Capped by a speech on the importance of black students advocating for their college educational experiences, the Friday forum hosted by the Wisconsin Association of Black Men explored the higher education experiences of black men.
The event was part of the fourth annual Black Men’s Initiative Forum, and was co-hosted by the UW-Madison Office of the Diversity and Climate. It featured a keynote address from Dr. Shaun Harper, faculty member and director of the Center for the Study of Race and Equity in Education at the University of Pennsylvania.
Harper discussed the need for black students to advocate for themselves within their universities, saying that it is their responsibility to “push the institution to expand its capacity to ensure your success.”
“Some would say that the institution has no responsibility for your success, because you were ill-equipped to be here before you got here,” Harper said. “Once they admit you, they do assume some responsibility for ensuring that you are successful in this place.”
Harper mentioned several ways in which universities fail to combat inequalities between black and white students. He noted that although black men are only 3.6 percent of all full-time undergraduates at public universities, they are 55.3 percent of football and basketball players at Division I institutions.
These black male student athletes, according to the NCAA, graduate at a higher rate than black peers who are not athletes. Harper said that all black students should have the benefit of support systems similar to the ones student athletes enjoy.
With the overall goals of “recruitment, development and retention” of black students on campus, WABM and the Office of Diversity and Climate host events to further social justice in the both the campus and Madison communities.
They also engage in mentorships with both black high school students and professionals in the Wisconsin community, many who were in attendance Friday.
