The original building has been renovated to include two additional classrooms, a new seminar room, a faculty and staff lounge and graduate student lounges to accommodate the growing number of matriculating students interested in Africana Studies. Enrollment and course offerings have increased since 1969 from 160 students enrolled in 10 courses to 1,017 students enrolled in 55 courses during the 2003– 2004 academic year. Additional courses are being developed to meet student demand, and greater cross-listing of courses with other departments will provide academic flexibility for more Cornell students to take Africana Studies courses. To complement an expanding curriculum, the Center plans on developing new faculty and student exchange programs with African, Caribbean, and South American universities.

One of the most exciting opportunities the increased spatial and programmatic capacity affords the Center is the creation of a Ph.D. program within the next five years. Its master’s degree program in Africana Studies has been recognized in 2003 and 2004 by Black Issues in Higher Education magazine’s annual Top 100 Report as one of the top 10 programs in the nation. The Center is currently conducting an extensive self-study in preparation for the external review necessary to obtain accreditation for the Ph.D. program.

Renovated faculty office space on the second floor of the original building provides bright, contemporary accommodations for the Center’s eight core professors, three visiting professors, five lecturers, and two scholars—one of the most international departments on the Cornell campus. Additional space is available to provide offices for three new faculty hires, a key component of the Center’s five-year plan. Additionally, plans to establish an endowed professorship in Africana Studies will help recognize faculty excellence and attract and retain exceptional new faculty.