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]>
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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
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