SECOND EDITION
Page 1 | CLASS Dispatch | Spring 2016
CLASS | Dispatch Digital Newsletter | College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences, ASU
ASU President Gwendolyn E. Boyd delivers the Keynote Speech at the 2nd Annual Research and Creative Symposium - J. Garrick Hardy Student Center, Alabama State University: October 28-29, 2014 -
Photo: Ram Alagan, 2015
Dispatch Welcome
to the 2nd edition of the CLASS Dispatch! A digital newsletter of Alabama State University’s College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences, the Dispatch will feature updates and announcements on College events, achievements, and opportunities. The contents of the CLASS Dispatch are primarily targeted to the ASU campus community, and more specifically, to current and future CLASS students. We encourage CLASS students, faculty, and supporters to contribute to future issues of the Dispatch. The bulletin will be circulated, bi-annually via ASU e-mail. Archive copies will also be available at the CLASS website.
INSIDE THIS ISSUE… Dispatch Welcome Chair’s Column Meet the PRC Tenure & Promotion Perspectives Model UN Day ASU Legacy Forum CLASS on Civil Rights VAWP on the Move CLASS Events CLASS Symposium Affiliated Conferences Democracy Matters Academic Programs ASU Areal View Map CLASS Dispatch
CONTACT: Chair, PR Committee | CLASS | 915 S. Jackson Street Montgomery | AL 36104 | Tel: 334.229. 8535 | asu.class.dispatch@gmail.com
Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 8 Page 9 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23
Dispatch | ISSUE 2 | Spring 2016
Page 2 | CLASS Dispatch | Spring 2016
CHAIR’S COLUMN
Dear Colleagues and Readers: The Department of History and Political Science has been incredibly productive over the course of the past year. The department admitted the first students to its newly revamped Master of History program. It welcomed news that two of its faculty members, Dr. Harrison Taylor and Dr. Michael Markus, had been tenured and promoted. And, it continued to fulfill its commitment - through academics and activism - to the promotion of social justice, both locally and globally. It developed a series of programs relevant to Alabama history and politics. Last Fall, it held an innovative FLASH Conference in recognitions of Confederate Memorial Day (observed as an official state holiday in Alabama). This fall, it hosted columnist Steve Flowers, who shared excerpts from his recent book, Of Goats and Governors. The department also worked to highlight ASU’s links to the broader global community. Under the direction of Dr. Sharon HerronWilliams, the department led several events in conjunction with International Education week, including an “International Taste and See” dinner and a live-stream presentation by the United States Institute on Peace and Peace-Building.
Dr. Derryn Moten Professor of History and Acting Chair Department of History and Political Science dmoten@alasu.edu
History and Political Science students were equally industrious. Some department-affiliated student groups undertook projects pertinent to the approaching presidential election. Anneshia Johnson-Hardy, the History and Political Science Department Secretary, helped students found a local ASU chapter of Democracy Matters, a national campaign finance and election reform organization. The ASU College Democrats, under the advisement of Dr. Alecia Hoffman, hosted an interactive discussion with Marcus Ferrell, the African American Outreach Director for Bernie Sanders’ presidential campaign. Other organizations, like Model UN-ASU, brought focus to issues of international importance; this October, Model UN held a United Nations Day program focusing on the 70th anniversary of the UN. We strive to consistently provide our students, ASU, and the broader Montgomery area with high quality opportunities for scholarly and community engagement. I encourage readers to take part in future department happenings. For further information on the Department of History and Political Science, the degrees offered by the department, or upcoming programs and events, please visit our website: Department of History and Political Science or our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/ASUHPS. You are also welcome to contact us by phone (334-229-5818), or to drop by the department office, located in room 210 of G.W. Trenholm Hall.
_________________________________ For additional information on the Confederate Memorial Day FLASH Conference, please see article available at: http://diverseeducation.com/article/72038/.
Photo: David Campbell
CLASS: Leading the March to Scholarly Excellence
Dispatch | ISSUE 2 | Spring 2016
MEET THE PRC
Page 3 | CLASS Dispatch | Spring 2016
Students, Colleagues, and Friends of the College: The CLASS Public Relations Committee (the newsletter team) is excited to publish the second edition of this digital bulletin, the CLASS Dispatch. We welcome this opportunity to recognize the College's work in building bridges through the University and beyond; in linking classroom teaching and cutting edge research to real-world applications of the liberal arts and social sciences. We hope that the Dispatch will continue to serve as a forum for enhanced faculty-student communication, professional development, and scholarly discourse.
Ram Alagan, Ph.D. Chair, PR Committee Dept. of Criminal Justice and Social Science ralagan@alasu.edu
Expanding on the previous edition of the Dispatch, we have incorporated several student contributions, which highlight their engagement with the College and their experiences at ASU. This volume also gives focus to ASU-relevant historical events and civil rights milestones, as well as upcoming CLASS and CLASS-affiliated programs and conferences. And, it recognizes the professional accomplishments of our colleagues, several of whom have recently earned tenure. We are grateful to those who have submitted items to the Spring 2016 Dispatch. We encourage CLASS faculty members to contribute news of their academic achievements; on a goingforward basis, Fall editions of the Dispatch will feature lists of scholarly publications and conference presentations. Please be sure to reply to the mid-Fall e-mail calling for publication and presentation notices. We also encourage submissions regarding student research (published or presented) and cross-college collaborative research Sincerely,
Ann Mezzell, Ph.D. Co-Chair, PR Committee Dept. of History and Political Science amezzell@alasu.edu
The CLASS Public Relations Chair and Committee
Public Relation Committee • Dr. John Craig (Committee Member) • Dr. Seela Aladuwaka (Committee Member) • Mr. Emery Kidd (Committee Member) Photo: Ram Alagan
CLASS’s Home: Paterson Hall Photos: Ram Alagan and Ann Mezzell
CLASS: Leading the March to Scholarly Excellence
Dispatch | ISSUE 2 | Spring 2016
Page 4 | CLASS Dispatch | Spring 2016
TENURE & PROMOTION
The Dispatch is very happy to publish the following updates on our CLASS colleagues' professional achievements. Several faculty members from the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences were promoted and tenured in 2015, and we wish to commend their efforts on behalf of the College and the University. We join our fellow CLASS faculty members, and our CLASS students, in congratulating Professors Alagan, Dotremon, Markus, and Taylor. We look forward to announcing future promotion and tenure news in the Dispatch. Ram Alagan (Ph.D., West Virginia University) is an Associate Professor of Geography whose concentrations include geographic information systems and environmental impact assessments. He received his undergraduate degree from Peradeniya University in Kandy, Sri Lanka. As a Fulbright Scholar, he earned his MA degree from Ohio University. He subsequently received his PhD in Geography from West Virginia University. During his time at Alabama State University, Dr. Alagan has published five book chapters and three journal articles, and has presented papers at numerous professional conferences.
