Morgan State University, the historically Black educational institution in Baltimore, has begun construction of a new $79.4 million research facility that will house six academic departments. When completed the new academic building will house the departments of psychology, sociology and anthropology, political science, history, economics, and geography.
David Wilson, president of Morgan State University, said that “the construction of this upgraded and multifunctional facility will increase Morgan’s ability to attract a diverse body of students, qualified faculty and additional research dollars, which in turn further enhances our status as a doctoral research institution. The instruction and access to resources made available in this type of experiential learning environment will be critical to giving our students the necessary skills to compete and excel in an ever competitive workforce.”
The Martin D. Jenkins Behavioral and Social Science Center will have 148,000 square feet of space for classrooms, laboratories, conference rooms, and office space. The new facility, named after a former president of the university, is scheduled for completion in time for the 2017-18 academic year.
I certainly hope that native born Blacks (e.g., African-Americans to others) were fortunate enough to have secure the lions share of the construction contracts for this new educational research facility at Morgan State University. More than likely, a few Black-owned businesses will probably receive a pittance under the guise called subcontracts in order to give the “appearance” that native born Blacks are intimately involved with this project akin to the Richardson Library. For those who dissent, I challenge any of you to produce verifiable facts where a major construction is taking place at an HWCU (Historically White College and University) where native born Blacks are performing the majority of the construction work.
In other words, it appears that we have entirely too many HBCU administrators who support the colonial project via their actions, deeds, and their ideological framework unfortunately.