Guest Writer, Zizwe Poe
I would like to begin my comments by thanking you, my colleagues, for allowing me to kick off this week's blog on academic excellence. I want to touch on two aspects and I will attempt to do this in the most succinct way I know how.
Aspect 1: There is no way around it. We need physical space that supports academic excellence. This means the library AND an academic presence in the residential space of the campus. The completion of phase 1 of the library's renovation makes the edifice usable as a library. Reading the meticulous report of the president we should be able to see that phase 2 is not about library functions. Glossy pictures aside I want our students and faculty to benefit from the opportunity of stumbling upon texts that they did not intend to use because of the text's juxtaposition to a targeted text. This is the type of serendipity that can only come by walking through the stacks. Our students are tacitly being prepared to seek answers without knowledge and a degree without collegiate research. Our president's post said that the students and faculty currently have all the library and library services needed to facilitate learning. I hope that this isnot true for if it is we may never have a true library again.
Aspect 2: Lincoln University needs a Pan-African Studies program. Lincoln University has a historic relationship with Africa and the most diverse population of students from African countries than most HBCUs. This is an undervalued niche that we should take advantage of. A Pan-African Studies program would strengthen relations with African countries and Caribbean countries while assisting with connecting African American students with our international populations.
I will begin with these concerns as I expect there will be some feedback on both issues. Again, thanks for allowing me to initiate this week's string.
Your comment about they physical library is so true....there is simply no substitute for being able to wander through the stacks and pull out and browse through books from the shelves. However, the situation is what it is, and I'm not sure that bemoaning the current status is helpful, since it is not clear that we can actually do anything about it (Serenity Prayer is useful here). Let us just make sure that the finished building will not have lost those wonderful aspects of the traditional library (open stacks of books) in favor of some possible alternative vision -- cyber-cafe, or whatever! I hope that the faculty Library Committee is keeping informed and abreast of all plans for the renovated building!
ReplyDeleteI agree that LU's historic connection with Africa makes an African (or Pan-African) Studies program highly appropriate. But I also think that LU needs to improve its history offerings. I personally find it mind-boggling that we can have a history major without offering World History, other than "contemporary," or European history, other than "modern." It would be one thing if our students were coming here already prepared in those areas, but somehow I doubt that.
ReplyDeleteZizwe, I found your point about our failure to take advantage of our historic relationship with Africa interesting. You speak of what we could do for Lincoln resident students, and you make a good point. From a graduate point of view, I have always wondered why we have not yet set up distance learning programs that would grant Lincoln degrees to African students. Eastern University, for instance, offers a distance-learning graduate degree in Education for students all over the world. They spend three weeks in residency at Eastern and then do the rest of their work online, interacting with each other and with Eastern professors while back in their home countries. I would think we'd have much to offer at the graduate level to students and professionals in Africa, and given the increase in basic Internet access in even the poorest countries it might be time to give international distance education some careful consideration. If anyone is interested in putting together a grant proposal with that focus, count me in!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great idea, Linda! Distance learning opens up wonderful options and certainly reaches across international borders. I definitely think an on-campus (or at least "in-person"/"face-to-face") component should be part of any distance learning program, like the model you mention for Eastern. My recent University of Pittsburgh MLIS degree followed a model that involved a weekend each term on campus (and a contingent of Virgin Island students were accommodated by the faculty going to them for a weekend each term). Without face-to-face interaction of any kind, the program would really be missing something important. As someone with some experience (from the student side) I'd love to work with others to help plan a program and write a grant, so count me in, as well, if anyone is interested in talking charge!
ReplyDeleteI believe Zizwe is right on both counts: about both Aspect 1 and Aspect 2; but neither can be overemphasized. Two riders are relevant here: 1. The library was under-utilized before its renovation and, I suspect, it will be after its renovation. This generation of Lincoln's undergraduate students, by which I mean the majority and not everyone of them, seems to be against an academic rather than, say, social use of the library even after repeated appeals from the faculty. 2. Further, for most of them as for some faculty, Africa is largely an embarrassment (with some historic significance) from which they need to distance themselves. In the end, whether the library or Africa is crucial or even relevant to academic excellence, is dependent on our definition (of academic excellence); and by that, I mean a theoretical definition rather than a purely persuasive one.
ReplyDeleteI was amazed by the anonymous comments, not for the comments, which were very useful, but for the perceived need to be anonymous, a statement of the current affairs.
ReplyDeleteI posted both anonymous comments, not because I was afraid to disclose my identity (although, come to think of it, maybe I should be), but because I hadn't figured out the different options to select for profile -- it was just easiest to select "anonymous"! Then I took the time to sort it out and posted my third comment....but I must say that the relative lack of participation in the discussion, anonymous or not, is disappointing. Hopefully, it will pick up!
ReplyDeleteRegarding the library the library staff should have been allowed back into the library upon completion of phase one and that we could have the library staff around during phase two within the building since much of phase two deals with the outside appearance of the building.
ReplyDeleteThe library staff input into the library renovation was basically minimal. I should made a greater effort to get them to move the entire collection to another building for the renovation so that we could a least had access to the entire collection.
If we could create a Pan-African Studies program just using current courses, that we be a plus for the university.
Zizwe, I am glad that you have addressed the issue of space and focus in your presentation. Needless to say, this is not an LU problem. Your insight should be shared with other HBCU's.
ReplyDeleteThe library was my second dorm room as a LU student. Once it went into total renovation it was as if I was evicted. My escape from the typical LU campus life became restricted to a "trailer park". My eagerness to grab a book and just touch it was no more. I strongly agree with Kwame "This generation of Lincoln's undergraduate students, by which I mean the majority and not everyone of them, seems to be against an academic ..." The forefront mind set of the majority of LU students is elsewhere rather than the world of academics.
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