STAFF EDITORIAL: Saving Africa

As the world's second-largest continent, Africa boasts a diverse range of histories, cultures, and religions comparable to that of any other region on the planet. Thus, the announcement that African studies will be integrated into the Middle Eastern and Asian languages and cultures department seems misguided. While this may be a necessary solution to a lack of space, limited resources, and scattered personnel for African studies, the re-organization should only be temporary. In the meantime, the University must take immediate steps to develop an African studies major, in order that the subject area will eventually receive the funding and respect that it deserves.

The temporary consolidation of African studies into MEALAC was announced shortly before winter break. It marks a downward turn in the University's academic commitment the continent, beginning when the Institute for African Studies was suspended in May after SIPA failed to find a replacement for former director Mahmood Mamdani. To its credit, the University has attempted to revive African studies rather than fully giving up on the subject area. In July of this summer, Mamadou Diouf, a professor at the University of Michigan, is slated to become the new director of the institute, and hopes are high that he will renew the study of Africa at Columbia. Sheldon Pollock, chair of the MEALAC department, said that Diouf will be crucial in laying the foundation for what will eventually be an African studies major. Yet this may not happen until fall of 2008, and waiting a year and a half to establish a strong African studies major is too long. This timetable would leave current first-years and sophomores unable to declare the major and without the foundations of a proper program.

Revamping African studies is understandably a long and difficult process, and administrators should be praised for taking steps to hire more professors. But even with a strong faculty, establishing a successful program will take time. It is therefore imperative that the University begin the process as soon as possible, rather than delaying until July. And when Diouf arrives, the MEALAC department ought not to rely too much on his input into the development of an African studies major, as his attentions will likely be focused on reviving the institute.

Additionally, administrators need to be more pro-active in letting students know the status of the program, so that students can pick their majors and courses accordingly. The University must clarify whether undergraduates will be able to major or concentrate in African studies and at what point they will be able to do so. As undergraduates' time here is limited, it is only fair that the administration make known a definite time frame for the development of African studies.