About Us
Five-Year Plan
The Ohio State UniversityDepartment of African American and African Studies' Community Extension Center1
Judson L. Jeffries, PhD, Professor of African American and African Studies and Director of the AAASCEC
Mission
As a public land grant institution, The Ohio State University recognizes its legal and moral obligations to help improve the quality of life of Ohioans, and to address some of the most pressing issues confronting its citizens through discovery, learning and engagement.With this purpose in mind, the primary mission of the Department of African American and African Studies' Community Extension Center is to enhance community access to the University's resources where access has been heretofore limited and thus build relationships between the University and Columbus' Black communities.
Goals
Originally housed in the cellar of St. John's church on South Ohio Avenue, the Department of African American and African Studies' Community Extension Center (CEC) moved to its current site, in 1985. While the Center has always engaged the community in a variety of ways, it defines the scope of its programmatic initiatives within the vision of the University, the College of Humanities and of course, the Department of African American and African Studies. The African American and African Studies Community Extension Center sees as its primary goal the promotion and coordination of research, teaching and service projects that supports the mission of The Ohio State University as well as advances the concerns of the city's Diasporic communities. The proximity of the Urban League, one of the country's oldest and most prominent civil rights organizations, the King Arts Complex and the Neighborhood House, Inc to the Community Extension Center presents OSU with an unique opportunity to develop cooperative relationships and joint ventures with some of the city's most highly respected vehicles for social change. It is intended that the African American and African Studies' Community Extension Center will serve as the link between academic study and practical application. Over the years, the CEC has offered an array of programs. The creation of new initiatives and the expansion of existing activities are imperative in order to keep pace with emerging developments within the Mount Vernon Avenue community and moreover the city of Columbus.Motto
The Center's motto is "Your Partner in Education."The Plan
Brief OverviewThe Department of African American and African Studies' Community Extension Center is an urban research institute located in the heart of the historic Mount Vernon Avenue Community; it is committed to developing programs that are of interest to OSU students as well those who live in the Mount Vernon Avenue Community and surrounding areas. Among the things that the CEC does is sponsor periodic forums to promote the exchange of ideas, offer an array of graduate courses ranging from Service Learning to Black Political Organizations and Movements to Citizenship & Participation to Democratic Theory. The CEC also offers computer literacy courses for senior citizens, host a summer residential program for high school students, a math science program for students in grades 4-12, as well as organize a local conference that speaks to the particular concerns of Black Columbus. Given the CEC's new leadership and the growing developments at OSU and within the Mount Vernon Avenue Community at no time in the Center's history has it been more poised for expansion.
This five-year plan meshes nicely with The Ohio State University's quest to become a world class2 university. In keeping with that objective it is important that the CEC be positioned to compliment the university's objective. Within the rubric of Discovery, Learning and Engagement the following plans have been made with the expressed purpose of taking the CEC to the next level. It is the Director's hope that at the end of five years the Center will compare favorably with other highly regarded institutions such as the Dr. W.E.B. Du Bois Institute--the research arm and community service oriented component of the Department of Afro American Studies at Harvard University.
Each year the Director will be evaluated by the CEC's Advisory Board, a seventeen member body composed of community residents, OSU faculty, and various civic leaders. This evaluation will be used in a final, end-of-the-year report that will be submitted to the Chair of the Department of African American and African Studies.
Philosophy
Higher education should be made available to anyone who seeks it—from the degree seeking student to those simply wanting to broaden their horizons through enrichment opportunities such as continuing education courses, lectures, professional development seminars, workshops and/or colloquia. The CEC insures that this invaluable commodity is not confined to the university campus for the benefit of the few at the expense of the many; and second, that laypersons must be empowered to develop the resources in their own environment, with the express purpose of building prosperous and virile communities. A pedagogy based on mutual empowerment will enable university professors and researchers to assist community residents by sharing their expertise and skills in innovative and practical ways, while at the same time, learning from the everyday experiences, and reflections of community residents more generally.Theme
The common theme for the five year plan is–giving voice to the voiceless. For a long time the history of the United States, indeed the history of the world, has been presumed to be the history of the rich and powerful and the groups that they represent. The poor and powerless and their communities have been pushed to the periphery and marginalized. This has given a distorted view of history and the reality of people's cultures. A re-writing of American history to correct the situation is, therefore, not only imperative but has to include bringing the peripherized communities back into the Center and giving their citizens voice with which to tell their own histories. The African American and African Studies Community Extension Center, by definition, should be at the forefront of pushing for this program of de-centering history, and the biography genre is perhaps the most appropriate tool in empowering the powerless by giving them a voice with which to narrate their side of history. The biographical approach also has the advantage, as noted by C. Wright Mills of making it easier for individuals to see how so-called "private troubles" are frequently the product of "social problems" which are beyond the control of isolated individuals and therefore require collective (often political) action for their resolution.Discovery, Learning and Engagement are the three areas that guide this plan.
