Opinions from around the country

Black seniors at Michigan State University can now attend a second graduation ceremony this spring to recognize their achievements.

In a controversial move, organizers created the “Black Celebratory” partially in response to the school’s poor lack graduation rate, the lowest among all minorities on campus at 44.7 percent.

The graduation ceremony will award the achievements of black students, recognizing that many have overcome difficult odds in order to complete degree requirements.

These are noble and commendable goals. However, they do not address the true issue at hand — that more black students choose to transfer or drop out of the school than receive an MSU diploma.

The celebration has already received crucial administrative support at MSU, after being denied funding from the undergraduate student government. Officials at the school have backed a commitment to attracting — and retaining — black students with real dollars, and this is an important step toward empowering minority groups.

However, the ceremony comes too late in students’ academic careers. It is also important that initiatives are put in place from the time a student matriculates at MSU — that directly increase graduation rates.

MSU must examine the support services available to minority students.

When students struggle, regardless of race, a school necessarily takes on the responsibility of providing the means (financial and otherwise) to graduate.

On a broader scale, a university must assess funding for academic courses and extracurricular programs that focus on diversity. MSU is currently examining its curriculum to further multiculturalism.

Studies of the campus climate for minorities must operate alongside celebrations of black achievement on campus, such as the Black Celebratory.

The graduation ceremony alone is not a sufficient solution to the problem of a low graduation rate among black MSU students.

It shouldn’t be viewed as a move toward separatism, but as a recognition of diversity on campus. As such, it can serve as a segue for further talks on race relations at MSU, as a beginning, not an ends.

This editorial comes from the Cornell Daily Sun at Cornell University. This column was distributed by U-Wire.

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