will no longer be able to offer a  
> major in
> the discipline.  Basic anthropology courses will be components of  
> other
> majors, and most of the courses will most likely focus on socio- 
> cultural
> themes.
>
>
>
> The President?s decision
> will adversely impact the archaeology of Africa and the African  
> Diaspora
> for a
> number of reasons.  A negative
> outcome will frustrate our efforts to recruit and train African  
> Americans,
> students
> of African descent, and other minorities.
> The total number of registered minority members in the American
> Anthropological Association is less than 16%, and the number of  
> African
> Americans is approximately 3%.
>
>
>
> A closing will hinder
> our abilities to expose students of all majors to the past of Africa  
> and the
> African Diaspora.  Approximately
> 10,500 students are enrolled at Howard, and many of them are African
> Americans
> from all corners of the United States, Africa and other countries  
> throughout
> the African Diaspora.  A closing
> will not only affect our students, but it will also impact local  
> communities,
> descendant groups, indigenous peoples, underserved populations, and
> affiliated
> institutions.  Each of us in the
> Howard U. Anthropology Program works in collaboration with community  
> interest
> groups.
>
>
>
> In addition, avenues for
> highlighting the benefits of our collective work for other  
> disciplines will
> dwindle.  Last year, the Department
> of Sociology and Anthropology, Office of the Provost, and Office of  
> the
> Dean at
> Howard U. hosted the conference Windows
> from the Present to the Past: the Archaeology of Africa and the  
> African
> Diaspora (See
> http://www.coas.howard.edu/sociologyanthropology/conference2010/index.html) 
> .
> This event brought together prominent scholars and students from many
> different
> institutions and served as a means for faculty members in other
> disciplines to
> learn about our research. Since the conference, the sizes of our  
> archaeology
> classes have doubled in enrollment.
>
>
>
> Many colleagues have
> joined us in our plea to the President to continue the Anthropology
> Program.  Please see the American
> Anthropological Society blog site for more details
> (http://blog.aaanet.org/).
>
>
>
> Soon we will announce a
> Call for Action and ask you to send letters to the President, other
> colleagues,
> influential community members, and prominent political leaders.   
> Please
> address your letters to President Sidney A. Ribeau.  As soon as we  
> meet
> with the Provost, we will send out more information and the  
> President's
> address.  Please copy us on any
> correspondence.  Send comments to either:
> Eleanor King; [log in to unmask]  ORFlorie Bugarin; [log in to unmask]
> Thank you for your
> support.
>
>
>
> Sincerely,
>
>
>
> The Anthropology Faculty
> at Howard U.
>
>
>
> Flordeliz T. Bugarin
>
> Eleanor M. King
>
> Arvilla Payne-Jackson
>
> Mark Mack
>
>
>
>
>
>
> ?They cannot just tear out the roots of an expanding Black  
> culture.?  -
> Merrick Posnansky, October 9, 2010