Virginia State University has signed a new agreement with the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) in Ghana. Under the new agreement, the two institutions have established a framework for academic cooperation that will create new opportunities for student and faculty exchanges, collaborative research, leadership development initiatives, and cross-cultural learning experiences.
“This represents a pathway for global leadership development for faculty and students,” said Lisa M. Hopson, executive director of global leadership and talent development at Virginia State University. “Through the exchange of ideas and collaborative research initiatives, we can begin to establish a truly global perspective that engages the world with purpose. At Virginia State University, Greater Happens Here.”
Daniel M. Roberts, founding dean of the Dr. Charlie W. Hill Honors College and senior international officer at Virginia State University, added, “Our students live in an interconnected global environment. The connections we create beyond the classroom will benefit all. VSU looks forward to working with our colleagues in Ghana and expanding research initiatives that will benefit both institutions.”
Let’s be very clear for a moment. For all involved parties (i.e., Lisa M. Hopson, Daniel M. Roberts and especially President Makola M. Abdullah) with this one-way partnership with this Third World African country called Ghana should be FIRED IMMEDIATELY and publicly apologize to the native-born Black Americans from the Commonwealth of Virginia. In my view and many other view this so-called agreement is nothing more than an incremental erasure of HBCU academic and cultural integrity.
More specifically, these Africans coming from Ghana will be the main beneficiary with this flawed agreement along with using this as a platform to position themselves in integral positions at VSU and other HBCUs for their damn group. For those who dissent, I would like for you to explain specifically what anyone from Ghana can possibly teach native born Black American faculty that will strengthen and expand the intellectual footprint for VSU? Further, will VSU be offering the Twi language or how many native-born Black American students and faculty (not African or Caribbean either) will be participating in a semester or entire academic year in Ghana?
In close, the misguided upper echelon administrator’s at VSU need to seriously revisit this flawed agreement.