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State University of New York at Cortland Africana Studies Department Annual Report 2007-2008

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State University of New York at Cortland Africana Studies Department Annual Report 2007-2008 STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK AT CORTLAND AFRICANA STUDIES DEPARTMENT ANNUAL REPORT 2007-2008 Dr. Seth N. Asumah, Chairperson AAS Faculty Associates to the Department: The Africana Studies (AFST) Department has established a highly diverse cadre of faculty members from SUNY Cortland and the surrounding areas for its multidisciplinary function. The membership consists of AFST-specific teaching faculty and non-AFST teaching members. The associate members to the AFST Department include Samuel Kelley and Paul van der Veur, Communication Studies; Bill Buxton, Literacy; Michelle Kelly, Foundation and Social Advocacy; Kassim Kone, Sociology/Anthropology; Emmanuel Nelson and Matthew Lessig, English; Christopher Latimer, Adrian Hull and Peggy Murphy, Political Science; Ibipo 10hnston­ Anumonwo, Geography; Keith Smith, EOP; Susan Rayl and Yomee Lee, Exercise Science and Sports Studies; Edward Moore, Performing Arts; Mechthild Nagel, Philosophy and Seth N. Asumah, Political Science and Chairperson. The Year in Review: The Africana Studies Department at SUNY Cortland maintains its raison d'etre not only as a unit for producing majors, but also as an agency for advocating social justice and liberatory education. Nationally, new graduate programs in Africana studies are emerging. Among these graduate programs are Temple University, University of Massachusetts, Amherst; New York University, University of California, Harvard University, Yale University, Cornell University, SUNY Albany, SUNY Binghamton and Syracuse University. A number of our graduates have attended graduate schools in some of these institutions. Many institutions of higher learning are reaffirming the urgency of taking Africana Studies more seriously, and SUNY Cortland has joined the ranks of these institutions that have recently elevated Africana Studies from the margins to a department status. As stated in the media regionally and nationally, students, Africanists and Africologiests have applauded this College's efforts for taking the steps in sustaining the discipline at SUNY Cortland. The functional and symbolic relevance for action cannot be overemphasized in these times of internationalization and the concomitant efforts to reach cultural competence. This year was marked, partiCUlarly, by significant achievements in the Department. Yet, as usual, there were some disappointments too. Counted among the significant achievements were: a) two members of the Department received the State University of New York's highest ranks-Distinguished Teaching Professor and Distinguished Service Professor; b) the Department's associate membership increased with the addition of Dr. Christopher Latimer and Ms. Peggy Murphy; c) the Gospel Choir (AAS 241) visited Canada and started planning for touring Germany in 2009 ( The Student Government Association has pledged $20,000.00 to support this trip); d) the Department promoted diversity by organizing over 14 programs during Black History Month for SUNY Cortland, co-organized 1 Martin Luther King Day, and organized the Diversity Film Forum; e) promoted diversity by leading the campus in running the Summer Institute for Infusing Diversity Into the Curriculum; f) created three new courses--AAS 112, Beginning Blues Guitar, AAS 142, Rock, Jazz, and Blues Ensemble, and AAS 404, Constitutional Law lI-Civil Liberties; g) the Department's members collaborated with the Office of International Programs to complete the establishment of a new study-abroad program with the University of Ghana and the Department Chair visited the University of Ghana in October 2007 to complete the MOU; h) the Department continued to develop an institutional link with the TransAfrica Project; i) three associate members of the Department and the Chair presented papers at the New York Africana Studies Association (NYASA) Conference at Cornell University; j) curriculum development efforts in creating a new major-Africana Music Industry and Culture are almost completed; k) three associate members of the Department presented their works at Sandwich Seminars during Black History Month; 1) four associate members presented their research during Scholars Day. m) the Department Chair has been invited as one of the keynote presenters at an International Conference, Building Bridges 111: Multiculturalism and Diversity in Barcelona, Spain. Counted among the disappointments were: a) the retirement of Dr. Don Wright; b) the resignation of Dr. Rachel Reinhard from the College; c) the continual state of ambivalence by some associate members of the Department; d) limited number of course offerings in the Department because of dependence on primary