Ramapo College Instrumental in Forming Society for the Advancement of the Africana Professoriate
(Mahwah) - Ramapo College of New Jersey has taken a lead role in forming The Society for the Advancement of the Africana Professoriate. Established at a retreat held at Xavier University in New Orleans, Louisiana, the organization’s mission is to promote the development and impact of the Africana intellectual voice on higher education, the black community and the larger society. The retreat, coordinated by Dr. Ronald Dorris, professor of English and African American Studies at Xavier University, was supported by The Xavier Endowment for the Humanities Fund, the Department of Communications at Xavier University and the Africana Institute at Ramapo College.
Two Ramapo professors, Dr. Henry Vance Davis, dean of the School of Social Science and Human Services, and Dr. Niza Fabre, associate professor of Spanish, were elected to key leadership positions as president of the board and treasurer.
The founders of the Society plan to undertake a range of initiatives such as supporting the growth of Africana faculty, promulgating an Africana intellectual perspective and advocating for an inclusive curriculum. In addition, the Society seeks to increase the Africana intellectual presence in the black community, interpret issues of note to that community, and educate the larger society to the Africana reality.
Joining Davis and Fabre in elected leadership positions are Dr. Kambon Camara of Bloomsburg University (Pennsylvania) as vice president; Dr. Kolade Wynn, also of Bloomsburg as secretary; Dr. Marcus Jones of Claflin University (South Carolina) as community affairs officer; and Judge Richard Green of Stone Mountain (Georgia) as legal affairs officer.
The founding of the Society evolved from two State of the Africana Professoriate Conferences held at Ramapo College in 2002 and 2003. At the retreat, the theme for the third conference to be held in April of 2004 was selected: “If Not Us, Then Who? Fifty Years Since Brown.”
For more information on The Society for the Advancement of the Africana Professoriate, call Dr. Henry Vance Davis, 201.684.7624.
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