It is almost on-brand for Syracuse University to seemingly ignore the African American Studies department’s need for long-term faculty, leadership and diversity. As of right now AAS does not have a full-time department chair, a role Syracuse University has a history leaving unfilled. With protests dating back the late ‘60s, the African American Studies Department has had to fight to even be recognized as its own academic department and more Black faculty be included. It would be expected that SU would know to not repeat history.

Prior to SU hiring Renate Simson, the African American Studies Department chair until 2017, Black students had to protest for a chair to even exist. History seems to repeat itself once again, as the Department Chair still does not have a new full-time hire. Similar demands made by Black students during the 1960s documented in The Eggers Years mirror demands made by #NotAgainSU.

In the 1960s, the Black Student Union and other Black students demanded that current courses offering teaching topics surrounding Black culture be brought under the same umbrella. The BSU and a collective of other students not only protested, but occupied the Administration Building to draw attention. SU had no choice but to listen to the needs of their students. In 1969, the AAS department was an official academic program, and the first department chair was John L Johnson.

Johnson was a controversial chair, while he had all the credentials and was a tenure professor, many did not like his tendency to mix his role as an activist and professor. Johnson then resigned and SU made George Bunch the department chair Interim of AAS and later on, Harry Morgan was then appointed to take over the job full-time.

While Morgan made strides in the AAS department, the department still lacked diversity. Not only is the leadership of the department not a person of color, but faculty still needed to be diversified. Once Morgan resigned, a pattern of short term administration began to occur and the Black students on campus had to start the same fight all over again.

Flashing forward, history has not changed. The DEIA Improvement Plan lists efforts create a more diverse staff. SU created an updated version of the plan in 2021. I have no expectation that there was or is going to be improvement over night. Looking into the AAS past history and Black students’ continuing fight to have faculty that reflect the student body, there should be a level of accountability. Of course demands made by #NotAgainSU will be implemented within a year, but these demands are not new. With students restating the same demands and issues every 10 years, you would think an institution would finally take long-term action.

Currently, Gerald R. Greenberg is the AAS Department Chair Interim. Students should pay a close eye to the university’s next move when hiring someone to take the position full-time. SU does not have a pattern turning interim’s into full-time positions, although it does have a pattern of leaving AAS without leadership for an extended amount of time. Students have a say on this campus, that was evident in the 1960’s and it still is now. #NotAgainSU has made it clear that hiring a more diverse staff needs to be more of a priority. This is a perfect time for SU to step in and show that they listen.

Sarhia Rahim is a Sophomore Policy Studies Major. Her Column appears bi-weekly. She can be reached at slrahim@syr.edu.

Published on September 15, 2022 at 5:09 pm