Delilah Dotremon (Ph.D., University of Florida; J.D., Florida State University) is a Professor of Criminal Justice & Sociology who specializes in the Courts, Corrections, Domestic Violence, Rape, Substance Abuse, Marriage and the Family, and the Sociology of Education. She has published seven articles in the past three years. Of particular note are “The Supreme Court’s Rejection of the Indian Child Welfare Act of 1978,” which appeared in the Indigenous Policy Journal (2014), and “Improving ELL Achievement through Effective Teacher Training,” which appeared in the TexELT: Texas Teaching Journal (2014). Michael H. Markus (Ph.D., Washington University in St. Louis) is a Professor of History who concentrates on Early Modern and Modern British History and the History of the British Empire. His articles include “A Pocket Borough? Reformed Politics in Ripon, 1832-1867” (Parliamentary History) and “The Great Reform Act’s Impact on the Size of the English Electorate: A re-consideration” (International Journal of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences. His book chapter, “The Liberal Party and the politics of “conscience” in Leeds, 1845-1852,” appears in Barbier and Damms’ Culture, Power, and Security: New Directions in the History of National and International Security. William Harrison Taylor (Ph.D., Mississippi State University) is a Professor of History who focuses on the history of religion in the Anglo-American world. He has published several articles and books chapters. Among them are “‘Let Every Christian Denomination Cheerfully Unite’: The Origins of Presbyterian Interdenominationalism" (Journal of Religious History) and ““To Sing with the Spirit:” Psalms, Hymns and the Spirituality of Late Eighteenth Century American Presbyterians" (Religions). His co-edited work, Faith and Slavery in the Presbyterian Diaspora (Lehigh University Press), will be published in February of 2015. Photo: David Campbell and Ram Alagan
CLASS: Leading the March to Scholarly Excellence
Dispatch | ISSUE 2 | Spring 2016
Page 5 | CLASS Dispatch | Spring 2016
STUDENTS’ PERSPECTIVES
The ASU Experience: Opportunity, Productivity, and Challenges Shannon Williams: shannon.williams228@gmail.com Sophomore: College of Math, Science, and Technology Jayde Price: jayde.price@aol.com Sophomore: College of Math, Science, and Technology
comfortable as possible while here, and that everyone’s needs are considered. Students are provided with a range of housing and dining options, and we are appreciative of them. We hope that we might see additional progress in this area in the coming years, including the adoption of more flexible meal plans (partnerships with local grocery stores, for example) and more concerted clean-campus efforts (the addition of new garbage cans across campus). We know that the University remains committed to providing its students with a safe and welcoming environment, and we look forward to future housing and dining developments.
The motto of Alabama State University is “Opportunity Is Here!” Students and faculty uphold this motto by collaborating to provide the best possible educational opportunities for the ASU community. These opportunities include: internships, annual conferences, access to research and lab facilities, and links to graduate programs and potential employers. Sometimes these opportunities can be difficult to discover, but they do exist. We hope that the University will continue to maximize its technology options (perhaps the creation of a tab on the ASU website’s home page would be helpful), and ensure that these items are made more visible, accessible, and userfriendly for its students.
Alabama State University provides its students with many useful resources, including the Levi Watkins Learning Center, spacious and updated classrooms, and classroom teaching-teaching technology tools. These resources allow students to optimize their chances of fulfilling their educational and career goals. Yet, there are also some parts of campus that – due to age, or perhaps a simple lack of attention – are less equipped for maximizing student learning. We applaud the University’s efforts to ensure that more and more classrooms are outfitted with stable internet connections, working projectors, and computers. And, we hope that ASU will build on this effort across campus. ASU serves as a home away from home for approximately 6,000 students. The University works to ensure that it’s “student family” is made to feel as
I aspire to be a Biomedical Researcher. I hope to focus on Cancer Genetics. I plan to work for the American Cancer Society to improve preventative cancer screenings and cancer diagnosis.
Shannon I hope to become an anesthesiologist who focuses primarily on pediatric centered diseases, as well as a professor at a teaching hospital/university. It is my life goal to make a difference and pass my knowledge on to those who seek it.
Jayde Photos: Ram Alagan and Shannon Williams
CLASS: Leading the March to Scholarly Excellence
Dispatch | ISSUE 2 | Spring 2016
Page 6 | CLASS Dispatch | Spring 2016
STUDENTS’ PERSPECTIVES
The ASU Experience: African Perspectives
500 companies. Ultimately, ASU will benefit from offering its students greater access to academic and career development.
Lindani Mchawi: lmchawi@yahoo.com Sophomore, College of Health Science Fred Yeboah: infoforfred@yahoo.com Senior, College of Health Science
ASU provides its students with broad academic offerings. It can do more to highlight those offerings, and to support the development of its academic strengths. With good reason, ASU emphasizes its extracurricular activities, and particularly its athletic programs. Students and alumni are right to be proud of those traditions. Yet, we should also build pride in our academic traditions, by ensuring that students and faculty are provided with sound research support, an expansive academic catalog, and access to extra-curricular learning opportunities.
