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ACPSI Proposal for Pan-African Studies Communiversity

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ACPSI Proposal for Pan-African Studies Communiversity Appendix ACPSI Proposal for Pan-African Studies CommUniversity Zachery Williams Components 1. Rationale: Designed as a more ambitious adult education program, the curriculum, overall setup and functioning of the CommUniversity should model the setup of the best colleges and universities in our region and nation. The difference in the two would be that the CommUniversity would specifically partner with institutions working to improve the African American community, such as churches, civic organizations, nonprofits, busi- nesses, healthcare facilities, and social service agencies. Its graduates and students would work to promote community change, development, and empowerment with the education they acquire. CommUniversity curriculum would use Pan-African studies/Africana studies, his- tory, and other disciplines to engage the community and attempt to develop an edu- cational institution that could serve as a vital nucleus of community change and development, supporting the work of local churches and other religious institutions; one that is squarely situated in the community but partnering with nearby colleges and uni- versities, as well as churches and local civic groups. Such an institution, I firmly believe, will connect the needs of the people to the resources and expertise of those trained in the study of Africana life and culture. Taking it a step further, we must then proceed to train community residents to become the professors, professionals, and leaders of their own communities and promote a much-needed enhancement of collective self-esteem and community development. The CommUniversity initiative would involve a partnership among various university and community constituencies, including but not limited to the following: 1. Pan-African Center for Community Studies 2. Chief Diversity Officer and Associate Vice President for Inclusion and Equity 3. Office of Multicultural Development 4. College of Education 5. Continuing Education 6. Pan-African Studies 262 APPENDIX 7. History Department 8. Dean for the College of Arts and Sciences 9. Institute for Teaching and Learning 10. Summit College 11. Akron Urban League 12. Akron Public Schools (i.e. East High School) 13. Alpha Phi Alpha-Eta Tau Lambda Chapter 14. Akron NAACP Potential funding outlets could include the College of Arts and Sciences, the History Department, the College of Education, the Vernon Odom Fund, and numerous other foundation outlets. Space locations could involve classrooms at the University, East High School, and rooms at the Akron Urban League. Overall, the CommUniversity would reflect a win- win situation for everyone involved. 2. Mission: The mission of the UA(University of Akron) Pan-African Studies CommUniversity is to function as a community university and educational program. This community, youth, and adult education program provides free and/or low-cost interactive seminars and courses. These seminars and courses serve as public fora and creative incubators, designed to address significant issues and challenges facing the black community of Akron. The courses are taught by volunteers from both the University of Akron and the greater Akron community. The hope is that training can be provided with which to prepare many of the participants to become instructors of courses, thus promot- ing the transference of leadership development among underdeveloped communities. Part of the mission of the UA Pan-African Studies CommUniversity is to take histori- cal, intellectual, and cultural resources and use those resources to create viable solutions that address the various problems facing our communities. Furthermore, the UA Pan- African Studies CommUniversity is designed to function as a training ground for leaders of Akron—across generations—in the tradition of the Highlander Folk School. We work to develop a real practical intellectual and cultural community—connecting both head and heart—in the black community of Akron. By empowering the people with the skills and requisite training, they become the primary agents of their liberation and reconcilia- tion, in partnership with area churches and partnering institutions. 3. Educational Philosophy: Using insights taken from Myles Horton, Paulo Freire, bell hooks, Haki Madhubuti, Barbara Ann Sizemore, Marva Collins, Alain Locke, Malcolm X, Benjamin Mays, Mary McLeod Bethune, Ella Baker, and many other important edu- cators, the UA Pan-African Studies CommUniversity seeks to provide a transformative educational environment that supplements public and private education for members of the black community. It also serves as a bridge between those already formally educated and those desiring such an experience. Integrative learning undergirds the CommUniversity’s model of class composi- tion. Community education functions best when it is inclusive and conducted across the age spectrum. Any individual interested in a particular course can sign up. Classes should reflect the gendered, age, socioeconomic, and experiential diversity of our community, because only by working together can we solve our problems. Success models of such a community education program are offered in Kansas City (Communiversity of UMKC: http://www.umkc.edu/commu/), Liberation University in Oakland California (sponsored by First A.M.E. Church-Rev. Cheryl Ward: article APPENDIX 263 in May 25, 2007 edition of the Oakland Tribune), Philadelphia (Temple University- Pan-African Studies Community Education Program: http://www.temple.edu/ pascep/). 4. Curriculum: Each course should focus on one major issue of importance to the African American community of Akron and greater northeast Ohio. One book is selected and purchased by each class member at a low cost. In addition, audiovisual aids, including documentaries and other materials are used to complement course reading materials, as needed. To promote the best learning-focused environment, we parallel general informational resources with specific data and information address- ing specific Akron community issues. Each course has a two-tier emphasis. The first tier is informative and seeks to pro- vide useful information and resources for participants. The second-tier is pragmatic and ensures that each class discusses practical solutions that can be implemented with the insights offered by participants based on their own experiences. Participants are trained as leaders, equipped and empowered to match their gifts and talents to prevalent prob- lems facing our community. Examples of potential courses are the following: a. Hip-Hop Culture, Gang Violence and the Crisis of Black Youth b. Black Women’s Health c. Politics and Black Akron d. Segregation and Black Education e. Mental Health and the Black Community f. Practical Black/Womanist Theology and the Black Church in Akron g. Black Men’s History and Studies in Akron h. The Black Family and Technology 5. Courses of Study: There are various courses of study each member can select from as an area of concentration. To obtain a certificate in a specified area, participants must com- plete a designated number of courses. Courses of study as well as total number of courses required to receive a concentration certificate will be determined by the CommUniversity administration. Examples of possible concentrations could include the following: a. Religion b. Education c. Family and Community Health d. Legal Studies e. Hip-Hop Culture f. Public Intellectual/Theologian Program g. Global Women’s and Gender Studies 6. Graduation: Each summer, a community graduation is held to commemorate those who qualify for graduation. A community celebration is held with the awarding of certifi- cates and a Commencement speaker to address the graduates. Our goal is to ensure that everyone who enters and desires an education can obtain one. When people are empow- ered with a greater concentration of life skills, our community becomes empowered. 7. Faculty: Faculty is selected from volunteers interviewed by CommUniversity adminis- tration. The CommUniversity administration is selected from a team of advisors apart of the Pan-African Studies Program and Pan-African Center for Community Studies. 264 APPENDIX 8. Additional activities of CommUniversity: a. Lecture series. Invite local and national speakers to address community on rele- vant topics of interest to Black Akron and greater Northeast Ohio b. Public Forums, Town Hall meetings, and Community Conversations c. Public Seminars and Workshops 9. CommUniversity Internship Program and Creativity Incubator: After completion of a specific area of focus or concentration in the CommUniversity, participants are con- nected with a list of community, nonprofit, and city agencies that will enlist their talents and skills in the service of the community. Moreover, participants are encouraged and equipped to begin development of their own projects, advocacy organizations, institu- tions, and so on as a result of graduation of courses of study within the CommUniversity. Such an entity could help keep track of graduates and interested applicants. The incuba- tor also serves as an educational bridge, assisting graduates and participants with lifelong learning opportunities, particularly enrollment in formal college and university degree programs. 10. Frequency: Courses are conducted on a semester system. Each class can be held throughout the week, on Saturdays, and throughout the summer months with the latter functioning as intensive courses, conducted as summer institutes and seminars. Demand and need for courses can also dictate frequency
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