Black Culture Centers & Student Learnig

      In the article "Black Culture Centers: Still Central to Student Learning", Patton (2006) asked whether or not resource centers that serve students from single cultures are still relevant in light of widespread interest in multiculturalism.  Patton argued that these spaces continue to matter to at the very least, black culture centers.  The article described factors such as stereotypes that lead to marginalization, racially divided campus events, a hostile residence environment, and not feeling that their voice is heard, as factors leading to an African American student's decision to withdraw or transfer from a college or university that is predominantly white.   
    When black students at an institution have a physical location where they feel a sense of belonging, Patton (2006) argued that they are more likely to stay enrolled despite any obstacles in the environment.  Patton's (2006)  study revealed that black culture centers make a significant difference in student learning.  These centers facilitate an environment that encourages leadership development.  In addition, these centers help students to gain a sense of community and promote a sense of mattering.  
     Black students now have an increased presence at predominantly white institutions and are not prepared to deal with this increase in the black student population (Patton, 2006).  Opponents of black culture centers criticize them for promoting separatism.  Those who promote black culture centers feel that predominantly white institutions still require black students to operate out of their comfort zone on a daily basis.  Another opposition to black culture centers is that they only serve the needs of black students. Patton (2006) argued that while black culture centers predominantly serve the needs of African American students, they also welcome all people who wish to learn about black culture.  Black culture centers have a tradition of openness.  A misconception exists, too, that black culture centers only provide social opportunities for students. 
     The results of Patton's (2006) study indicated that black culture centers provide a number of benefits to African American students.  These include increased opportunities for student leadership involvement, development of students' African American identity, more pride in their black history, and a welcoming, safe place to go where African American students feel supported. 
     After reading the article, I am interested to learn how the students I interview feel about having a black cultural center on campus.  To me, it seems like a great campus resource for African American students and in my opinion, the benefits seem significant in helping African American students adjust and transition.  I can see the need for both a multicultural office and a black culture center on campus.  It can be left to individual students, as to which office they feel would benefit them most, a culture specific office or a multicultural office. 

Patton, L. D. (2006). Black culture centers: Still central to student learning. About Campus, 11(2), 2-8.

First -Generation African American Male College Students

     Many firs-generation African American men attending colleges and universities face limited resources and opportunities to aid in their career development.  White students continue to enroll in college at a higher rate than African American students and a college education allows both social and economic access that is normally not afforded to non-college graduates.  The college completion rate of African Americans continues to fall behind other racial and ethnic groups.  Many ethnic minority first-generation college students, such as African Americans experience resistance, alienation, and a culture that is dissimilar to the community they grew up in when they attend college.  As a result, they lack a sense of belonging and this has a negative impact on achieving their academic goals.  This connection to their environment is especially necessary for African American male college students.  Student affairs professionals must recognize that African American men are unique and that they may need much more support from the institution.  Career counselors must be aware of the challenges African American men have faced over time and provide culturally sensitive counseling.  Career counselors must show a willingness to assist and effectively work with African American men in coping with barriers.  Career counselors need to listen to the perspectives of these students, be willing to discuss racism and discrimination, explain the importance of networking with faculty and alumni, and encourage students to join professional and student organizations.  In addition, counselors should recruit appropriate role models to speak about careers in which African Americans have traditionally been underrepresented and help to alleviate fears and pessimism that African American men have about their chances to succeed.  It is also important for career counselors to encourage African American males to seek out mentors. 

Owens, D., Lacey, K., Rawls, G., & Holbert- Quince, J. (2010). First-Generation African American Male College Students: Implications for Career Counselors. Career Development Quarterly, 58(4), 291-300.

