Black students reach agreement w/Marquette University

[shoothoops]

https://twitter.com/DeviShastri/status/1301670324384210944?s=19

Pretty hard to believe, and sad, that in 2020, it took this much effort from MU Black Students for some of these basic standard things elsewhere. Nonetheless, it was a good day for Black students at Maquette

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Awesome to see students standing up and being the author's of their own college experience. Good for them and good for the university.

[Galway Eagle]

Good for them. Curious what a black cultural student center means? Is this African American? Include Darker Caribbean individuals (Jamaica, Bahamas)? Africa itself? It seems rather broad and I hope they aren't just giving into a Cultural center for a modern expectation of what being black means in America today for many young men and women and instead give a well rounded cultural center where people of all African descended backgrounds can feel welcome.

[The Sultan]

Good for them. Curious what a black cultural student center means? Is this African American? Include Darker Caribbean individuals (Jamaica, Bahamas)? Africa itself? It seems rather broad and I hope they aren't just giving into a Cultural center for a modern expectation of what being black means in America today for many young men and women and instead give a well rounded cultural center where people of all African descended backgrounds can feel welcome.

Likely anyone who identifies as Black.

[Warrior Code]

Nice

[shoothoops]

Yes this would be for any Black person of a variety of backgrounds.

As much as MU needs to increase its Black student body population, (having it to from 4% to 10% isn't a big ask) and have it feel more inclusive, Black faculty and staff representation is even worse statistically. This is a priority.

Local minorities are underepresented at MU in a variety of ways. Hopefully eventually over time, an additional step is to also recruit Black and people of color from a wider range of geographies when local representation improves. MU is about 3/4 WIsconsin, Illinois population and I would like to see that drop to 50%, with more wider range geographies represented as well.

But this is a good initial step for MU and the Black population of MU.

[Coleman]

These are great changes, long overdue but Kudos for the students for fighting for them!

40 full ride scholarships for MPS grads is great. There are some REALLY smart kids in those schools who would excel at MU but it was probably never on the table due to cost.

[muwarrior69]

Yes this would be for any Black person of a variety of backgrounds.

As much as MU needs to increase its Black student body population, (having it to from 4% to 10% isn't a big ask) and have it feel more inclusive, Black faculty and staff representation is even worse statistically. This is a priority.

Local minorities are underepresented at MU in a variety of ways. Hopefully eventually over time, an additional step is to also recruit Black and people of color from a wider range of geographies when local representation improves. MU is about 3/4 WIsconsin, Illinois population and I would like to see that drop to 50%, with more wider range geographies represented as well.

But this is a good initial step for MU and the Black population of MU.

Are there that many black Catholics in the US? As a Catholic why would I want to attend Liberty Baptist or SMU, when I could go to Georgetown, Notre Dame or Marquette? Could it be that blacks just don't apply because they are not Catholic?

[Galway Eagle]

Are there that many black Catholics in the US? As a Catholic why would I want to attend Liberty Baptist or SMU, when I could go to Georgetown, Notre Dame or Marquette? Could it be that blacks just don't apply because they are not Catholic?

Good question

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religion_of_Black_Americans#Religious_demographics

[The Sultan]

Are there that many black Catholics in the US? As a Catholic why would I want to attend Liberty Baptist or SMU, when I could go to Georgetown, Notre Dame or Marquette? Could it be that blacks just don't apply because they are not Catholic?

I'm sure that's part of it, but cost, image and comfort are likely larger factors.

My anecdotal experience is that those who do the actual churchy things, are seen by many multicultural students as assets more than anything.  I know a number of priests who are as conservative theologically as all get out, but who have fully embraced the Black Lives Matter slogan and who are quite "left" on issues dealing with immigration.

[shoothoops]

Are there that many black Catholics in the US? As a Catholic why would I want to attend Liberty Baptist or SMU, when I could go to Georgetown, Notre Dame or Marquette? Could it be that blacks just don't apply because they are not Catholic?

Almost half of the incoming MU Class of 2023 is not Catholic (45%) according to MU. I can assure you that half of the student body at MU is not Black.

Diversity, inclusion, and representation is not limited to race.

[Coleman]

Are there that many black Catholics in the US? As a Catholic why would I want to attend Liberty Baptist or SMU, when I could go to Georgetown, Notre Dame or Marquette? Could it be that blacks just don't apply because they are not Catholic?

