Programs and Initiatives
Programs and Initiatives for 2007 - 2008
We have not finalized events for spring of 2008 but be on the lookout for our spring programs as the semester progresses --
• "Questions out of a Hat" - This program will address issues faced by different groups on campus by talking about questions submitted anonymously from students under 10 major umbrella organizations. This event promises to be a huge success!
• "Monthly Delegates Meetings" - In order to facilitate better communication between leaders of the black community, BSU sets up monthly delegates meetings that ask either a president, treasurer or representative from each of the organizations under its umbrella to make an appearance, and discuss issues within the community, as well as upcoming events, and possible ideas.
• "Dinner With My People" - Dinner with my people is a bi-weekly dinner in which people from the community come together on Fridays to eat dinner in a large group at RPCC. Dinners are usually at 6:30 (unless other organizations are holding meetings) and students without meal plans are bonused in by Faculty Members. If Friday is too busy, Sundays are also used, and the event then becomes “Brunch With Black Folk.”
• "Hillel-BSU Katrina Initiative" - From August 8th - August 14th a joint group of students will work in New Orleans to assist in Katrina relief efforts. The initiative will not only result in considerable aid to the peoples of that decimated region but also important community building between two diverse and important groups on campus.
• "ClubFest" - ClubFest is an annual event that showcases the student organizations on campus. Each year, over a thousand students attend this event and BSU will be there encouraging new students to get involved with the organization.
• "Unity Hour" - Unity Hours are held every Sunday night at 8:30 in Ujamaa and are used to talk about issues not only within the community but that affect it as well.
• "Cafe Con Leche" - In an effort to help bridge the gap between the black and Hispanic communities at Cornell BSU would like to host a Café con Leche to discuss the relationship between the two groups and ways this relationship can be strengthened.
• "Second Annual Sankofa Reception" - Every year Africana holds an Africana Faculty Reception. Following the tradition set in Fall 2006 BSU will widen the event to include all black faculty and staff from around the campus. The concept of Sankofa is derived from King Adinkera of the Akan people of West Africa and it refers to a mythic bird that flies forward while looking backward with an egg (symbolizing the future) in its mouth.
• "Symposium on Black Empowerment" - Because education is one of the four venues through which BSU seeks to empower black students, we feel that we must address retention at Cornell, which has become a very serious issue worthy of heavy dialogue. Instead of talking about general ways in which students can get focused we want to put together a symposium that SPECIFICALLY deals with Cornell university using statistics from Cornell and hopefully alumni.
• "Block Party/Service Event" - Because Cornell is a part of the greater Ithaca Community it is of great importance to BSU that we make time to give back to the people who live in Ithaca. Although many people don't recognize or choose to ignore the large black population in Ithaca, they exist and we feel we have a responsibility to help them as best we can through some sort of service event.
We have not finalized events for spring of 2008 but be on the lookout for our spring programs as the semester progresses --
• "Questions out of a Hat" - This program will address issues faced by different groups on campus by talking about questions submitted anonymously from students under 10 major umbrella organizations. This event promises to be a huge success!
• "Monthly Delegates Meetings" - In order to facilitate better communication between leaders of the black community, BSU sets up monthly delegates meetings that ask either a president, treasurer or representative from each of the organizations under its umbrella to make an appearance, and discuss issues within the community, as well as upcoming events, and possible ideas.
• "Dinner With My People" - Dinner with my people is a bi-weekly dinner in which people from the community come together on Fridays to eat dinner in a large group at RPCC. Dinners are usually at 6:30 (unless other organizations are holding meetings) and students without meal plans are bonused in by Faculty Members. If Friday is too busy, Sundays are also used, and the event then becomes “Brunch With Black Folk.”
• "Hillel-BSU Katrina Initiative" - From August 8th - August 14th a joint group of students will work in New Orleans to assist in Katrina relief efforts. The initiative will not only result in considerable aid to the peoples of that decimated region but also important community building between two diverse and important groups on campus.
