Students outraged that KSU may terminate black studies program

COBB COUNTY, Ga. — There's outrage among some students at Kennesaw State University over the possible termination of the school's black studies program.

Hundreds of students are protesting the potential loss of the program.

In a statement, a school representative told Channel 2's Chris Jose that the black studies program will stay through next school year. After that, termination will be considered.

Students on campus told Jose they are gearing up for more protests encouraging "KSU to bring black back."

Cellphone video shows one of several protests at Kennesaw State late last week. More are planned in the coming days.

“Kennesaw State University, you have been warned,” KSU junior Aleaka Cooper said.

Cooper and student Kelsey Jones are spearheading the effort to keep the African studies program.

“We will not be silent and we will not stop. We want them to talk to us. We also don't want them to give us empty promises anymore,” Cooper told Jose.

Jose found out in November that university officials identified the African studies program as a candidate for deactivation because of low enrollment.

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The program, which the board of regents approved in 2004, consistently failed to meet the minimum number of student and at least 10 graduates annually, a university spokeswoman said.

“They either need to give us real numbers that can express the justification of deactivating this major or they need to keep it here,” Jones told Jose.

Without student input, the spokeswoman told Jose that university officials and faculty members have agreed to work closely next school year to recruit additional majors into the program.

In the statement, the spokeswoman said "the program will be reviewed again in spring 2018. KSU officials are hopeful enrollment will increase so that deactivation is not necessary."

“We need to know our voices are heard. And they're just not going to over shadow us with a statement that says they're going to keep it,” Cooper said.

Despite numerous requests university officials have not met with the students.

KSU did not give Jose year-to-year enrollment numbers for the African studies program. Students told Jose that the data to justify the cuts is inaccurate.

Cox Media Group