African students like us, who have the opportunity to attend this great institution, cannot overstate how grateful we are to be here. The scholarships offered to international students demonstrate the school’s receptiveness to others. These opportunities help to diversify the student body, exposing American students to different cultures and vice versa. We are glad that ASU recognizes the close links shared by African Americans and our African continent. ASU’s ties to the Civil Rights Movement add to the richness of its environment. ASU is home to the National Center for the Study of Civil Rights and African American Culture, which highlights links between our African and our American roots. The institution’s history is noteworthy, but ASU has also reinvented itself as a home to groundbreaking research in the fields of Nano Biotechnology and Physical Therapy. These achievements bring global attention to ASU, boosting its reputation and that of its faculty, students, and alumni. As an HBCU, ASU has experienced more than its fair share of challenges. Many of us can attest to the fact that adversity gives you an edge, making you tough, resilient, and determined to thrive. Though some HBCUs have struggled in recent years, ASU continues to thrive. Yet, this doesn’t mean that the school is perfect, or that it can’t do more to secure its reputation as “the land of opportunity.” ASU does an excellent job of establishing contacts with local companies and organizations, helping its students secure internship and employment opportunities with them. But, from the perspective of some African students, more can be done on the internationalization front. ASU is active in the global arena, and can afford to build ties to large universities, international organizations, and Fortune CLASS: Leading the March to Scholarly Excellence
ASU’s African students appreciate the school’s role in advancing academic opportunities here and abroad, and we hope that ASU will expand on its existing ties to Africa. Efforts to strengthen connections between ASU and its current (and future) African students will benefit both parties. African students will attain the benefits of a first-rate education. And, as they exercise those educational strengths in Africa and other parts of the world, ASU will achieve further confirmation of its reputation for academic excellence. Linda Mchawi has an interest in bioinformatics and would like to incorporate IT into health care in her country. She also aspires to open a recycling company and improve energy systems in her native Malawi.
Linda Fred Yeboha is a graduating senior and a biology major with a minor in Chemistry. He aspires to be a neurosurgeon with the intention of helping the neurological needs of Ghana and Africa at large.
Fred
Photo: Ram Alagan and Linda Mchawi
Dispatch | ISSUE 2 | Spring 2016
Page 7 | CLASS Dispatch | Spring 2016
STUDENTS’ PERSPECTIVES
The ASU Experience: Set for Success Justin Leverette: sonleverette@yahoo.com Senior: Political Science Major, CLASS Latricia Hardman: latriciahardman@gmail.com Senior: Political Science Major, CLASS The Alabama State University experience is second to none. ASU offers a host of post-secondary learning opportunities, and the environment affords students the confidence to maximize their academic endeavors. My Alabama State peers and I have seized on the chance to cultivate scholarly productivity; to take full advantage of the University’s offerings. We helm our own educational paths, but we also build on ASU’s foundations: a rigorous curriculum, persistent professors, and a communityminded student body. We know that we are destined for success. As a noted HBCU, Alabama State fuels community, national, and global innovation and revitalization initiatives. In spite of the fact that HBCUs often face critical barriers to funding and other forms of support, these institutions still serve as vital forces for change and development. Regardless of the challenges ahead – occasionally cramped classrooms, glitches with campus technology, an increasingly competitive scholarship pool – we will continue to break barriers. The characteristics of our students, faculty, and staff mitigate such circumstances. ASU and its students are not threatened by resource imbalances; if anything, they deepen our drive for success. Some ASU students may note that their experiences at ASU differ from those of their peers at other HBCUs. Some HBCUs are known for their traditions, or for their commitment to upholding the past. But ASU is different.
CLASS: Leading the March to Scholarly Excellence
While the University is rooted in a rich history – its faculty and students played a pivotal role in the Modern Civil Rights Movement, and particularly, the Montgomery Bus Boycott – it also looks to the future. Our traditions aren’t disappearing, but they are adapting to meet the needs and interests of our modern student population. ASU, for example, is an increasingly diverse institution. This development enriches the learning environment for all, and the University works to ensure that its various student groups are made to feel welcome, included, and vital to the ASU community’s growth. We may come from different backgrounds, but we know that our shared interests – in academic achievement, community engagement, and always working to build a better ASU – are vital to our shared successes. It is my desire to one day be a Legal Advisor to several large and fortune corporations. This is my goal, in order to nurture my talents and skills to perpetuate knowledge to members of Board corporations on legal issues.
Justin My dream job is to one day become a defense attorney. Becoming a defense attorney will allow me to be a good lawyer and help prove the innocence of those individuals one will be defending.
Latricia
Photo: Justin Leverette and Latricia Hardman
Dispatch | ISSUE 2 | Spring 2016
MODEL UN DAY
Page 8 | CLASS Dispatch | Spring 2016
Model United Nations Hosts United Nations Day Celebration By Dr. Ann Mezzell On October 22nd, the Model United Nations student organization hosted “70 Years Strong: A Celebration of the UN’s 70th Anniversary.” The program highlighted the United Nations’ historical foundations, its guiding mission (promoting international peace and security), and the recent-year successes of its Millennium Development Goals initiative. Deja Body, the President of ASU’s Model UN club, spoke about the importance of the United Nations’ 70th anniversary. Myischionna Hunter, Model UN’s Vice President, addressed the need to recognize and embrace ASU’s own links to the broader global community. The program’s keynote speaker, Jeffrey Ogbudu (Model UN Secretary), spoke about his own experiences as an international (Nigerian) student at ASU. Noting that the United Nations served as a model of international diversity and inclusivity, he encouraged audience members to strive to uphold diversity and inclusivity within the ASU campus community, and within their personal lives. Dr. Derryn Moten, Acting Chair of the Department of History and Political Science, closed the program with remarks on the department’s role in promoting UN Day – and other programs focused on development and social progress – at ASU.
