SIU chancellor Carlo Montemagno says he will delay for a year his decision on eliminating the Africana Studies major.
The program began in 1968. It focuses on the history and culture of people of African descent.
A Financial Sustainability Plan presented to the SIU Board of Trustees in July recommended eliminating program. In an email, Montemagno said the program “does not reach enough students” but “has the potential to become essential.”
He says a year’s delay in a decision should give faculty time to develop a broader program. Africana Studies professor Joseph Brown says the program does not have enough university support to recruit students.
