Dr. Oscar Barbarin, the new chair of African-American studies at the University of Maryland, speaks at an event held Monday to welcome him to the position.
As part of an effort to address contemporary issues in the African-American community, the University of Maryland announced Monday two new leadership positions in the African-American studies department and the creation of a community-focused center targeting Prince George’s County and Maryland residents.
This investment in the department and surrounding community is “just the beginning,” said university President Wallace Loh, who added that the two appointments will raise the visibility and impact of the department on the campus and contribute to the university’s land-grant mission. The department also plans to hire five or six additional faculty members, Loh said.
Dr. Oscar Barbarin, the newly appointed African-American studies department chairman, intends to update the department’s mission in light of an “auspicious time” in the nation, he said during remarks at a meet-and-greet event Monday night.
“There seems to be a convergence of forces [asking] us to really think about and do something about the plight of poor people,” said Barbarin, who also will serve as a Wilson H. Elkins professor in the psychology department. “We’ve experienced a period of time where many of the civil rights gains in the ’60s and ’70s, when I came of age, are in danger of being eroded, and so we must renew our efforts.”
The university also announced the creation of the Judge Alexander Williams Jr. Center for Education, Justice and Ethics, to be headed by Williams himself.
Williams said the center will target social justice issues affecting the underserved, disadvantaged families of Prince George’s County and the state, and he hopes to involve both university students and faculty in its efforts.
The center plays a role in the university’s ongoing effort to revitalize College Park, Loh said, aligning with its mission of outreach and service in surrounding areas. In addition to improving transportation, public safety and business development, the university hopes to encourage academic progress to improve the lives of black residents of the county and state, according to a news release.
“I believe the future depends on educational opportunities for the next generation,” Loh said after his prepared remarks. “This is a chance to combine the brainpower at this university to make a dent, to try to improve the quality of life, quality of education and make a difference in people’s lives.”
He cited lack of diversity, police misconduct, the minority achievement gap and income inequality as issues he hopes both the center and the African-American studies department will study and address.
Ricco Hall, an African-American studies professor, described Barbarin’s vision for the department as “perfect,” a blend of studying the past and keeping an eye on the present that he strives to incorporate into his courses.
“To be a public leader, I always say you have to know a little about the past and more about the present in order to change the future,” Hall said.
Changing the future is just what behavioral and social sciences college Dean Gregory Ball hopes the university can accomplish, particularly in the wake of events that transpired in Baltimore, he said.
“With these important assignments, we really have brought the national conversation” to the campus, he said. “Part of our duty as the flagship university is to provide the type of academic leadership that can engage with our community and address issues. And I can think of no problem more significant.”