Highlights from the UN Day Celebration
1 2 1. UN Day Participants 2. UN Day Speaker Jeffrey Ogbudu 3. Model UN President - Deja Body 4. Closing Remarks Dr. Moten
3
4
Photos: Ann Mezsell
CLASS: Leading the March to Scholarly Excellence
Dispatch | ISSUE 2 | Spring 2016
Page 9 | CLASS Dispatch | Spring 2016
ASU LEGACY FORUM, v. 1
William Burns Paterson By: C.L.A.S.S. Public Relation Committee Paterson Hall serves as the “home base” for the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences. The building houses the College’s main office, as well as several College-affiliated labs and classrooms. Given that so many of us make use of Paterson Hall and its resources, it seems appropriate to highlight the life and work of the man for whom the building is named. William Burns Paterson’s great-granddaughters, Dr. Judith Hillman Paterson and Ms. Ann O’Neal, take great pride in their ancestor’s role in the history of ASU. Both women contributed to the content of this article. For additional information on William B. Paterson’s life, please consult Dr. Hillman Paterson’s article (see vol. 40 of Alabama Heritage, pgs. 6-17) or her memoir, Sweet Mystery: A Book of Remembering. *************** William B. Paterson left his hometown of Tullibody, Scotland, at just seventeen years old. He reached the U.S. in 1867, where he traveled extensively, working various jobs and engaging in self-education. Railroad work eventually brought him to Alabama, where he
began to establish ties with the local African American community. Black laborers, once denied the right to education under slavery, impressed him with their unflagging determination to educate themselves and their children. Moved by their efforts, he established the Tullibody Academy in Greensboro, AL.
Dr. William Burns Paterson Photo Source: http://www.angelfire.com
Rear View of Paterson Hall CLASS: Leading the March to Scholarly Excellence
Photo: Ram Alagan, 2015
Dispatch | ISSUE 2 | Spring 2016
Page 10 | CLASS Dispatch | Spring 2016
ASU LEGACY FORUM, v. 1
Paterson, Cont’d Paterson’s work in Greensboro coincided with similar undertakings in other parts of the state. In 1867, the “Marion Nine” and the American Missionary association incorporated the Lincoln Normal School, designed to serve African American students in the Marion area. Administrators managed to secure funds from the Alabama legislature, allowing the school to incorporate a teacher-training program. The institute, renamed the State Normal School for Colored Students, became the first state-supported black college (perhaps, the first state-supported black college in the country). In 1877, Paterson accepted an invitation to serve as the president of the State Normal School, Paterson’s wife, Margaret, encouraged the move. An Oberlin College graduate, she had trained to join the wave of northern teachers heading south to teach black students. She and Paterson were equally passionate about upholding the educational rights of African Americans. Working with John William Beverly, the Normal School’s first black instructor (and the new head of the Tullibody Academy), they helped develop the school’s reputation for producing skilled black teachers. In 1887, the Alabama legislature approved plans to re-establish the school in Montgomery (after arsonists set fire to the Marion campus) as the Alabama Colored People’s University. Encouraged by the black community in Montgomery, the Patersons, Beverly, and several missionary teachers relocated to Montgomery. Until campus buildings were erected, classes were held in church facilities, notably, in Beulah Baptist Church. By 1890, (the first) Tullibody Hall was completed, allowing classes to be taught onsite at the University. Though the campus caught fire in 1904 – under arguably suspicious circumstances – Tullibody Hall was rebuilt in 1906. Many of Paterson’s white peers succumbed to postReconstruction hostilities, abandoning their commitment to the education of black students. Despite the tense political climate of his day CLASS: Leading the March to Scholarly Excellence
(Paterson regularly weathered threats from segregationists) and the sometimes-limited support of the state legislature, he remained dedicated to the University’s work. When Paterson died in 1915, his colleague, John William Beverly, took on the task of helming the school would expand on efforts to provide students with a challenging, high- quality curriculum. Today, ASU continues to recognize Paterson as one of the most influential individuals on expanding the institution of the school in its early stage. The school’s first Founders’ Day was held on February 9th, Paterson’s birthday. Nearly 116 years later, ASU continues to hold Founders’ Day in February. The Tullibody Fine Arts Center (as well as Tullibody Drive) are named in honor of his hometown in Scotland. Paterson Hall, constructed after his death, is also named for him. Additional background information obtained from: • Levi Watkins Learning Center, Archives and Special Collections. “History of Alabama State University.” Accessed Jan. 18, 2016: http://www.lib.alasu.edu/archives/research/history/asu.html . • Levi Watkins Learning Center, Archives and Special Collections. “Alabama State University, a Timeline.” Accessed Jan. 18, 2016: http://www.lib.alasu.edu/archives/research/history/timeline.html. • Encyclopedia of Alabama. “Alabama State University.” Accessed Jan. 18, 2016: http://www.encyclopediaofalabama.org/article/h-1612 . • Encyclopedia of Alabama. “Lincoln Normal School.” Accessed Jan. 18, 2016: http://www.encyclopediaofalabama.org/article/h2570 . • Acknowledgements: We would like to thank for Mr. Joseph Caver and Dr. D'Linell Finley for their contribution
Photo: Ram Alagan
Front View of Paterson Hall Dispatch | ISSUE 2 | Spring 2016
Page 11 | CLASS Dispatch | Spring 2016
Dr. Robert White Alabama State University
CLASS ON CIVIL RIGHTS
“Approaching the 382nd Day; A View of the Montgomery Bus Boycott through the Lenses of Pan-Africanism and Social Science”
It could be argued that the disassociation of the struggles of African Americans from the struggles of Africans in other parts of the world represents one of the biggest mistakes of our time. The failure to establish a shared narrative with non-U.S. African or dark-skinned peoples – who comprise most of the world’s oppressed populations – is often neglected in analyses of the so-called American civil rights movement. Yet, there is a clear link between the two. And, perhaps just as critically, African Americans have played (and still have the potential to play) a decisive role in shaping Africa’s treatment by the global community. Much attention has been devoted to the commemoration of the Montgomery Bus Boycott; though some, argue that not enough has been done to perpetuate the objectives of the African liberation movement here in the United States. This is especially striking when one considers the influence that the boycott and other events, such as Bloody Sunday, have had on resistance efforts in other parts of the world. More specifically, there is a distinct correlation between the American black cultural and the birth of African independence. The African independence movement materialized prior to the boycott; independence was not realized until two years afterwards. Pictured in this article are two personalities of the boycott, whose stories have not been told; Claudette Colvin, one of the original plaintiffs in the Browder v. Gayle case and Jennie Graetz, the wife colaborer in the movement to her husband Rev. Bob Graetz.