Office of Multicultural Affairs- A Campus Resource

     I met with a staff member from the Office of Multicultural Affairs at BGSU to learn more about the programs and services they offer to help African American students.  The office works collaboratively to help students succeed in college, and to create experiences that will enhance students' time at BGSU by introducing them to diversity, cultural programs, academic support and social integration. 
   The mission of the Office of Multicultural Affairs is to promote and offer a welcoming, socially just and inclusive campus community by supporting the retention of diverse student populations, providing diversity education and multicultural programs for students, faculty staff and the surrounding community. 
    The office offers one-on-one advising in areas such as academics, transition from high school to college, and social integration into the campus culture.  Their motto is "When in doubt, reach out!"
     The office offers two courses related to multicultural affairs.  UNIV 1510- Multicultural Program focuses on diverse team building to support targeted populations with developing academic success strategies, understanding their cultural identity and respecting identities different from their own, developing global consciousness, learning to deal with bias, and learning to build teams and allies by finding commonalities among differences.  UNIV 1200-Learning-Behavior Assessments is designed to make students better learners.
     The office offers multicultural programming to broaden one's perspective of about ethnic and cultural diversity.  A few programs specifically geared toward African American students include the Black Issues Conference and Black History Month.  Both of these events are co-sponsored by the Office of Multicultural Affairs and the Black Student Union.  The Black Issues Conference includes programming to address issues that affect the African-American community.  The theme of the conference changes each year and the conferncce is organized by students with assistance from the Office of Multicultural Affairs.  Black History Month is a nationally recognized month-long celebration of black culture.      
     The Office of Multicultural Affairs also holds Diversity Education Workshops and Monthly Diversity Dialogues.  In addition, they partner with the Office of Residence Life to train Diversity Peer Educators.  Student volunteers participate in this program to develop leadership, presentation, and public speaking skills.  The students then conduct workshops that contribute to enhancing interpersonal relationships with students of all backgrounds in the residence halls and throughout campus.

African American Men & Mentoring

     Mentoring in higher education has proven to be a valuable tool in promoting interactions between students and faculty.  African American males especially have reaped the benefits of formal mentoring programs at colleges and universities.  Students who interact with and become involved in a mentoring relationship find greater satisfaction in their college experiences than those students without mentors.  Mentoring is critical in the process of empowering and developing African American male students into role models. 

Mentoring program recommendations for enhancing student retention, academic achievement, and leadership development in African American men are as follows:

·       Executive leadership within the institution must be genuinely committed to the idea of a formal mentoring program

·       Human and financial resources must be allocated

·       A university committee should be established to identify African American male students, upon admission, who might be a good fit for the mentoring program

·       Mentors should be selected who are energetic, compassionate, and dedicated.  In addition, they should be individuals from all field experiences and levels within the university

·       Those selected to serve in the program require a solid training program for development.

·       Ongoing and unbiased assessment of the program

LaVant, B. D., Anderson, J. L., & Tiggs, J. W. (1997). Retaining African American men through mentoring initiatives. New Directions For Student Services, (80), 43.

Student Interview #1

     I met with an African American male who did his undergraduate work at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio.  He is currently enrolled as a graduate student at BGSU.  At Miami University, the student explained that he felt like much more of a minority on campus.  He said that while the Miami University talked about being open and inclusive, in reality, that was not his perception.  He said that the Diversity Affairs office, for example, was located in the basement of a building that was not centrally located to the rest of the campus.  He said that students would never have found it had they not been actively seeking it out.  He recalls that the location of the office sent a strong message that Miami University did not value or care about students with diverse backgrounds.  In addition, he explained that there were very few African American faculty and staff members.  This, too, made the student feel like more of a minority.  He said that the Dean of Students, however, was an African American male and this made quite a positive impact on the student.  He aspired to hold a high profile administrative position at a college or university some day and this made him realize it is possible, even as a minority. 
     The student talked about first impressions that others have of him based on racial stereotypes.  He said most people assume he grew up in the inner city and was from a very low income family.  He also touched on how he feels when he is the minority in a classroom discussion.  He said he feels that others look to him as if he is speaking on behalf of all African American males.  He said that countless times throughout the day he thinks about his words and his actions and how others may perceive him.  He mentioned that if a white male speaks up, they are simply seen as speaking their mind.  When he speaks up, he is often perceived as being rude and outspoken.  He also explained that there is a general assumption that as an African American he should just be able to adapt to the dominant culture. 
     As a graduate student at BGSU, the student said he was so impressed by the campus resources available to minority students.  In addition, he liked the fact that there we so many active groups comprised of students from diverse backgrounds.  He also shared that he constantly thinks about whether or not he is assimilating too much into the dominant culture.  He has a strong desire to stay true to his cultural heritage.  At the same time, he touched on the challenges of going back to where he grew up.  With more education, he has become more aware and knowledgeable and things that his old friends do and say are no longer acceptable to him. 
     The student explained that campus support systems and resources for advocacy were instrumental in creating an environment where he felt comfortable with himself and his identity.  The Diversity office was a place where he felt safe to share and ask questions.  Staff who worked there were always willing to listen. 
 

2-Year Institutions & Their Effects on African American Males

            The study looked at the impact of attending a 2-year vs. a 4-year institution on African American male students’ academic and social integration experiences in the first year of college.  Results indicated that African American males attending 4-year institutions were more likely to report higher levels of academic and social integration in the first year of college, suggesting that student affairs practitioners at 2-year institutions should develop interventions to ensure that African American males are engaging in academic and social integration experiences.  Prior research indicates that students attending 2-year institutions are not as likely to obtain a bachelor’s degree as students who attend 4-year institutions. 

