Valuing Black Studies Requires Valuing Black People. Few Institutions Do.

The provided text asserts that defunding or eliminating Black Studies programs will intensify existing racialized inequities in student persistence, experience, and outcomes, particularly within predominantly white institutions. This perspective highlights a direct correlation between valuing Black Studies and valuing Black individuals within the institutional framework.

Why it matters

This issue is strategically important because it links academic program support directly to institutional equity and diversity goals, impacting student success and campus climate. Decisions regarding such programs can significantly influence an institution's ability to foster an inclusive environment and address systemic disparities in educational experiences and outcomes.

Key insights

• Defunding or eliminating Black Studies programs is projected to worsen racialized persistence inequities.
• Such actions are expected to exacerbate experiential inequities for students.
• Student outcomes inequities are also anticipated to intensify as a result.
• These impacts are specifically noted for predominantly white campuses.

Source

Inside Higher Ed — https://www.insidehighered.com/opinion/columns/resident-scholar/2026/08/31/valuing-black-studies-requires-valuing-black-people