Interestingly, Nkrumah’s experiences indicate that while in America, he did not consider himself to be “alone.” He regarded Negroes in America as his brothers and sisters. While in the U.S., he took up biblical studies and joined a fraternity; he saw no contradiction between Christianity, Pan-Hellenism, and the Pan-African objectives he would later adopt from islanders like H. Sylvester Williams, C.L.R James, and George Padmore.
After witnessing the birth of the newly independent Ghanain state, King returned to the U.S. much as Nkrumah had once returned to Africa – with messages of enlightenment from abroad, and calls for direct resistance. In a sermon titled Birth of a New Nation, King expressed renewed calls for resistance-based action, having seen that such action could not only improve conditions for black people in Montgomery, but liberate a black nation in Africa. King warned against celebrating the successes of the boycott; instead, he urged local blacks to continue the struggle, and to do so with strength. Bearing this in mind, we must seek to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Bus Boycott within the context of broader gains and broader struggles. We must understand that the commemoration is linked to the 150th anniversary of the passage of the 13th Amendment, and that it is also linked to the 50th anniversary of Rhodesia’s (today, Zimbabwe) unilateral declaration of Independence. .
Ghanain independence was a direct offFall of the efforts in Montgomery; Dr. King was made aware of the impact of the boycott when he visited Ghana during its inaugural celebration. Kwame Nkrumah, the country’s first president (and a graduate of Lincoln University, a noted HBCU), informed King that the Montgomery bus boycott inspired the party activism that ended British rule in Ghana. Nkrumah went on to claim that his experiences with the American Jim Crow system helped prompt his work towards Ghanain and African liberation Claudette Colvin and Jennie Graetz Photo: Robert White
CLASS: Leading the March to Scholarly Excellence
Dispatch | ISSUE 2 | Spring 2016
VAWP ON THE MOVE
Page 12 | CLASS Dispatch | Spring 2016
Ms. Cheryl Lang VAWP Program Director Alabama State University
Violence Against Wo(men) Program
Who we are: The Violence Against Wo(men) Program (VAWP) is organized to coordinate and implement services and programs against Sexual, Domestic, Dating, and Stalking violence. What we do: ASU VAWP provides resources and services to students by: establishing mandatory SDDS education for all incoming students, providing campuswide awareness and educational programs for all students, providing mandatory SDDS education for faculty and staff, running a Coordinated Community Response Team (CCRT) available to assist students 24 hours a day, and offering additional investigative training for the ASU Police Dept. and the judicial arm of Student Affairs and the Title IX office. What is our mission? The University has a zero tolerance for sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, or stalking violence. The Mission of the Violence Against Wo(men) Program is to coordinate comprehensive services and resources for the University that help to reduce sexual, domestic, dating and stalking violence offenses .
What is the structure of VAWP under ASU? The VAWP program is under the Office of the Chief of Staff, and is administered by Ms. Cheryl Lang, the Program Director. Ms. Rolanda Horn, Executive Assistant to the Chief of Staff, also supports the program. Various members of the Coordinated Community Response Team also support program goals and objectives. Progress: Since The program has established: a VAWP 24 hour Crisis line; an active coordinated Community Response Team (CCRT) comprised of all of the key agencies and departments on and off campus that can help serve the SDDS needs for the ASU Community; provided strategic education and training for the ASUPD and for the Judicial Affairs staff ; provided over 40 educational programs and awareness events for students; currently have a VAWP Website under construction and a Campus Climate Survey to assess the students position, knowledge base of the SDDS and the VAWP Program. Our contacts: VAWP: clang@alasu.edu or 334-229-6767 or Hardy Center Room C 137
Significance of the VAWP: The significance of the program is that it provides assistance, aid, and comfort to victims while collaborating with all legal and law enforcement entities that will assist to bring criminal sanctions / charges against perpetrators. How does VAWP link with Title IX? VAWP focuses on prevention, education, and the coordination of resources and services for SDDS. TIX works with victims who may have been discriminated against or suspect that their rights may have been violated. While VAWP focuses on sexual assault (including rape), TIX focuses also on sexual harassment.
Coordinated Community Response Team Representatives From Left: Ram Alagan, Cheryl Lang, Seela Aladuwaka, Rolanda Horn, and Brenda Gill
Photos: Ram Alagan
CLASS: Leading the March to Scholarly Excellence
Dispatch | ISSUE 2 | Spring 2016
CLASS EVENTS
Page 13 | CLASS Dispatch | Spring 2016 This semester, Dr. Sharron Herron-Williams, Chair of the AL. Association of International Educators (AAIE), brought International Education Week to ASU. Through her work with AAIE leaders and the Alabama State University Department of History and Political Science, Dr. Herron-Williams helped obtain a proclamation, from the Governor of the State of Alabama, Mayor of Montgomery, Mayor of Tuscaloosa, Mayor of Troy and Mayor of Huntsville officially recognizing November 16th – 20th as International Education Week. With assistance from Mrs. Anneshia Hardy, she worked to ensure that International Education Week activities were available to the ASU community. On Monday,
November 16th, the University live-streamed a panel discussion on “The Role of International Education in Peacebuilding,” hosted by NAFSA: Association of International Educators, the United States Institute of Peace, and the Alliance for Peacebuilding. The week concluded with a world cuisine event, the “International Taste and See,” at which faculty and students sampled various dishes and communicated about international experiences and opportunities for students. Click here to see the Proclamation: aaieorg.blogspot.com
Online Student Conference: History and Political Science Paper Recognitions During the Fall of 2015, the Department of History and Political Science hosted its first online conference. Students submitted original papers and PowerPoint presentations to a designated Blackboard site; faculty members and students responded, via the site, with questions and comments on their work. The department recognized submissions from three students: Taylor Singletary (outstanding paper, history), Deja Body (outstanding paper, political science), and Skyler Morgan (honorable mention, history). The Department of History and Political Science congratulates Mr. Singletary, Ms. Body, and Ms. Morgan on their research efforts.
