Howard University: Staying Competitive or Becoming Uniform?

December 15th, 2010 - By TheEditor

by R. Asmerom

Howard University is in a critical phase right now. While many continue to question the need of HBCUs in this day and age, the University is going through an academic renewal, by which it is seeking to cut down on departments in order to strengthen other academic offerings. According to the Washington Post, the university is considering cutting its undergraduate programs in philosophy, anthropology, the classics and even African studies.

Although Howard’s intentions are in line with making the school more efficient financially and more focused academically, cuts to certain programs like undergraduate African studies raises questions as to how these changes will impact the identity and legacy of a college which defines itself as being in service to Black studies and Black students.

“Howard University has to demonstrate more than a symbolic commitment,” said Dr. Anthony Samad, professor of political science and African American studies at East Los Angeles College. “Getting rid of African studies is troubling from the perspective that colleges with large African American populations cannot be ignorant about Africa and claim they advance a total and complete global perspective. That’s a perpetuation of what has occurred in America’s study of Africa and the stereotypes that have come out of an uneducated perspective. It’s like Harvard or Yale discontinuing the study of Europe. It just wouldn’t happen.”

At the same time Samad says that he appreciates the efforts of the school to do whatever it takes to heighten its productivity. “Howard is not a Black University. “It must keep current on global curricula that make its graduates competitive in the global space.”

Howard, which is one of the top schools amongst the 105 HBCUs, is competing against not just other Black schools but the top schools in the country to recruit the top Black students. Although Howard is “the leading producer of on-campus African American doctorates and the nation’s only historically black institution identified as a first-tier “Research I” university,” competition is stiff and administration believes that cutting down on its 171 programs will free up more resources to focus on its professional programs like that in medicine, law, dentistry and nursing as well as social work, psychology, business and pharmacology.

“You can’t do everything at once,” said Howard’s President Sidney Ribeau to the Washington Post. One of the 20 undergraduate programs on the chopping block is philosophy. Howard’s philosophy department is significant in that it represents the only philosophy department at a historically black college and a major source of Africana philosophy. A Save Howard Philosophy petition has attracted more than a thousand signatures according to the Post.

Students, past and present, have expectantly mixed reaction to the school’s evolution. “Change is not necessarily a bad thing,” said Queshia Bradley, a 2006 graduate of Howard. “As I understand it, the undergraduate programs that are being cut have a very low student enrollment. So why not reign in resources by cutting down the 171 programs Howard offers?” It will be interesting to see how matriculation will be affected by the changes, especially amongst those who value a liberal arts focus. “The other side of the coin is that [Howard may be] robbing these students of an experience just because their focus isn’t valued,” said Bradley. “Which raises the bigger question not just on how Howard is devaluing these programs, but how educational institutions generally support more tangible programs [like engineering and business].

Spelman alumnus and cofounder of the HBCU site AUCAlumni.com, Tiffani Murray, believes that Howards’ remodeling is strictly a business decision and one that will help the institution remain strong and relevant for many years to come. “I think that the school could continue to operate and fund departments and professors that have a low enrollment, but at what cost?,” she asked. “We can look at some of the HBCUs that have closed their doors in the past decade and think that if some choices had been made differently or strategies employed they could still have students attending them. I think if it is a choice of making changes that will keep HBCUs in operation and competitive with mainstream schools that are attracting the same top students or keeping programs and the risk of the schools going into debt, the choice is clear.”

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Sadio Woods

Sad that I am just now reading this post (and will take a stroll through the university's website in a sec to check for these mentioned deletions). I would think that the answer would best lie in if there is a way to merge these programs within other programs to give students a more well round, but ultimately employable education. African studies should be merged into the Business program, as an international business focus. Those students could then major in business with an option in African and Middle East governments and commerce, and would then be prepared to enter the international world with a depth of knowledge about the evolution of business in Africa and the Middle East, rooted in a historical context. The same thing with Africana philosophy as an option in the Law program or in the Communications program. Granted, you would lose some of the general information, as it would have to be tailored to the issues of those programs, but you get a more well rounded education, and students majoring in other fields retain the opportunity to take those courses. Just my two cents.
A.Hall

As a Howard alumni I do feel that low enrollment programs should be cut including African studies. I don't think it will question to integrity of the University. It is my understanding that all undergraduate programs require courses in African or African American studies in order to fulfill their general studies requirement. As long as that requirement still stands, I believe that the students can continue to expand their knowledge of Africa. The bottom line is Howard needs to focus that funding else where especially to the graduate programs so I fully support this decision.
JCN

It's ignorant to say keep African Studies but cut the other programs. No student should have to suffer because the administration's failure to spend money correctly. But that's the way our society works, the people in charge never have to suffer. It is what it is, our opinions are irrelevant to them. That is all.
bad m*thaf*cka

Of the cutting of African studies, I think Eddie Cain in Five Heatbeats said it best….."Why we always gotta cross over to them, how come they don't never cross over to us?" Predominantly white colleges would NEVER cut eurocentic studies at any of their schools, but here blacks are giving up a little bit more of their already obscure history to chase after white ideals of money over knowledge of cultural identity, integity, dignity, & honor. Cut the other courses if necessary, but preserve what we have left of African studies.
ursula

Here's a question:

Do you think HBCU's should make African Studies or African American History a core curriculum requirement for degree students?

I think so. Private colleges require certain religion courses for degree programs, so why not implement a core standard that includes african history for HBCU's.
Guest

It makes no sense to keep African studies just because Howard is an HBCU. What percentage of the students even take courses in African studies? The professor who expressed concern that HBCU students should not be ignorant about Africa implies that the majority of Howard students actually enroll in African studies. He also implies that Howard's students would be ignorant about Africa without this program and would not be ignorant about Africa with this program. I doubt if there's a rational basis for any of these assumptions. Anyway, FAMU stand up!
Faye

I am a current student of Howard University. Personally, I feel some programs should be cut in order to ensure the progress of the school. I feel African Studies should not be cut.
Kandi.Koated

As an HBCU alumni, I truly believe that African studies should not be cut. However, in these discussions the professors for these endangered disciplines never seem to take responsibility. As a department, they should brainstorm on ways to make the classes more relevant and actively recruit students both to the school and into their department.
Clark Atlanta Univer

Clark Atlanta is the BEST hbcu. Howard should cut programs. Hell look what happened to my brother school Morris Brown…

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