New Program


Maureen Eke pointed out an oversight in CMU's diversity logic.

The English professor suggested the university add an Africana major and minor to the curriculum - an area of study other state universities already offer.

In a field of competition like Michigan's, where each state university has to do all it can to keep enrollment high while dealing with economic difficulties at the state level, CMU can't afford a gap like this in its curriculum.

This university is unique in what it offers to students interested in Native American studies; but CMU must not only offer programs that other universities don't in order to stay competitive - it also must offer as many programs that other universities do as well.

The university should work to handle this situation as quickly as possible. If students want an education in Native American studies, they can come to CMU - but if they want in education in Africana, CMU is the only school students can't attend.

In order to stay competitive, holes like this one must be filled.With other universities offering programs like the Western Edge in order to compete, CMU has to keep its programs and curricula as strong as it can.

The situation is similar to that of the proposition of adding a medical school at CMU. And while a medical school would help keep CMU competitive, it also comes with considerable cost.

An Africana program would serve a similar function by putting CMU at least on an even playing field with other state universities, but at a cost much more reasonable than the creation of an entire new college.

Really, this is an easy decision.

CMU should work to implicate an Africana program as soon as it can.

And in the meantime, the university should set out to find any other programs in which it is falling behind.

If CMU wants to keep up with other state universities in competing for government funding and students, it needs to step up its game.

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