Wendler: 'Black American Studies is a priority'

Chancellor Walter Wendler said after his State of the University address Tuesday that the Black American Studies Department cannot continue to exist in its current misguided state and a decision needs to be made about its ultimate purpose at SIUC. During his 56-minute speech that focused largely on diversity, Wendler did not mention the program or its struggle to define itself over the past four decades. It was only when the DAILY EGYPTIAN asked him after the address about the department and its role that the chancellor said the program was a priority. "We need to make a decision because we cannot allow it to exist in a soft state," Wendler said.

In his speech, Wendler said he will reallocate $3 million to increase diversity in the University's faculty and staff hiring practices. During the press conference, Wendler said the chancellor's office would initiate a study of where the money should go, and if the program would be a priority. Wendler said Seymour Bryson, associate chancellor for diversity, will lead the study. Even though Bryson would review which departments are making an effective mark on the minority population on campus, Wendler said the chancellor's office would make the final decision over any money allocation. Bryson said the University's administration is beginning to notice some of the burden the department has had to shoulder since its inception. The program has been acting as a referral service, academic unit and financial aid office, yet, does not have the academic security of other programs on campus because it is not a major, its department chairman has said.

"If one is going to address the African-American population on campus, you cannot ignore the Black American Studies contribution," Bryson said. "I think the chancellor wants to establish a very clear mission for the program." The Rev. Joseph Brown, chairman of the Black American Studies department, said no administrator has effectively dealt with department's lack of resources. The program has a budget of $11,000 for other-than-salary items and has four faculty members. Brown is the only tenured faculty member in the department. Wendler said there has been talk of improving the program for years. But, he said, the discussion has never translated into action. Brown said the University could be pulling an about-face in response to the department's needs, but said he remained cautious over expressing too much enthusiasm. "We may be turning a corner," Brown said. "We cannot remain in the state we are in."