Outstanding Paper - Political Science Deja Body: “My paper, ’Building Africa,’ was written in the hopes that the world could find more efficient ways to assist African countries in their development. It explores the different reasons African countries may be struggling to keep up with the rest of the world and offers more creative solutions. I hope to continue on with my education and study education law in law school and become a lawyer.”
CLASS: Leading the March to Scholarly Excellence
Dr. Sharon Herron-Williams Professor of Political Science Chair, AAIE
Outstanding Paper - History Taylor Singletary: “My paper, ‘Three Renaissance Political Thinkers and Their Approach to Government,’ examines political ideology of Desiderius Erasmus, Niccolo Machiavelli and Sir Thomas More through their works Praise of Folly, The Prince, and Utopia, respectively. The paper concludes that humanistic-based approaches led these three men to hypothesize governmental systems that were opposed to a greedy, power-hungry rulers as seen with the usurping monarchs of their lifetimes. My recent academic interest has been studying the social and cultural aspect of history as it pertains to governmental decisions e.g., Title IX and the effect on intercollegiate athletics. After I graduate from Alabama State University, I plan to attend graduate school to study Sport Management and eventually obtain my Ph. D. in Sport Studies. My ultimate career goal is to become a Director of Intercollegiate Athletics at a Division I institution.”
By Dr. Ann Mezzell
Dispatch | ISSUE 2 | Spring 2016
Page 14 | CLASS Dispatch | Spring 2016
CLASS SYMPOSIUM
2015 Research & Creative Activities Symposium Breaking the Line, Marching Forward By Dr. J.P. Craig, RCAS Chair
This year marked the third year of the “reboot” of Alabama State University’s Research and Creative Activity Symposium. The symposium got off to a very good start with Dr. Jacqueline Trimble’s presentation on the HBCU’s in providing spaces for black people to lead, to grow, to learn and to find refuge from a world that all to often denies them simple human dignity of personhood. That evening we had to the good fortune to hear Prof. Samuel Freedman, New York Times Columnist and Columbia University journalism professor, who traveled to ASU to present his lecture, Breaking The Line: The Season in Black College Football That Transformed the Game and Changed the Course of Civil Rights. Over the course of the two days, we heard numerous presentations from faculty, students, and guests. Several sessions were particularly well-attended. Among these were the panel on “Global Challenges to Women’s Health,” fiction readings by two of our advanced undergraduates, Jarred Thompson and Jumi Ekunseitan, and a very informative panel discussion by current and
former members of the ASU LGBTQ student group Amplified. Former Miss ASU, Foluso Oluade, returned from her graduate studies at the University of North Texas to present her research on media representations of Nicki Minaj. She shared her session with senior honors student Amram Gainer, who discussed race and representation in video game culture. Earlier, Mr. Gainer had appeared on WVAS-TV to promote the RCAS.
Photo: Ram Alagan, 2015
CLASS: Leading the March to Scholarly Excellence
Dispatch | ISSUE 2 | Spring 2016
Page 15 | CLASS Dispatch | Spring 2016
CLASS SYMPOSIUM
Our annual Student Poster Competition was particularly good this year, and clearly fulfilled our goal of promoting student research and research presentation. We had posters presenting research on distance education and human factors research, the demographics of HIV/AIDS in the Black Belt region of Alabama, and a wide range of civil rights topics. This year’s poster contest winners were particularly strong entries. First prize went to “The Demographic of HIV/AIDS in Alabama and the Black Belt,” presented by three students in Biological Sciences: Andrew Asante, Fred Yeboah, and Ianni Duncan (faculty mentor, Prof. Lamya Almas). Second prize went to “Syrian Civil War and Refugee Crisis,” presented by students mentored by Prof. Seela Aladuwaka: Maderia Harris (Science Education), Teirra Mozee (Science), Tiara Wells (Science), and Vonchecia Williams (Education). Third prize went to “Migrant Crisis in Europe,” presented by students mentored by Prof. Aladuwaka: Shaquiall Y. Felder (History), Jose Ogea (Communications), Nicole Tekelova (Physical Education), and Celeen Robertson (Visual Arts).
Dr. Jacqueline Trimble In total, we had twenty sessions this year, excluding the poster session. Eighty-two students presented research or creative writing pieces. There were twenty faculty presenters, and ten guest presenters from off-campus. Thanks to these participants, the hard work of the RCAS committee, and our many, many student volunteers, this year’s RCAS was a credit to our institution and those who labor in it.
