Race, Class, and Academic Life

What does the national reckoning over systemic racism mean for academic life? Some faculty members have called for specific, immediate actions from their institutions. Scholars across the country have shared personal experiences with the hashtag #Blackintheivory, raising consciousness among colleagues. And college leaders are talking more about diversity, equity, and inclusion. What do Black academics believe needs to change — and how?

The Chronicle is gathering a prominent panel for a candid discussion about Race, Class, and Academic Life. What are the realities within colleges and universities today? The panel, led by co-hosts Michael Sorrell, president of Paul Quinn College, and Sarah Brown, Chronicle senior reporter, will include:

– Fred A. Bonner II, professor of educational leadership and counseling at Prairie View A&M University
– Marcia Chatelain, professor of history and African American studies at Georgetown University
– Darrick Hamilton, professor of economics and urban policy and director of the Institute for the Study of Race, Stratification, and Political Economy at The New School
– Tracey E. Hucks, provost and dean of the faculty at Colgate University
– Randall Kennedy, professor of law at Harvard Law School

Drawing on themes raised in recent articles and social media conversations, our panel will discuss:
– Where colleges are succeeding and failing amid increased pressure to diversify the faculty and promote inclusion
-How professors’ experiences at predominantly white institutions compare with those at historically black colleges
– What changes to academic life are needed and how to achieve them