The need still exists for black student unions

McClelland, Michelle L
Black Issues in Higher Education; Feb 1, 2001; 17, 25; Ethnic NewsWatch
pg. 45

Bl FORUM

By Michelle L. McClelland

The Need Still Exists for

Black Student Unions

s a racial and ethnic minority of Asian

and African American heritages, I
have experienced the importance of
having social networks and interac
tions with people especially people of
color. Despite integration, civil rights gains
and living in an era of diversity and multiculturalism, people still seek to find others like
themselves as a means of establishing their
identity. This natural human tendency has
made me appreciate organizations such as
Black student unions and Asian student
unions, etc.
The mission and philosophy of Black stu
dent union organizations should be to help
students strive for academic excellence, pro
mote positive images of African Americans
and help students become an integral part of
a college community. Ironically, during my
involvement with BSUs, I have witnessed a
high dropout rate among Black students, an
increased number of students on academic
probation and a decrease in student partici
pation in the BSU. I have interviewed stu
dents who say BSUs are a joke and have
no real significance. The role of BSUs has
gradually deteriorated since their establish
ment 30 years ago. How can this deteriora
tion be explained?
BSUs sprang up on college campuses
across the nation in the late 1960s and early
1970s a time when people of color were
confronting racial injustices and inequalities.
The BSU developed primarily as an organiza
tion whose focus was to address political and
civil rights issues both on and off campus.
BSUs and Black social institutions attacked is
sues of racial discrimination, economic ex
ploitation, political disfranchisement and lack
of access to resources such as educational fa
cilities and health care.
According to Dr. Michael D. Blackwell,
director for Multicultural Education and a
professor at the University of Northern Iowa,
during the Reagan era (1981-1989), there

was an increase in conservatism that resulted

in a backlash over affirmative action and
other liberal policies that followed on the
heels of the civil rights movement. College
campuses were not immune to these political
turns administrative attention paid to
BSUs eroded and they became more struc
turally detached from the dynamics of over
all campus life. In addition, racial
discrimination was considered of lesser im
portance than socioeconomic class, and the
failure of Blacks to rise from poverty or
working-class status was attributed to lazi-

Despite integration,
civil rights gains and
living in an era of diversity
and multiculturalism,
people still seek to find
others like themselves
as a means of
establishing their
identity.

ness, lack of drive, moral turpitude, etc.

Like Booker T. Washington, the philoso
phy of picking oneself up by ones own boot
straps became the response to problems in
retention, persistence to graduation, economic
solvency, job skills attainment and access to
goods and services. Rugged individualism
and other tenets of the Protestant work ethic,
the American creed and the American dream
supported the notion that hard work would in
evitably lead to success.
Currently, on many university campuses,
the BSU serves primarily as social organiza

tions. Parties are a favorite BSU past time.

Their role has shifted from responding to the
political and racial climate of the past to that of
a social organization. This social purpose
notwithstanding, the BSU does intermittently
serve as an important part of the university in
frastructure as a symbol of a more overt racist
past and as a social network for faculty, staff
and students of color on predominantly White
campuses.
Generally speaking, it is still difficult being
a minority student within a largely White edu
cational and social environment. The authors
of How to Succeed on a Majority Campus: A
Guide for Minority Students, write that in
volvement in organizations such as these have
a positive influence on students of color... In
addition to finding a supportive community in
these groups, [students] can band together to
promote change on college campuses."
From this perspective, organizations such
as BSUs remain critical. They are a part of this
so-called "educational niche where people
are sensitive to issues and where negative
stereotypes aie less likely to be present. Ide
ally, these organizations can and often do
serve as organizations that allow for leader
ship development, community involvement,
networking and vocational/career support.
In addition. Black student unions are also
instrumental in providing support in the sur
vival process and persistence to graduation.
Consequently, Black student unions are still
significant to maintain, sustain, buttress and
bolster African American students today. It
is my hope that students, faculty and admin
istrators will continue to acknowledge the
importance and usefulness of such student
organizations and continue to support their
existence.
Michelle L. McClelland is a graduate
assistant in the School of Health, Physical
Education and Leisure Services at the
University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls.

BLACK ISSUES IN HIGHER EDUCATION

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February I.

2001 45