Discovery
Discovery is the foundation on which Research 1 Universities are built. Research that unearths or brings to light new knowledge that impacts people's thinking and various sectors of society is a highly valued commodity. Colleges and universities are ranked in large part according to the volume, nature and impact of research conducted by its faculty and students. In keeping with the objectives of a major research university each year selected graduate students will participate in a joint research project directed by the CEC's director. The purpose of said research is four fold: 1) to foster a mentor-mentee relationship that will last throughout the student's tenure at OSU 2) to write a paper that the student can present at the Center before an audience of professors, students and community residents. In some instances the paper will deal with an issue that affects members of the Mount Vernon Avenue community or the broader African American community; hence sharing the findings at the Center seems to be an appropriate venue for discourse. Also presenting the student's work at the Center serves as a dry-run for the subsequent step 3) after the paper has been presented at the Center the students will then take their work to a national conference where they will present their study on a national stage 4) finally once the student returns to campus he/she and the director will continue to polish the paper with the objective of submitting it to a refereed academic journal for publication. Having a refereed journal article on one's resume will increase their market value whether they apply to PhD programs or pursue careers outside of academia. Also the CEC will develop a lecture series whereby scholars from the social sciences, humanities, the arts, and the sciences will be invited to the Center to present an aspect of their research that speaks to the interests of OSU and the community at large. An annual conference will showcase Center supported research and provide an opportunity to cultivate relationships with nationally known scholars, policy makers and community residents who have an interest in or are working in the same field.Learning
Typically when people think of learning they think of instruction that occurs in a traditional (oncampus) classroom. To be sure, most of what students learn while in college takes place on campus. And while on-campus instruction has been the bedrock of learning in higher education for well over a century the new millennium requires that colleges and universities offer unconventional avenues for learning in order to address some of the issues that we will be forced to confront in this rapidly evolving world. Consequently, the Director in conjunction with the Center's Senior Program Coordinator and the Chair of the Department of African American and African Studies will develop a list of course offered at the Center. The Center will also offer noncollege credit courses for adults, children, as well as for those preparing for post-secondary education. According to a 1987 study of the Mount Vernon community conducted by students at OSU under the direction of Dr. James N. Upton, many people are interested in taking college level courses at the Community Extension Center. Although this study was conducted twenty years ago its findings remain instructive. The Department of African American and African Studies faculty as well as faculty from other departments and academic units will be encouraged to help develop and teach these classes.Engagement
The CEC is poised to bring together and interlock members of the larger community with members and specialists from The Ohio State University in order to move various communities forward. Currently the Center selectively provides space to a number of community and service oriented organizations that use the facility regularly for meetings and presentations. This sort of activity will continue. In addition to this, however, the Center will become the site of special training programs, forums and workshops. Organizations that promote agendas pertinent to the Black experience are especially welcomed at the Center. In addition to allowing groups to use our space the Director and the Senior Program Outreach Program Coordinator will work closely with the appropriate representatives of community--based organizations and agencies such as the Neighborhood House Inc., the Columbus Urban League and the King Arts Complex to promote joint efforts when advisable and to determine the most efficient use of our respective resources.Special events will be planned for each year, but will be dependent, to some small degree, on the availability of specialist, speakers, and events such as scheduled elections. Regardless of the occurrences of these unique events, however, the Director in consultation with the Senior Program Coordinator will coordinate an event each year that underscores the importance of engagement. Black History and Memory in American Culture: A Story Worth Telling is the theme by which our engagement work will be guided. As part of our commitment to engagement each year, the Center will highlight the contribution made by Columbus' men and women who served in the U.S Armed Forces. More specifically, the Center will host an afternoon symposium that will honor a military unit in which members of the community served. It is important to demonstrate public support for those whose service reflects a commitment to preserving democracy here and abroad. This symposium not only publicly acknowledges the efforts of those brave men and women, but also provides an opportunity for scholars as well as laypersons to learn about a piece of history that might otherwise not have come to their attention. As was stated at the outset, as a large-grant institution The Ohio State University recognizes its legal and moral obligations to improve the quality of life for Ohio's residents. The original mission of The Ohio State University as set forth in the Morrill Acts of 1862 and 1890 was to provide instruction in agriculture, military science and the mechanical arts as well as classical studies so that residents in the surrounding community could obtain an affordable education and one that was practical to the areas in which these students lived. Since the late 1800s the United States and indeed the country has become increasingly more urban, which has brought about a new set of challenges—ones that require land grant institutions such as The Ohio State University to adapt to these new and exciting phenomena. The Department of African American and African Studies Community Extension Center is reflective of that commitment.
