Administrative response to controversial study lacking

As one who used to be a proud Duke alumna, I felt the need to respond to the recent study, and then to the weak response from Duke’s leadership. In reading the study by the professors and grad student, and then reading the response from the Duke administration, I wondered if anyone took the time to recognize the ontological stance taken by those who chose to interpret the data in a way that would be yet another reiteration of conventional racism. When a study has as its basis the foundation of an unequal standard of care, preparation and support for black students in the STEM topics, yet interprets the results of the study by divorcing the influences of the data from the data itself, those actions are negligent at best, and purposefully harmful at worst. The professors and graduate student are engaging in what Dr. Joy Degruy would term cognitive dissonance, where one has to recreate truths in order to justify unjustifiable behaviors and conclusions.

Not only does this study ignore the historicity of the ill-treatment and negligence of African-American students on Duke’s campus, but it also quietly ignores the fact that there are not many faculty of color at Duke University in the STEMs. Could hiring practices be a contributing factor to this switch of majors? One must appreciate that there is and has been a racial hierarchy at Duke that would predict academic institutional behavior in this case. This study required ARB and IRB approval in order to proceed. That would mean that a study progresses when it can contribute to the field of knowledge, not only pure academics, but in leadership. To what field of knowledge does this study contribute? What were the limitations and delimitations of the study? Was there a discussion on when African-American students were permitted to matriculate into Duke University? Has there ever been a survey conducted as to the self-efficacy of students at Duke University based on lack of support within certain majors?

Currently, there are Republican presidential candidates who have garnered support for their plans to change the minds of blacks who prefer to receive welfare rather than work. Why do they have support? Probably because at every turn, no matter what the progress African-Americans have made, there will be many who will qualify the progress with a recall of the obvious intellectual deficit of African-Americans. This discussion is important because though we recognize scientifically that race is nothing more than a construct created in order to subdue many for the benefit of some based solely on color, we must also recognize that the false truth of race has birthed a history of legislated and institutionalized racism that cannot be remedied where we refuse to admit we see it at work. If what it means to be a Duke student or alumni changes based on our color, not on our contributions to society or efforts to attain a degree, then a Duke degree may just be worthless. So, shame on these professors, the grad student and on Peter Lange, Steve Nowicki, Laurie Patton, Tom Katsouleas, Lee Baker and Linda Franzoni. Eruditio et Religio? Not sanctified knowledge, but indoctrinated ignorance.

Worokya Duncan, Ed.D.; Trinity ’98; Divinity ’00