Social Uprising on College Campuses

Why is has Rutgers become immune to the social uprising happening across America College Campuses?

Rutgers University-Camden is a satellite campus to Rutgers New Brunswick. We are located in a inner city. The fact that we are African Americans and we densely populate the student body, in comparison to RU-NB which is perceived as the more superior campus to Rutgers-Camden campus in many ways, enhances the urgency that we address the following concerns.

Rutgers University is an historically white campus as well as predominately white campus. Therefore as a self appointed represented of the black body and space at RU-C it is absolutely unacceptable that we are not joining our brothers and sister across America in this fight for academic equality and a fair representation of tenure faculty at RU-C. What is it that grants us the right to not partake in this battle to uplift and add value to the black body and space. Our grievance need to be heard, but first we as the student body must first bring to light the following issues hindering the growth to add value to the black body and enhancement of the black space on campus. I hereby call for the following:

1. African and Black Studies be included in the core curriculum for all students across all disciplines. Not as an elective but a requirement, thus promoting the understanding of the black body, black mind, and black space.

2. A significant increase in the number of black and brown bodies occupying tenureship across all disciplines. The number of Black professors represented at RU-C is very insignificant compared to its white counterparts teaching across disciplines. Without explanation of the misrepresentation of black and brown bodies in the academy it can and is deemed as bigotry that is unacceptable. Considering the significant contribution of black and brown scholars in the academy. The flaw with this system is many black students turn to black professors for mentorship and personal growth and development because they are first generation students and have no one else to seek for this development. This demand on black professors adds added responsibilities that often times goes unrecognized, adding to the stress of tenure professors because they are obligated to publish, but taking on the role of a mentor makes it very difficult to publish on time. And when not published on time the academy resorts to its stereotypes deeming unconsciously black professors as incompetent of getting the job done, thus feeding into the system of why the black body is underrepresented in the academy.

3. An immediate halt to the 10% increase in tuition that automatically eliminates a portion of the black body from academics who are not amongst the black elites. Many students that occupy black and brown bodies and space at Rutgers Camden are first generation students. The marginalization that black and brown bodies endure as a minority in this country and in the academy is unacceptable - considering the history of disportionate distribution in wealth in the USA. Programs such EOF, TRIO’s and funding sources such as HEESA, and FAFSA gives proof of the disportionate of wealth distribution on campus, considering most participants of these programs occupy brown and black bodies.

Considering the two grievances presented before you I beg to ask What makes RU-C immune from these demonstrations; are we not enduring the same hardship? I present these grievances to you the head of the largest organizations that are occupied by black and brown bodies and ask you Why are we to not demonstrating? In this proposal I call for the banning together of black and brown bodies for group demonstrations to join our brothers and sisters across America fighting for the same equality. I suggest, recommend, and demand:

1.African and Black Studies be included in the core curriculum for all students across all disciplines.

2.A significant increase in the number of black and brown bodies occupying tenureship across all disciplines.

3.An immediate halt to the 10% increase in tution that autoatcacilly eliminates a portion of the black and brown body from academics who are not amogst the black and brown elites.

Best,

Kadeem T. Pratt