     African American males in this study who attended 4-year institutions said they were more likely to attend study groups outside of class than were African American males at 2-year institutions.  African American males at 4-year institutions were also more likely to talk to faculty outside of class time and meet with their advisor concerning their academic plan.  African-American male at 4-year institutions were much more likely to participate in school clubs and attend fine arts performances, participate in intramural sports, and go places with friends from school than African American males at 2-year institutions.  This study found compelling evidence that African American males at 4-year institutions are more socially and academically integrated than their counterparts at 2-year institutions. 

Flowers, L. A. (2006). Effects of attending a 2-year institution on african american males' academic and social integration in the first year of college. Teachers College Record, 108(2),

Needs & Pereptions of African American Men and Women on College Campuses

     There has been a significant amount of research related to the circumstances of African Americans and other minority students at predominately white colleges and universities.  Researchers have found quite a disparity between the accomplishments of African American men and women. Black women attend college in proportionately larger numbers than black men.  As a result, this has impacted the social status/economic stability and employability of African American males over the years. 

    The author explains that black male representation on college campuses throughout the U.S. is low due to factors preventing black males from ever getting into college, as well as those leaving them unprepared when they actually arrive on campus.  Some of the barriers of the first group include a high rate of incarceration, a high level of high school drop-out rates, and a high rate of homicide rates.  For the group of African American males who do make it to college, there often exists an overall feeling of unpreparedness for the academic challenges.  This may stem from attending a poor elementary or high school, low peer and adult expectations toward academic achievement, peer pressure not to further one’s education, financial challenges, lack of appropriate role models, and racism.

     The author reported that no matter what the reason for the relatively low number of black males attending colleges and universities, when they do arrive on campus, they may need some special nurturing to help them adjust and adapt to college life.  The author further explains that one critical adjustment is in the campus environment itself.  It is important to make the campus environment less hostile than the American community at large to black men, especially those from the inner city.  Black males tend to be viewed negatively and reeducation needs to start on campuses and it needs to include faculty, staff, and students.  The author points out that ironically, one of the populations requiring the most assistance in changing their attitudes and perceptions about the merits and abilities of African American men is African American men themselves. 

     Racism and socioeconomic disadvantages can inhibit and African American male’s ability to complete personal development tasks such as achieving a masculine social role, desiring and achieving socially responsible behavior, having values that guide their behavior, and preparing for a career.  As a result of African American males challenges in achieving these developmental tasks, they often are unlike African American females, and white males and females.  Black men begin to adopt alternative behaviors to compensate for the behaviors that were denied to them because of racism, socioeconomic disadvantage, or a combination of the two.

     Regarding course learning and writing, the author explained that African American men do not perform as well as African American women in these areas.  African American men often do not come to college with the same study habits as African American women.  In addition, the study indicated that African American men are less likely to use resources such as the writing lab for assistance.  The study found that African American men visit the student union much more often than African American women, which is helpful to student affairs practitioners interested in reaching out to African American males.  Black men indicate much higher participation in athletic and recreational activities than black women.  The author explained that providing adequate athletic and recreational facilities may be a key factor in making the college environment a welcoming one for African American men.  Black women, however, were found to be more likely to participate in campus-wide activities. 

Cuyjet, M. J. (1997). African american men on college campuses: Their needs and their perceptions. New Directions For Student Services, (80), 5.

Interesting Observation in The Office of Enrollment Services

     Today I made an interesting observation in the department where I work at Owens Community College.  Of the over thirty academic advisors on staff, I noticed that only three are African American.  I found this interesting because I learned that the most recent student population figures indicate that Owens student enrollment is comprised of 13.8% black and Hispanic students (Ohio Board of Regents, 2011).  To me, it was surprising that we only have three African American advisors given this percentage of black and Hispanic students.  Another observation was that the three African American advisors' cubicles were located in a tucked away area in the back of the office, separated from most of the other advisors.  It made me wonder if this was something that was apparent to these three African American academic advisors, other staff members, and even students.  I also decided to investigate the percentage of full time African American faculty on campus at Owens.  I found out that of the 205 full-time faculty only 5% are from a minority group (Ohio Board of Regents, 2011).  I assume that this is something that African American students notice and that it has an effect on the degree to which they feel that they matter.  I look forward to talking with several African American students first-hand to gain their perspective on how this impacts them. 

Ohio Board of Regents (February, 2011). Owens community college portrait. Retrieved from https://www.owens.edu/portrait/index.html