Discovery
Year 1 (2006-2007):
Student Research Projects
Research proposals that feature issues that are germane to the Black community will be invited
from students. Preferences might be given to projects dealing with topics most closely related to
the experiences and/or concerns of Columbus' Black urban communities. Proposals that examine
in novel ways the ties between rural Black communities and new urban settlements are especially
welcome. The CEC is most interested in supporting new trends in research. In that vein, the CEC
hopes to foster interdisciplinary creativity by bringing budding scholars from a variety of
disciplines together in an urban research institute. Again the goal is getting students published in
a refereed academic journal.
Year 2 (2007-2008):
Academic journal
By the end of year two we will have started a refereed academic journal that will be run by
graduate and undergraduate students in the Department of African American and African Studies
at The Ohio State University. The Midwest Journal of Black Studies will be run by students, but
under the supervision of the Center's director. The journal will accept manuscript submissions
from scholars throughout the country. Students from OSU as well as faculty are welcome to
submit their work. The journal will be housed at the Center, which means that students will be
afforded a great opportunity to learn how to run an academic journal. Along the way students will
acquire a tremendous amount of administrative experience and the like. One slot per issue will be
reserved for the work of a superb undergraduate or graduate student. In the event we do not
believe any of the works submitted by students reflect the high standards of the journal none will
be accepted.
Year 3 (2008-2009):
First issue of the Midwest Journal of Black Studies will be released.Learning (scheduled courses)
Year 1 (2006-2007):
A slate of courses will be offered at the Center for those who work downtown and whose schedules may not allow them to enroll in courses that are held on campus.- Black Politics 694: This graduate level course is about Black People's struggle to acquire power and thus determine their own destiny. Toward that end we will concentrate on three of the most important periods in American history—the Civil Rights Movement, the Black Power Movement and the present period that entails Conventional Electoral Politics. While these three eras will be the focus of our attention we will also spend some time discussing several important figures that are considered precursors to these movements such as Booker T. Washington, Marcus Garvey, Ida B. Wells Barnett, W.E.B. DuBois, and Mary McCleod Bethune among others. Some attention will also be paid to the Reconstruction era in order to put the subsequent movements in the appropriate context.
- Citizen Participation & Democratic Theory 718: This research seminar will focus on a review and critique of democratic theories (consensus and conflict) that reflect a concern with social change, primarily the presumed effects of processes associated with modernization, industrialization, differentiation, bureaucratization, migration, and urbanization. Among the specific themes discussed in the course will be the impact of broad social and economic changes in the society in general, and how these changes impact African American organizational development and the structure of opportunities for social change. Secondly, this course will use empirical studies of citizen participation and democratic theory focused on the theoretical models (pluralist, elitist, Marxist, resource mobilization, indigenous and political process) used to analyze African American social movements in U.S. history.
- Black Political Movements and Organizations 730: This graduate level course will provide a detailed examination of the political role, structure, behavior and impact of Black political movements and organizations. The focus will principally be on the American context. The origins of Black movements and organizations will be explored; students will assess their impact on the shaping of the American political system and the advancement of the social, economic, and political position of the Black community. Considerable attention will be given to questions of strategies and tactics, leadership styles and effectiveness, institutional development, and class and racial conflict. This class will illuminate changes and continuities in the Black political experience in America. It will explore myths regarding Black participation and involvement in the policy making process, and highlight both the political dilemmas and opportunities that confront the Black community in the 1990s. The analysis will be both sweeping and intensive. A meticulous examination will be made of Black organizations and movements from slavery to contemporary times.