Photos: Ram Alagan, 2015
Research and Creative Activities Symposium Faculty Highlights
Dr. Brenda Gill
Dr. Paul Erhunmwunse
CLASS: Leading the March to Scholarly Excellence
Prof. Samuel Freedman
Dr. Carol Ann Dennis
Dispatch | ISSUE 2 | Spring 2016
Page 16 | CLASS Dispatch | Spring 2016
SPOTLIGHT ON THE RCAS
Photo: Marcia Rossi
Photos: Ram Alagan, 2015
CLASS: Leading the March to Scholarly Excellence
Dispatch | ISSUE 2 | Spring 2016
Page 17 | CLASS Dispatch | Spring 2016
POSTER PRESENTATION
ASU Students Take Center Stage at 2015 Symposium
Poster Presentation Winners
Complied by: Dr. Seela Aladuwaka The 2015 Research and Creative Activities Symposium welcome a second year of outstanding student poster submissions. This year, we received poster entries on local, regional, national and international issues. Students from several colleges participated in the poster competition, exercising great effort and commitment into their poster session presentations. While we received many high quality submissions, only three were selected for award-recognitions. The Symposium organizers are extremely grateful to every student (and faculty mentor) who participated in the event. FIRST PLACE: “The Demographic of HIV/AIDS in Alabama and the Black Belt” research poster presentation has been selected for first place. This was presented by the following three students: Andrew K. Asante, Fred Yeboah and Lanni Duncan. This research focused on HIV/AIDS in the state of Alabama in comparison with other southern states. SECOND PLACE: “Syrian Civil War and Refugee Crisis” was awarded second place presented by Maderia Harris, Tierra Mozee, Tiara Wells, and Vonchecia William. The poster presentation examined the current situation of how the Syrian war has resulted in almost 12 million displaced people and its related consequences.
THIRD PLACE: “Migrant Crisis in Europe” awarded third place presented by Jose Ogea , Nicole Tekelova , Brandon Winston , Celeen Robertson, and Shaquiall Y. Felder. Through their poster, student researchers demonstrated the unprecedented challenges for various countries in Europe due to recent migration from the Middle East to European countries. This poster highlighted the rapidly changing social, environmental, and political conditions and the creation of great turmoil in the region. Photos: Ram Alagan, 2015
CLASS: Leading the March to Scholarly Excellence
Dispatch | ISSUE 2 | Spring 2016
Page 18 | CLASS Dispatch | Spring 2016
Dr. John Craig during poster presentation
RCAS MEMORABLE MOMENTS
Dr. Ann Mezzell The Geography of State Failure
Dr. Elisha Dung: Civil Rights Struggles still Remain in Nigeria
Dr. Tyson Platt during the “Finding Ourselves” session
Dr. Ram Alagan: Geography of Failed States
Dr. Robert White: Civil Rights Struggles still Remain in the Black Belt, Alabama
Photos: Ram Alagan, 2015
CLASS: Leading the March to Scholarly Excellence
Skyla Yokley Student in Communication Black Lives Matter
Dispatch | ISSUE 2 | Spring 2016
2015 CONFERENCES
Page 19 | CLASS Dispatch | Spring 2016
RCAS Keynote Speech By Dr. J.P. Craig, RCAS Chair
This year, CLASS’s Research and Creative Activity Symposium was fortunate to host as our keynote speaker Prof. Samuel Freedman of Columbia University. Professor Freedman, in addition to being a tenure professor at Columbia, is also a columnist for The New York times and has, in the past, written its “On Religion” and “On Education” columns. Prof. Freedman is an awarding-winning teacher as well as the author of eight books, including Small Victories: The Real World of a Teacher, Her Students and Their High School (1990), Upon This Rock: The Miracles of a Black Church (1993), The Inheritance: How Three Families and America Moved from Roosevelt to Reagan and Beyond (1996), Jew vs. Jew: The Struggle for the Soul of American Jewry (2000), Who She Was: My Search for My Mother's Life (2005), and Letters to a Young Journalist (2006). Prof. Freedman came to ASU to speak to us on the subject of his recent book, Breaking The Line: The Season in Black College Football That Transformed the Game and Changed the Course of Civil Rights (2013). Breaking the Line argues that coaches of HBCU football programs were engaged in much more than creating winning seasons, that they were also quietly at work
Samuel G. Freedman fighting their own civil rights struggle as they prepared young African-American men to compete for spots in the National Football League. The main thread of his story follows the rival coaches Eddie Robinson of Louisiana’s Grambling College and Jack Gaither of Florida A&M as they prepared for a historical showdown in the 1967 Orange Blossom Classic. As a sort of coda to the book, but also an extension of its argument, he recounts the story of how Coach Gaither arranged for the 1969 contest between FAMU and the University of Tampa, which was the first football game between a PWI and an HBCU. Coach Gaither’s FAMU emerged victorious from that contest, scoring 34 to Tampa’s 28. Freedman persuasively asserts that this was a major victoring, proving that an African-American quarterback—according to Freedman the intellectual position on the field—was the equal or even the better of a white quarterback. Photos: http://www.samuelfreedman.com
Conference Highlights
The 2015 Annual Conference Association for Applied and Clinical Sociology (AACS) October 8-10 Renaissance Montgomery Hotel & Convention Center Montgomery, Alabama
Anthony Troy Adams 2015 President, AACS
The 2015 AACS meeting successfully incorporated a range of participants, allowing for discussion of diverse issues. The conference ended with a stunning dance performance by ASU’s Department. of Theater students. Conference highlights included a GIS training session by Dr. Alagan, Dr. White, and Dr. Adams. It was highly successful and may the first time such a program was delivered at the AACS.
Photos: Ram Alagan, 2015
CLASS: Leading the March to Scholarly Excellence
Dispatch | ISSUE 2 | Spring 2016
Page 20 | CLASS Dispatch | Spring 2016
ASU DEMOCRACY MATTERS
ASU Democracy Matters is where Activists x Organizers x Creatives x Innovators x Opinion Leaders Collaborate By Anneshia Hardy ASU Democracy Matters is a student-fueled Youth Activists community with a focus on Civil Rights, Sociopolitical Issues, and Democracy. ASU Democracy Matters provides students with a platform to research and address today’s social phenomena. Student members engage in creative, innovative, and intellectual activities, while fostering essential relationships within the field of politics and community development. Democracy Matters, was founded in 2001 by NBA basketball player, poet, and activist Adonal Foyle and his parents, Joan and Jay Mandle, both of whom are University professors and life-long organizers. Together, they set out to strengthen democracy by teaching young people how to be effective grassroots organizers and advocates for change. Democracy Matters concentrates on several issues such as Racism, Education, Civil Rights, Economy, Environment, and Poverty.