Over 3 million.

https://www.usccb.org/committees/african-american-affairs/demographics

[Coleman]

Almost half of the incoming MU Class of 2023 is not Catholic (45%) according to MU. I can assure you that half of the student body at MU is not Black.

Diversity, inclusion, and representation is not limited to race.

This is much higher than it was when I attended 15 years ago. I think we were like 65-35 Catholic.

[Billy Hoyle]

Almost half of the incoming MU Class of 2023 is not Catholic (45%) according to MU. I can assure you that half of the student body at MU is not Black.

Diversity, inclusion, and representation is not limited to race.

I am not Catholic and it did not stop me from attending MU. In fact, my grandfather was a Disciples of Christ pastor and I grew up in the Presbyterian church. What MU offered as an institution overall went beyond religious identity.

I just had to work harder than others to pull an A in THEO 001

[Coleman]

I am not Catholic and it did not stop me from attending MU. In fact, my grandfather was a Disciples of Christ pastor and I grew up in the Presbyterian church. What MU offered as an institution overall went beyond religious identity.

Agree. The Catholic experience is as much or as little as you want to make of it.

Want to attend daily mass and get involved in campus ministry? Opportunities are there.

If not, the only real reminders are the 2 required theology courses and crucifixes on the wall.

[The Sultan]

I am not Catholic and it did not stop me from attending MU. In fact, my grandfather was a Disciples of Christ pastor and I grew up in the Presbyterian church. What MU offered as an institution overall went beyond religious identity.

I just had to work harder than others to pull an A in THEO 001

My three THEO professors at MU were a Lutheran pastor, an Eastern Orthodox monk and a Jesuit.  (Sounds like a bad bar joke.)

And the Jesuit's class was on Islam.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

My three THEO professors at MU were a Lutheran pastor, an Eastern Orthodox monk and a Jesuit.  (Sounds like a bad bar joke.)

And the Jesuit's class was on Islam.

I had a Baptist minister and a former first grade teacher for my two THEO classes. Had several Jesuits for classes in other disciplines.

[Galway Eagle]

Had a Rabi and retired priest unsure if he was a Jesuit for my two THEO classes.

[Coleman]

It is funny now that I think of it. I had several Jesuits for history and philosophy. Theology not so much.

[Billy Hoyle]

My three THEO professors at MU were a Lutheran pastor, an Eastern Orthodox monk and a Jesuit.  (Sounds like a bad bar joke.)

And the Jesuit's class was on Islam.

I had Father Gronski (sp?) for 001. He was awesome and helped me out a lot. I do laugh at the fact my worst THEO grade was Protestant Thought and Practice. Chalk that up to senioritis.

My grandmother was afraid I'd be "converted" going to MU.   

[Galway Eagle]

Out of curiosity since anthropologically speaking race is a social construct, I wonder what the criteria is to receive these scholarships? And how do you avoid future lawsuits if you exclude someone in a situation of say "I'm sorry your single African American grandparent doesn't meet the criteria"?

[The Sultan]

Out of curiosity since anthropologically speaking race is a social construct, I wonder what the criteria is to receive these scholarships? And how do you avoid future lawsuits if you exclude someone in a situation of say "I'm sorry your single African American grandparent doesn't meet the criteria"?

Most schools aren't accepting race-based scholarships donations but instead are using the phrase "underrepresented" or something similar.  In addition, most scholarship criteria allow for revision in case the criteria become illegal.  Or if the donor is alive, you can simply ask them.

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

I am not Catholic and it did not stop me from attending MU. In fact, my grandfather was a Disciples of Christ pastor and I grew up in the Presbyterian church. What MU offered as an institution overall went beyond religious identity.

I just had to work harder than others to pull an A in THEO 001

One of my very good Marquette's friend's dad was a Lutheran Bishop.

[Coleman]

Out of curiosity since anthropologically speaking race is a social construct, I wonder what the criteria is to receive these scholarships? And how do you avoid future lawsuits if you exclude someone in a situation of say "I'm sorry your single African American grandparent doesn't meet the criteria"?

I don't think the criteria is race-based. It is for MPS grads: white, black, hispanic, asian, whatever. But the overwhelming majority of MPS kids are non-white.

[muwarrior69]

A lot of the posts below just demonstrate how much MU has lost its Catholic identity. All my professors (i.e. 1960s) in theology and philosophy except for two were Jusuits or Franciscan. Looks like the theology department has abandoned Catholic theology for the most part if not all together. I was required to take 6 theology and 4 philosophy courses for graduation.