- English 110N.01: English 110N.01 is an introductory writing course for undergraduates that employ methods of rhetorical and cultural analysis to provide students with the tools to rethink and write analytically about print and non-print texts. The course builds sequentially on students' ability to practice critical analysis across a variety of texts that range from public speeches and critical essays to paintings, photographs, and films; to identify cultural and representational trends within these sources; and to generate texts that engage their own perceptions as well as the perspectives of scholars and cultural critics.
- Community Development in Urban African American Districts 495: This course is an undergraduate service-learning course that draws on the principles of experiential learning by immersing students in an organized service experience that meets identified needs of the city's African American community. This immersion is the basis not only for acquiring extra-classroom skills but also for critical reflection on the community experience in a way that has a bearing on the intellectual and person growth of college students. Students are required to spend a minimum of 30 hours at the service learning site during the quarter. At the beginning of the quarter, each student will be matched with an on-site supervisor at the service-learning agency based upon the interests of the student and the needs of the agency. Together, the instructor, student and supervisor will design specific learning assignments that will enable student learning to take place through interactions with clientele and staff at the service-learning site, individual and group conferences and workshops, and further experiences available either at the service-learning site or in the larger community. Students attend a weekly seminar at The Ohio State University Dept. of African American and African Studies Community Extension Center. Through assigned readings, writings, and discussions focusing on diversity, multicultural environments, civic responsibility, leadership, community development and conflict resolution, students have the opportunity to improve their critical reading, thinking and reflection skills as well as communication and interaction techniques.
- Community Practicum in African American Studies 701.01; 701.02: This community practicum is a two-part course, running over two consecutive quarters. This course draws on the principles of experiential learning, serving as a complement to the traditional classroom experience by immersing the learner in a community activity that engages her/him directly with one or more aspects of the phenomenon being studied. As a method of education, it is intended to facilitate multidimensional involvement of the learner in some aspect of the course curriculum. The "immersion" becomes the basis not only of acquiring extra-classroom skills, but also of critical reflection on the experience in a way that has a bearing on the intellectual and personal growth of the learner. The second part of the course will be conducted via an individual study format. Working closely with the course instructor and agency supervisors, each student will design and write a grant proposal on a specific project (new or existing) in need of funding. Credit and final grades for the course are awarded at the completion of both parts of the course.
Speakers' series: Each month one scholar and/or speaker will be invited to the CEC to speak on a topic that members of the community will find enriching. Again such talks will occur in the evening in order to accommodate the work schedules of members of the community as well as non traditional students.
When possible, authors of new books dealing with Black life will be brought to the Center for a book signing and talk.
Expansion of existing programs
*Math & Science Program: During the academic year, the Community Extension Center in partnership with the OSU Medical Center affords students in grades 4 through 12 with opportunities to learn about the world and wonders of math and science. The purpose of the program is two-fold: 1) to improve students' competency in math and science and 2) to help diversify the pool from which employers in math and science related careers draw.*Summer Residential Program: The summer residential program is designed to cultivate in high school students an appreciation for African American history. Additionally, students become familiar with computers and develop a proficiency in an array of state of the art technologies. In June 2006, the Community Extension Center welcomed six high school students from Columbus East, Columbus Independence, Cleveland Heights, and Dublin Scioto High Schools to its summer residential program. The topic of the one-week program was Black Images: Sports and Race in American Culture.
*History of Black Columbus Conference: The aim of this annual spring conference is to bring together various sectors of the community to examine elements of the African American community in Columbus and to highlight the contributions Blacks have made in various areas of life within the city.
The 2007 conference will address the history of the Black church and explore the question, "Is the Black Church still a relevant agent for social change in the 21st century?"
