“But you see now, baby, whether you have a Ph.D., D.D., or no D, we're in this bag together. And whether you're from Morehouse or Nohouse, we're still in this bag together.”
--Fannie Lou Hamer (1971), It’s in Your Hands
Once again, we ARE all in it together for the 2023-24 academic year, with the Purdue Black Caucus of Faculty and Staff! The history, the national uniqueness, and ultimately the strength of the Caucus has been—and remains—the way our differences combine to create meaning, acknowledge beauty, and provide mutual support. For nearly half a century, the Caucus has served as a beacon of commitment to the mutual interests of African American faculty, staff, and students at Purdue. The Caucus thus has been different from all other faculty associations, staff groups, even ethnic and cultural organizations—on this or any other campus across the nation.
This academic year already is testing our commitment to affirming the value that our experiences together contribute to this university and to each other. ALL of our experiences, ALL of our individual and collective wisdom, for ALL of us. Recent legal decisions across the nation seem intended to render our presence and interests invisible: obeying the law complicates how we can recognize and welcome each other to Purdue. Targeted policies threaten our contributions with minimization, revision, and even frank erasure. At the same time, we are hyper-visible: individual violence and group social movements target individuals of African descent and their interests. On all counts, fear of backlash can paralyze the institutional progress we have worked so hard together to nurture.
In response, we invite everyone to mark your calendars and turn out for the Purdue Black Caucus initiatives designed to bring us all together.
TOGETHER FOR REGULAR GATHERINGS
- General membership meetings:
- 2nd Thursday of every month, noon-1:00, VIA ZOOM
- Membership opportunities & updates, Q & A with Purdue University leaders & special guests
- (Send in questions for the Q&A in advance, which will be circulated with the reminders.)
- Mark your calendars: September 14 * October 12 * November 9 * December 14 * January 11 * February 8 * March 14 * April 11 * May 9
TOGETHER FOR CELEBRATING IN PERSON
- Fun Fridays: Movement sessions LIVE & in person
- Mark your calendars: September 15 (5:15pm), October 27 (5:15pm), November 17 (12:15pm)
- End-of-year Holiday gathering (December, expected with Black Graduate Student Association)
- 49th Annual Student Awards Program (April – though volunteers needed beginning in December)
TOGETHER FOR RECOGNITION AND SUPPORT
- BCFS Assistance to a family in need for end-of-year holidays (November)
- BCFS Officers and Committee Chairs still needed (check with current officers, and the website)
TOGETHER FOR CONNECTION
- Please let us know of new Purdue staff and faculty who should know about the Caucus’s activities!
- CHECK THE PURDUE BLACK CAUCUS OF FACULTY AND STAFF WEBSITE (https://www.purdue.edu/bcfs/ ) OFTEN. And
- Please check the tab for Member Information, to register and become a dues-paid member.
- Look out for emails and other communication.
- Working together on this mission, we THRIVE!
As always, there are opportunities to be “at the center of it all” and shape what the Caucus does, and how we do it, by helping manage our web presence, our communications, and holding office.
Along with our excellent 2023-24 Executive Committee, I wish you the best, and hope to see you often!
David Rollock
Chairperson 2023-24, Purdue Black Caucus of Faculty and Staff
150th Anniversary Professor and Professor of Psychological Sciences
Associate Dean, The Graduate School
