Faculty form African Caribbean Association

During last February's Black History Month, a group of faculty members came together to establish the African Caribbean Faculty Association of McMaster (ACFAM). Though its numbers are small, the association hopes to raise awareness about the shortage of black academics at McMaster and other Canadian universities. Its objectives are to provide an organizational base for networking, promotion and advancement of black academics at McMaster, as well as to foster academic and research issues among its members.

“When we started identifying black faculty members at the University, we discovered that our numbers were low. But this is likely not much different than at most universities in Canada,” said Juliet Daniel, one of the founding members of the association. “As a group we also started discussing why black students seem disinclined to pursue careers in academia.”

The association is planning a series of events to encourage other faculty members and university administrators to continue promoting diversity within faculty ranks and to encourage hiring members from diverse communities.

“We need to be responsive to the increasing diversity among our student population,” said Bonny Ibhawoh, director of the Peace Studies Program. “Students from racial and other minority groups can benefit greatly and have a richer educational experience by having a diverse complement of instructors.”

ACFAM is seeking to expand its membership and welcomes new members and supporters. Individuals interested in joining the association are encouraged to contact either Juliet Daniel or Fred Ofosu via email at danielj@mcmaster.ca or ofosuf@mcmaster.ca.