Year 2 (2007-2008):
At least one course will be added to the above slate. Summer course for professional development or personal interest: The Director will teach a three week course on the Civil Rights Movement that will culminate with an out of town trip to a facility that compliments the course material. This course will target elementary, middle and high school teachers who teach this subject matter, but (who received little training in this area during their collegiate or graduate school training) with the goal of imparting information and tools that would translate back to the classroom.Academic Symposium: The Center will host a one-day conference on a topic that the academic community will find timely. This first symposium will take a look at the life work of South African civil rights activist Bantu Stephen Biko who was killed September 1977.
Resurrection of CEC's newsletter: This newsletter published in late summer will highlight those activities that took place at the Center during the previous academic year as well as inform readers of the Center's upcoming events.
Engagement:
Year 1 (2006-2007):
Black Veterans' Day Salute: As was mentioned earlier every Veterans day the Center will host an afternoon symposium that showcases a military unit in which members of the Columbus community proudly served. The Tuskegee Airmen was the subject of the first symposium. Members of this famed flying unit were invited to the Center to share their stories with members of the community, and it was a rousing success. A total of fifteen members attended the symposium, seven of which made presentations.The Ray Miller Institute for Change & Leadership: The RMLI is a ten-week course that trains twenty participants in various areas of leadership. The RMLI is named in honor of State Senator and Minority Whip Ray Miller who has built a reputation as a strong advocate for those who historically have not had access to levers of power. The RMLI meets once a week for three hours. Each class is divided into two sessions. Topics range from ethics in leadership to effective communication. The institute features an array of accomplished speakers from Dr. Frank Hale to State legislator Joyce Beatty. Students are divided into groups, and required to produce a major report on the last day of class that addresses a pressing social problem in the city of Columbus. Along with the written report groups are required to present their work before an audience that consists of their classmates and invited civic leaders. A formal graduate ceremony takes place at the conclusion of the program at OSU's faculty club where the graduates receive their certificates.
Year 2 (2007-2008):
Expand Existing programs
Fall into Good Health: During this annual fall event flu vaccines, free health screenings and
health related information are among the many services provided at this health fair. This event is
held in collaboration with the Health Partnerships Group.
Computer Classes for Senior Citizens: Free and reduced-cost computer application courses are offered quarterly here at the CEC. Courses that are offered to seniors are scheduled during the day; all other computer classes to other sectors of the general public are available in the evening. Among the areas that are covered in these courses are Introduction to the personal computer, Internet and E-mail, and desktop publishing. Additional introductory and intermediate courses are available for Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
Year 3 (2008-2009):
Movie night for Senior Citizens: Given that many senior citizens live on a strict budget, some are unable to pay the price that most movie theaters require. Moreover, some seniors have been relived of their driving responsibilities, hence are not able to take in a movie even if they could afford to. The Center would like to offer movie night once a month as a way of providing a degree of entertainment that; seniors otherwise may not get, as well as a nice quiet social outing away from more boisterous crowds that are often accompanied with younger audiences.Build infrastructure and Expand and Upgrade Facility and Grounds
As stated earlier, at no time in the Center's history has it been more poised for expansion. Indeed, this expansion is necessary in order to meet the needs of the university and community alike. Also the Center's quest to become a well-known and highly respected research and service oriented facility is contingent upon substantive infrastructure expansion and an upgrade of its facilities.
Year 1 (2006-2007): Establish an advisory board. Year 2 (2007-2008): Improve Bldg & grounds (i.e. blacktop parking lot, provide landscaping). Years 2-3 (2007-2008; 2008-2009): Upgrade lab and classroom. Years 2-3 (2007-2008; 2008-2009): Additional personnel (e.g. Associate Director, Office Manager and additional program coordinator). Year 3 (2008-2009): Transportation in form of van or similar vehicle.
Development Plans
Without proper funding, expansion will not occur; hence it is important that the Director and members of the board work very closely together in an effort to enhance the CEC's coffers. Four primary ways in which the CEC can be stabilized financially include: 1) securing funds via the Ohio state legislature 2) applying for grants 3) identifying donors and 4) support from board members. Although I am reluctant to project amounts at this time I am confident that we can build a war chest that is commensurate with the goals and objectives outlined in this five-year plan.[1] This document is a work in progress that will be amended and revised so as to keep pace with potential developments in the Mount Vernon Avenue community, the city of Columbus and the state of Ohio.
[2] Examples of world class universities are Oxford University, the University of Bologna, Cambridge University and Harvard University.
