Congratulations to Serie McDougal III, PhD, the inaugural director of SF State’s first BSU Black Unity Center (BUC)!
BUC has been an ongoing demand from SF State’s historic Black Student Union (BSU) from 1966 through 2016. Help us applaud the inaugural Director and the student activists, the student leadership of historic organizations, such as BSU, as well as staff, faculty and administrative leaders that united to address the fifty-year demand for the establishment of a Black Student Center at SF State.
As Director, Dr. McDougal, provides guidance, consultation and assistance in the development, review and revision of departmental/unit policies and procedures so as to minimize barriers to educational equity for Black students and to enhance access, success, retention and graduation for Black students. The director provides guidance on the development of culturally responsive programing and co-curriculum and work collaboratively with Academic Affairs colleagues on promoting culturally relevant curriculum. Further, the Director ensures that assessment of program impact and learning outcomes occur on a regular basis, so as to maximize efficiency and effectiveness of the unit’s efforts. In all efforts, the Director will be informed by a philosophy that inclusive excellence requires both the institution to critically examine itself and adapt/change structurally and systemically, as well as individual students to expand their capacities.
Dr. McDougal has served as Chair of Africana Studies at SF State. He has served as faculty adviser to several Africana/ Black student organizations for the past decade. He has received multiple awards for his book, Research Methods in Africana Studies.
UPDATE:
In June 2018, the status of the Black Unity Center became unclear as SF State's BSU demanded shared governance of the concept and structure of the Center that students and faculty stakeholders conceptualized. As such, the Department of Africana Studies recognizes the BSU's Black Unity Center as a legitimate partner and discourage use of the name and concept by any entity without express consent from the student and alumni progenitors and stakeholders.
Black/ Africana Studies and the BSU have partnered to meet student need for 50 years. We continue to do so using the venues of service avaiable to us. We encourage resolve regarding the unclear status and unauthorized use of the name "Black Unity Center" while continuing to support student need, student succes, degree completion and lifelong professional development (as we always have).