CJ GUION | EDITOR – IN – CHIEF
A group of African American students at Duke University are calling upon administrators to make changes at the university including a better campus climate, as well as to increase financial support for African American students. However, thus far students have been disappointed at the response that they have received from top administrators.
Several of the top items on the agenda include the location of the university’s African American Cultural Center and lacking support for the Black student group’s annual events. Fuel was added to the fire a couple of weeks ago, when a recent study that has yet to be published suggested that African American students on campus switch to “easier” majors.
Furthermore, the unpublished study by Duke researchers said that over time it appears that in some cases that African Americans GPAs match their White counterparts over time, because they switch to majors that require less study time, with grading structures that are less strict. It has been stated that opponents of Affirmative Action wish to use this study in a case that they wish to take up in the Supreme Court.
Students such a Black Students Alliance President, Nana Asante believe that occurances such as this add to an already uncomfortable environment for students. Asante also stated that they the Alliance is still debating whether they want to meet with the researchers, because of fears that they may increase the legitimacy of the study.
The student group wants to create a special task force which will evaluate the campus climate of African American students, as well as an endowment that would increase financial assistance with the funding of special programs on campus for the group. In addition to this, a group of African American students also held a silent protest the day prior to the Martin Luther King, Jr holiday. They also deliver a document entitled the Black Culture Initiative to the President of the university which outlines their demands.
The BSA said that this is not the first time that African American students have felt attacked by the university. One of their big events was in danger of being cancelled, and several rumors have been spread about the location of the Black Culture Center. The group would also like to make it clear that they are not fighting against the university. They just would like for everyone to know what is going on in the surrounding community.
