Greetings, Dr. Chapman:

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W.E.B. Du Bois stated in The Souls of Black Folks that solving the riddle of existence is “laid before the freedmen’s sons by Atlanta University. And this course of study will not change; its methods will grow more deft and effectual, its content richer by toil of scholar and sight of seer.” 

As Clark Atlanta University graduate students, we are indeed the freedmen's daughters and sons that Du Bois spoke into existence. We are more than aware that the circumstances have changed despite the purpose being the same. We recognize that Clark Atlanta University is preparing us to become Black scholars, scientists, politicians, and advocates for change for and within Black communities. We are inspired by our studies and excited for our futures. Furthermore, we recognize that we are a vital part of what makes Clark Atlanta “one exceptional university.” As we enrich the content that Du Bois lauded as essential for the betterment of the AUC, the city of Atlanta, and Black people in the Diaspora, the challenges we face in pursuing higher education are many.

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Resources to fund our educational journeys are difficult or impossible to secure. This gap leaves student loans as the primary means for funding, which in some cases adds an overwhelming amount of debt. CAU Humanities graduate students find it increasingly difficult to find and qualify for fellowships that cater to CAU students, including fellowships from the Southern Regional Education Board, the Mandela Washington Fellowship, and the Student Freedom Agreement. Few graduate students are funded, with most only receiving partial assistance from scholarships, and over time, many students have had their scholarships decreased. The lack of funding for Humanities graduate students requires that students work full time and pursue their studies. Additionally, the lack of instructional resources and a limited number of professors leaves some students at risk of not having the courses they need to complete their respective degrees promptly. The program's interdisciplinary nature allows students to develop their own curriculum, but the program falls short of its full potential without enough course offerings.

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As an institution that has pioneered Black Humanities scholarship, CAU attracts students who desire to contribute to its rich legacy. However, as full-time students who work, our ability to focus on research, writing, and studying is hindered by the necessity to continue working full-time jobs. Due to the difficulty of balancing work and school and the lack of graduate student funding, many CAU scholars are unfortunately faced with deciding whether to leave the

program.  Financially supporting Humanities graduate students attracts high-quality students, supports necessary Humanities research, and provides graduate students with an environment that helps students to be successful. 

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CAU Humanities scholars are asking for financial support through scholarships, grants, fellowships, and research funding. We are also requesting teaching assistantships that waive tuition fees. These assistantships would provide graduate students with much-needed financial support while also providing the CAU community with additional instructional resources. We also seek better equipped and more plentiful graduate housing and the funding to secure housing. Humanities students also need more funding and opportunities for study abroad within the Diaspora, allowing students to dedicate time and resources to research Black life on a global scale. These opportunities also enable students to fulfill the foreign language requirements with Diasporic languages, such as Brazilian Portuguese, Yoruba, Swahili, and Kreyol. 

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The American education system has propagandized the minds of Black youth with revisionist history and colonial perspectives. Graduate scholars from the Humanities department seek to disseminate truths that revolutionize how Black students develop literacy and cultural awareness. CAU’s Africana Women’s Studies program is the only graduate-level program focusing on studying Black women's lives and cultures. As such, CAU  one of the few places that scholars like Tasha Robinson, Sonja Andrews, Monica Evans, Shaila Day, Donielle Pace, and Brea Stevenson can prepare to be vital voices for the growth and expansion of Black scholarship. The research our graduates are doing in emerging areas such as Black Speculative Fiction and community development in African American neighborhoods will undoubtedly keep Clark Atlanta University on the cutting edge. 

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W.E.B. Du Bois contends that our educational function is “to be the organ of that fine adjustment between real life and the growing knowledge of life, an adjustment which forms the secret of civilization.” The forefathers of CAU have forged a path that the university must maintain and continue to advance to benefit Black communities. As CAU graduate students, we are dedicated to exploring Black life and conducting dynamic and substantial research to develop local and global Black communities. We are entering an era where Critical Race Theory is being questioned. Racist propaganda likewise makes it more difficult for Black people to discuss how we have historically been oppressed and maligned and how the systems and structures of white supremacy continue to make Black lives unduly complicated. Further, while White scholars who choose to tell Black stories or want to “improve” the Black community may lack passion and experience, they also have greater access to funding to publish and publicize their work. 

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We reject the idea that Humanities is a dying field, but we need financial freedom to do our work. We are asking for resources for Black scholarship by Black scholars. If the world is to change and adorn itself in the truths of the Black experience by Black scholars, we must be at the forefront of this change. CAU needs to be a place of innovation, creating a place for emerging Black scholars to have the resources necessary to study and research comfortably. Our communities are in crisis, and we are determined to be a part of the solution. CAU has the human capital to propel Humanities into the 21st century and extend the intellectual ecology of the institution’s legacy.

We look forward to furthering discussions about the concerns mentioned above. Please feel free to reach us at 678-833-8224 or by email at quiane.turner@students.cau.edu. 

 

Best regards, 

 

CAU Humanities Graduate Students

 

Concerns:

1. Funding for attendance 

   1. Struggling finding scholarships to cover tuition

   2. Having to work full time while trying to pursue degree

   3. Classes occur during work time (we would not have to go to work if we had the funding)

   4. TA positions that waive tuition fees

2. Scholarships 

   1. Scholarships that students had in the past have been cut in half due to the pandemic.

   2. Ph.D. students (on scholarship) only receive $6K 

   3. Dissertation and thesis research funding

   4. Access to fellowships

   5. Study abroad Africa 

   6. TA positions

   7. Better Graduate Housing

3. Replace Foreign language with African Language