The Nyumburu BMI Program in Living Color...

UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND’S ‘BLACK MALE INITIATIVE’ WORKING TO RETAIN STUDENTS & INCREASE BLACK PROFESSORS

 

By RAHEEM DAWODU — 12/MAR/2014

 

On January of 2005, two University of Maryland student leaders had lunch with Dr. Ronald Zeigler, Director of the University of Maryland’s Nyumburu Cultural Center, to discuss a myriad of issues with black students on campus, particularly with the retention rates of black male students. One of the major issues in the meeting was eloquently stated by one of the students when he asked, “Where are the black professors?” This very question launched the concept of an organization on the University of Maryland’s campus that is now nine years old: the Black Male Initiative (BMI).

 

BMI—which originally started as a monthly meeting on Saturdays with black male students, professors, faculty, and administrators each semester—has become an organization that not only focuses on black male retention rates, but also helps with community building by mentoring local middle school kids and serving as mentors for teens at New Beginnings Detention center. BMI also serves the greater campus community by hosting events that focused on topics such as health and fitness and knowing your rights.

 

The aforementioned Dr. Zeigler leads the group, along with Solomon Comissiong, who is Assistant Director of Student Involvement and Public Relations at Nyumburu. Through their involvement with BMI, there has been a change in black male performance at the University of Maryland. Since BMI’s existence, black male graduation rates—from Fall 2005 to Fall 2010—have risen from 72.6 percent to a to 83.9 percent.

 

Dr. Zeigler, who has been the Nyumburu Cultural Center’s Director since 2000, attributes some of the successes to BMI’s presence in mentoring black male students. Dr. Zeigler cites BMI in aiding black male student’s development of non-cognitive skills. Zeigler also believes that BMI offers way for black males to feel a greater involvement in the greater University community. Since the organization started in 2005, BMI was featured in the Washington Post, and according to Comissiong, “were labeled as a premier group for black male initiatives in America” during a national webinar of similar groups around the country.

 

Even with all of that success, the Black Male Initiative still faces a lot of challenges. The Nyumburu Cultural Center finances the program itself, despite efforts to get University support. In the 2012-13 academic year, BMI was turned down for a $70,000 University of Maryland grant. That grant instead went to a newly formed group that has a similar mission with BMI. This slap in the face has led to frustration with the University from the BMI leaders.

“That is why it was very disappointing that the University did not give us any money out of that $70,000 grant, but also for the University to give money to a group that does similar work but has not been as established like BMI,” Dr. Zeigler said.

 

Comissiong added, “We were denied for the grant and the money was given to a group that was created by the University Administration that has the same goals with retention rates, instead of supporting BMI, which was already established in the University.”

 

Another pressing problem is the University’s poor efforts in retaining and hiring black professors. According to Dr. Zeigler, Black professors only make up around three percent of total faculty, which is down from the 2005 numbers. Dr. Zeigler does not believe the University is doing enough to stop this change and believes it could have an impact on black students on campus.

 

“I don’t believe that the issue with the paucity of black faculty on campus has been addressed the way it should be. I feel that the low black faculty representation has a direct reflection on the retention rates for black students,” Dr. Zeigler said. “Black students do not have as many role models to look up to as other ethnic groups on campus. They are just not being replaced in the same types of numbers. The totals are less than when BMI started.”

Dr. Zeigler and Comissiong both agree that the declining faculty numbers could lower retention rates and impact black student recruitment. The two men have pursued help from the Maryland state legislator on this issue. According to Comissiong, who is also president of the Black Faculty and Staff Association at the University of Maryland, the response has been positive.

 

“We spoke to Maryland Delegate Aisha Braveboy about this issue, and she wants to schedule an open hearing in late January or February on the matter,” Comissiong said.

 

Along with the declining black professor population, Dr. Zeigler and Comissiong both note a decline in black professors attending events, despite a rise in student involvement. Some of the lack of attendance can be attributed to University pressure on black faculty. Comissiong shared a story of one professor who is a regular at BMI, who was discouraged from attending BMI events.

 

“The professor responded that not only will I not stop, but it contributes and enhances my work. To be admonished for attending a community service organization? That’s crazy,” Comissiong said.

 

The professor eventually received tenure, Comissiong said, but University’s pressure does deter some black faculty involvement. Another reason for the lack of attendance is down to professors choosing not to get involved.

“A lot of brothers place themselves in their own silos,” Comissiong said. “Some of these men are teaching black masculinity courses on campus, and they have never been to a BMI meeting.”

 

Comissiong goes even further citing his own situation, “I know these professors. I see them at other events, so I know they have the time. All we ask for is once a month or once a semester. I have two kids at home, and I still come to every BMI event.”

 

Despite the challenges BMI encounters, the program still makes an impact on the lives of black males at the University, even assisting in getting one person into the University’s highly regarded business school, the Robert H. Smith School of Business.

 

“I had a young man who had been to a few BMI meetings, and I didn’t know him that well. He wanted me to write him a recommendation letter for the business school. His GPA was not the strongest. I wrote the letter, and a week or two later, the student got admitted. These examples mean a lot,” Dr. Zeigler said.

 

While the question, “where are the black professors?” is still a relevant, the Black Male Initiative at the University of Maryland is at least there to help answer that question for the black students on campus.

 

 

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