On December 6, 2022, Suffolk University’s Black Student Union, African Student Association and Caribbean Student Network met with Dean Sparks to discuss the future of Black Studies on campus. Sparks, the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, proposed a plan to convert the Black Studies program into an Ethnic Studies program.
This idea was met with backlash from students, faculty and families who voiced their thoughts at the public meeting. Zoe Clayton, a freshman here at Suffolk and member of BSU, attended the December meeting and has since provided me with insight on exactly what happened that day:
Em: How many people attended the meeting and what was your general impression of what was said? Was it positive, negative, or neutral?
Clayton: When the news came out about changing to Ethnic Studies, there was a strong, unanimous disapproval of the whole idea. When we had the first meeting [with Dean Sparks], there was a large turnout almost overfilling a lecture hall. Not a single person who spoke on the new Ethnic Studies minor had a positive thing to say about it.
Em: How did the meeting end with Dean Sparks? Do you feel as though she took these thoughts into consideration?
Clayton: I think the meeting with Dean Sparks on our behalf of the BSU went well in voicing our true opinions on how we feel about the Black Studies being diluted. Although Dean Sparks took her notes, in no way do I think she truly took away what was said. She spoke a lot about how she herself had to take Black Studies classes during her time in school, yet she still managed to repeat the negative history that happens too often within the black community. I also believe that she cannot fully grasp the harm of what she is doing because she, as a white woman, she has never experienced the same pain black students go through when her actions dilute the Black Studies.
Em: Has there been any discussion about the program amongst BSU since?
Clayton: BSU is still having further discussions with Dean Sparks about the future Ethic Studies minor.
So, what will happen to Black Studies? As of right now, the minor is still available for students to participate in. However, I’m not sure where the program will stand going forward and believe that it could potentially be coming to an end.