SODAS

On average, 15 people call Pitt’s Africana Studies department every week to inquire about a… On average, 15 people call Pitt’s Africana Studies department every week to inquire about a masters program.

Convincing the University of the need for a masters program is just one of the goals of Students of the Department of Africana Studies, better known as SODAS. The group documents the number of people who call each week, according to President Nathan James.

After nearly a year in existence, the group’s membership has almost doubled. The group is comprised of all students who are seeking a major within the Department of Africana Studies.

“Once you are majoring in our department, you are officially a member,” James said.

While SODAS functions primarily as a governing body for the students of the department, the group also hopes to serve as a tool for the diversity education of the campus community, according to James.

Though the group is relatively new to Pitt, the Department of Africana Studies has existed for more than 30 years. In 1969, a group of black students at Pitt took over a computer lab and locked themselves in as a form of protest.

At the time, Pitt had a limited number of computer labs responsible for running the technology on the whole campus, so losing one to students was very disruptive, according to James.

In response, Pitt created the Black Action Society and Kuntu Repertory Theatre to ameliorate the University’s relationship with black students, who complained about the lack of organizations to address their needs.

“We want to educate the campus about our culture and [the] lack of diversity that there really is,” James said, describing the goals of his organization. “We want to spread consciousness of different cultures and increase diversity on campus. We also want to teach others about the correct history of the African and African-American people.”

Those pursuing a major within the Department of Africana Studies learn to break past the stereotypes generally associated with Africa, which involve images of things such as AIDS, killer bees and people who live in huts, James said. The courses available cover such topics as theatre, music, dance, revolutions, African-American movements, Caribbean slavery and women’s contributions to the Civil Rights Movement.

While these topics are diverse and may not seem to apply to most professions, James made it clear that it is just as easy to get into law school or medical school with an Africana Studies degree as it is with any other.

In fact, it is possible that graduates with this degree will discover that they have a slight advantage in the job market, because many employers like to see that their employees have knowledge of worldly topics, James said.

SODAS hosts many special programs, including an African Drumming workshop and an African Dance workshop. These programs are open to the entire campus so that all who are interested can gain knowledge on the topics.

The group also hosts Akwaaba, a welcoming ceremony designed for students and faculty interested in learning about the mission and programs of SODAS. The program also covers some of the opportunities available to those majoring in Africana Studies.

Students in the Africana Studies department had trouble communicating with alumni, as well as among themselves, before SODAS was formed, James explained.

“Students would graduate, and that’s it,” he said. “Alumni would never have a link to the department. Also, there was no place for students to come meet.”

Now, around the time of finals, students and faculty are invited to come enjoy a study break in the department. This allows students to chat with their professors, as well as with other students.