Democracy Matters have chapters located on campuses all over the country. The ASU Chapter would be considered a pioneering chapter, due to the fact, it is the first and only chapter located in Alabama. During the Spring 2016 semester, chapter members attended the Democracy Matters National Summit in Albany, NY and meet with other chapter members to share creative methods get the student body involved in the democratic process. During the Spring 2016 semester, ASU Democracy Matters will continue their popular public forums and film series, and will add a lecture series to their calendar. Please be sure to check the ASU website for updates on chapter happenings. For more info please visit www.asudemocracymatters.wordpress.org
Skyla and Adonal Foyle, former NBA player, founder of Democracy Matters after workshops Photo, Skyla
Democracy Matters! Democracy Matters: ASU Chapter Members Photo, Anneshia Hardy CLASS: Leading the March to Scholarly Excellence
Contact Se’Nia Robinson, Organization President Anneshia Hardy, Organization Adviser
Dispatch | ISSUE 2 | Spring 2016
Page 21 | CLASS Dispatch | Spring 2016
ACADEMIC PROGRAMS
Communication
History & Political Science
Degree Offered: - B.A., Communications
Degrees Offered: - B.A. in History - B.A. in Political Science - M.A. in History
Minors Offered: Radio/Television, Public Relations, Communication Studies, Journalism, Recording Industry/Technology Department Chair: Dr. David Okeowo Location: 1305 Carter Hill Road Email: dokeowo@alasu.edu Phone: 334 229-4493 Website: Communication
Criminal Justice & Social Sciences Degrees Offered: - B.S., Criminal Justice Minors Offered: Sociology, Gerentology, and Geography Certificate Program: Gerentology and GIS Department Chair: Dr. Paul O. Erhunmwunse Location: 1300 Medical Building Email: perhunmwunsee@alasu.edu Phone: 334-229-6845 Website: CJSS
Psychology Degree Offered: - B.S. in Psychology Department Chair: Dr. Tina Vazin Location: 413 R. Abernathy Hall E-mail: tvazin@alasu.edu Phone: 334-229-4853 Website: Psychology
Minors Offered: History, Political Science, African-American Studies, Public Administration, Geography, and Legal Studies Department Chair: Dr. Derryn Moten Location: 210 G. W. Trenholm Hall Email: dmoten@alasu.edu Phone: 334-229-4433 Website: History and Political Science
Languages & Literatures Degrees Offered: - B.A. in English Minors Offered: Writing, Literature, Film Studies, French, and Spanish Department Chair: Dr. Jacqueline Allen Trimble Location: 308 McGhee Hall Email: jtrimble@alasu.edu Phone: 334-229-8501 Website: Languages and Literatures
Social Work Degrees Offered: - B.A. in Social Work - M.A. in Social Work Minors Offered: Social Welfare Department Chair: Dr. Herbert Burson Location: 1300 Medical Building Email: hburson@alasu.edu Phone: 334-229-6957 Website: Social Work Photos: Ram Alagan and David Campbell
CLASS: Leading the March to Scholarly Excellence
Dispatch | ISSUE 2 | Spring 2016
ASU - AERIAL VIEW
Page 22 | CLASS Dispatch | Spring 2016
17 19 18
16
13
4 3
6
5
ASU FACILITIES
2 1
7
8 11
9
12
10
20 14 15
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20.
Tullibody Fine Arts Center Tullibody Music Hall Business Administration Levi Watkins Learning Center (Library) H. Council Trenholm Hall (Science) Edward McGehee Hall W.H. Council Hall William Burns Paterson Hall George Lockhart Gym George Lockhart Gym Pool John Beverly Hall G.W. Trenholm Hall C. J. Dunn Arena Hornet Stadium Hatch Hall John L. Buskey Health Sciences Center ASU Stadium Life Science Building Ralph D. Abernathy Building Olean Black Underwood Tennis Center
Base map: Google Designed by Ram Alagan
CLASS: Leading the March to Scholarly Excellence
Dispatch | ISSUE 2 | Spring 2016
Page 23 | CLASS Dispatch | Spring 2016
Spring 2016 DISPATCH
CLASS Dispatch Alabama State University College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences We are glad to distribute the 2nd (Spring 2016) edition of the CLASS digital newsletter, the “Dispatch.” We welcome submissions regarding publications, conference presentations, and creative works, which we include in the 3rd (Spring 2016) edition. Please send your information to asu.class.dispatch@gmail.com or call: 334-229-8535
Tell Us Your
CLASS STORY
Check out CLASS on the ASU Website and on Facebook. Tell us how can we serve you better.
We will publish it in the next Dispatch!
Thank you! We are grateful to all who have contributed to the Spring 2016 edition: Dr. Derryn Moten Dr. Ram Alagan Dr. Ann Mezzell Dr. John Craig
Dr. Robert White Dr. Seela Aladuwaka Dr. Sharon Herron-Williams Ms. Cheryl Lang Dr. Judith Hillman Paterson Ms. Ann O’Neal
Dr. Ram Alagan Dr. Delilah Dotremon Dr. Michael H. Markus Dr. William H. Taylor
Ms. Shannon Williams Ms. Jayde Price Ms. Linda Mchawi Mr. Fred Yeboah Mr. Justin Leverette Ms. Latricia Hardman.
Photos: Ram Alagan, Ann Mezzell, Jade Price, Shannon Williams, David Campbell, Marcia Rossi, Robert White, Anneshia Hardy, Sklya Yokley, www.angelfire.com, and www.samuelfreedman.com
CLASS: Leading the March to Scholarly Excellence
Dispatch | ISSUE 2 | Spring 2016