• "ClubFest" - ClubFest is an annual event that showcases the student organizations on campus. Each year, over a thousand students attend this event and BSU will be there encouraging new students to get involved with the organization.
• "Unity Hour" - Unity Hours are held every Sunday night at 8:30 in Ujamaa and are used to talk about issues not only within the community but that affect it as well.
• "Cafe Con Leche" - In an effort to help bridge the gap between the black and Hispanic communities at Cornell BSU would like to host a Café con Leche to discuss the relationship between the two groups and ways this relationship can be strengthened.
• "Second Annual Sankofa Reception" - Every year Africana holds an Africana Faculty Reception. Following the tradition set in Fall 2006 BSU will widen the event to include all black faculty and staff from around the campus. The concept of Sankofa is derived from King Adinkera of the Akan people of West Africa and it refers to a mythic bird that flies forward while looking backward with an egg (symbolizing the future) in its mouth.
• "Symposium on Black Empowerment" - Because education is one of the four venues through which BSU seeks to empower black students, we feel that we must address retention at Cornell, which has become a very serious issue worthy of heavy dialogue. Instead of talking about general ways in which students can get focused we want to put together a symposium that SPECIFICALLY deals with Cornell university using statistics from Cornell and hopefully alumni.
• "Block Party/Service Event" - Because Cornell is a part of the greater Ithaca Community it is of great importance to BSU that we make time to give back to the people who live in Ithaca. Although many people don't recognize or choose to ignore the large black population in Ithaca, they exist and we feel we have a responsibility to help them as best we can through some sort of service event.
Programs and Initiatives for 2006 - 2007
• "Hurricane Katrina Commemoration" - Candle light vigil to mark the one year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina
• "Dinner With My People" * see above for description
• "Black Women's Forum Hurricane Katrina Discussion"
• "Sankofa Reception" * see above for description
• "Monthly Delegates Meetings" * see above for description
• "Black History Month Week of Events" - A week of excellent programming highlighting history and culture from Africa and its far reaching diaspora
• "Forum With President Skorton"
• "I'm Black" T-shirt Campaign - The selling of "I'm Black" and "I Am Because We Are" black shirts to be worn on the last day of Black History Month
• "Hilltop Jamboree" - Carnival for Ithaca children set up by NSMH
• "Cornell World's Fair" - Cornell fair that showcases different cultures
• Black Collegiate Summit
• "Into the Streets" - Volunteer initiative through the public service center
• OMEA Organization Fair
• "It's A Black Affair" - $18, 000 end of the year Gala co-programmed with ALANA and Ithaca College
• "Black in the Streets" - Community service initiative
• The BSU Scholarship - One $500 prize awarded to a student who has done considerable work for the black community at Cornell and two $100 prizes awarded to two exceptional Ithaca High School students
• "Hurricane Katrina Commemoration" - Candle light vigil to mark the one year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina
• "Dinner With My People" * see above for description
• "Black Women's Forum Hurricane Katrina Discussion"
• "Sankofa Reception" * see above for description
• "Monthly Delegates Meetings" * see above for description
• "Black History Month Week of Events" - A week of excellent programming highlighting history and culture from Africa and its far reaching diaspora
• "Forum With President Skorton"
• "I'm Black" T-shirt Campaign - The selling of "I'm Black" and "I Am Because We Are" black shirts to be worn on the last day of Black History Month
• "Hilltop Jamboree" - Carnival for Ithaca children set up by NSMH
• "Cornell World's Fair" - Cornell fair that showcases different cultures
• Black Collegiate Summit
• "Into the Streets" - Volunteer initiative through the public service center
• OMEA Organization Fair
• "It's A Black Affair" - $18, 000 end of the year Gala co-programmed with ALANA and Ithaca College
• "Black in the Streets" - Community service initiative
• The BSU Scholarship - One $500 prize awarded to a student who has done considerable work for the black community at Cornell and two $100 prizes awarded to two exceptional Ithaca High School students