departments; c) no full-time faculty lines for the Department; and d) general structural paralysis and systemic dysfunctions from organizational standpoint with specific reference to limited resources. AFST Department's Course Offerings: This academic year, 36 courses with 50 total sections were offered by the Africana Studies Department in Fall 2007 and Spring 2008. Africana Studies courses serviced over 329 students for the past academic year. Our courses also served students emolled in general education courses (GE6, GE7 and GEll), upper level courses, and requirements for various majors. Progress in Improving Diversity: I. The Summer Institute for Infusing Diversity Into the Curriculum: The Africana Studies Department has championed the diversity and cultural competence endeavors on this campus more than any other department. The Summer Institute for Infusing Diversity into the Curriculum was the first of its kind to be developed in 2001. Since then, other institutes such as the Ethics Institute and Teaching Effectiveness (Technology) Institute have emerged. The Director of the Summer institute for Infusing Diversity into the Curriculum, Dr. Seth Asumah, administers the program and facilitates the seminars with other associate members of the Department, Drs. Mecke Nagel and Michelle Kelly. Over 85 SUNY Cortland faculty members have benefited from this institute in the past seven years. The Institute's success could be attributable to leadership from the Africana Studies Department and financial support from the Provost's Office for faculty participation, consumable recourses, supplies, and stipends. 2 II. The African American Chorale: Gospel Choir, AAS 241 The intricacy of African American music, gospel in particular, in any Africana Studies program cannot be overemphasized. The African American Chorale has demonstrated it raison d' etre since the AFST Department assumed control of the Choir from the Performing Arts Department many years ago. The Chorale's international trip to Toronto, Canada was a raving success. Three of the objectives of the Canada trip were to expose our students to global diversity, bring gospel music to Canada, and promote SUNY Cortland in the international arena. The Choir's Canadian tour was a program that our 47 diverse student body will always add to their educational experience even after they have left Cortland. Our spring concert was dedicated to "Cultural Celebration and Diversity" and attendees were not disappointed. The African American Chorale, in addition to performing at area schools and churches to strengthen its involvement in community building and diversity, represented COltland at the regional concerts too. Furthermore, the Student Govenunent Association voted in April 2008 to support the Choir's tour of Germany in 2009 with a financial assistance of $20,000.00. It is indubitable that at the apogee of events and entities that promote diversity and concerted efforts to improve the campus climate is the Gospel Choir. This was another very successful year for the SUNY Cortland Gospel Choir. III. Africana Dance Ensemble: AAS 106 Dr. Yomee Lee, the instructor for this course was on leave from Cortland but enjoyed her Fulbright scholarship in South Korea, where she taught this course, Africana Dance, to Koreans. She was proud to promote SUNY Cortland and this Africana Studies course in South Korea. IV. Rock, Jazz and Blues Ensemble: AAS 142 The Africana Studies Department offered the course on Rock, Jazz and Blues Ensemble again this year. Our students and faculty have found another avenue for promoting diversity through music on campus and down town. This Ensemble performed in a series of concerts on campus and at Lucky's nightclub. V. Black History Month: The Africana Studies Department again maintained it role as a powerhouse in promoting diversity and sustaining the zeitgeist of the Africana World at SUNY Cortland during Black History Month 2008. As an academic unit, the Department has led this campus in presenting faculty researches in Sandwich Seminars every year during Black History Month. This year was no different from the previous years. Our Sandwich Seminar series included, "Electing an American President: Reconsidering Race, Gender, and Religion in the Politics of Change" by 3 Drs. Kathy Russell, Karla Alwes, Sam Kelley, Seth N. Asumah and Mr. Keith Smith; "A Forgotten People" was presented by Dr. Adrian Hall; "How Do You Spell Murder" A Film Discussion by Dr. Mecke Nagel; "African Americans Oppositional Identity and Black-White Academic Performance Discrepancy," by Dr. Gerald Porter; "Black Men' s Guide for Survival at SUNY Cortland" was presented by Men of Value and Excellent (MOVE); "Primary Health Care and Incidence of HIVIAIDS in Sub Saharan Africa," by Dr. Ben Wodi; "Samuel Ringgold Ward: An African American Abolitionist Preacher" was presented by Dr. Charles Maxfield; "Liberia: Rebuilding
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