California State University, Bakersfield anticipates the establishment of a Black Student Success Center by the 2024-2025 academic year.
A campus wide email announced that the goal of the establishment is to make sure all students, particualarly Black students, feel welcomed and supported at CSUB. The center will be located in Dorothy Donahoe Hall, 101K.
The center is an ongoing initiative that CSUB has been working on for years. It is part of the Graduation Initiative 2025 that aims to increase graduation rates and eliminate equity gaps.
The data provided by California State University Graduation Rates Dashboard, clearly shows gaps on graduation rates between different demographic groups. CSUB’s four-year graduation rate by race and ethnicity from 2015 to 2019 shows that African American students have had lower graduation rates than students of other demographic groups.
The campus wide email sent on March 12 confirms this by stating that in the fall of 2018, only five percent, 541 of CSUB’s students identified as African American. The numbers have decreased since then and in the fall of 2022, only four percent, 363 students that identified as African Americans were enrolled at CSUB.
The Black Student Success Center aims to “reverse those statistics in terms of Black student success at the institution, making sure that Black students and all students are receiving the type of support that they need,” said interim President Dr. Vernon B. Harper Jr.
Harper recognizes that Black students have indicated a struggle with feeling welcomed on campus and his priority for the center is to make sure it is an affirming environment for all students.
“As a Black student, I often find connections with other Black students on campus. However, these encounters can sometimes feel rare, highlighting the need for a dedicated space where Black students are appreciated and accepted,” said Brittany Kizer, president of the Black Women on Campus club.
The establishment of a Black Student Success Center will be a physical manifestation of CSUB’s commitment to eliminating equity gaps and supporting their students. It will offer a variety of services tailored to Black students and provide them with a space for cultural expression.
The center will be housed administratively in the Division of Student Affairs, where it will collaborate with other resource centers on campus, such as the Veterans Success Center and the Multicultural Alliance and Gender Equity Resouce Center.
Although the implementation of the center has faced delays, it is a group effort. This includes the Black Student Success Council, consisting of administrators, faculty, staff and students. Additionaly, there’s also a committee council that drafted a proposal for the issue and presented it to the President’s Cabinet members.
“This is an urgent issue for all of us and we want to make sure we are doing the absolute best for our students,” said Harper.
This initiative has been on the agenda during the President’s Cabinet meetings, for three consecutive meetings. The meetings have included discussions about the proposal, funding, staffing, and programs. The funding cost for the center is predicted to be thousands of dollars. Details on staffing and what resources the center will provide are still being discussed.
“Knowing that future generations of Black CSUB students will have access to resources and opportunities that enhance their college experience brings me a sense of pride and hope for the future,” said Kizer.
Further details on the Black Student Success Center will be provided as they become available.
