To kick off the second week of school, the Black Faculty and Staff Alliance (BFSA) hosted a meet-and-greet Monday evening in Scully’s portico.

Members of the alliance were joined by students and fellow faculty and staff (not a part of BFSA) for two hours of dinner and networking. Faculty and staff kicked off the event by introducing themselves and promising their devotion to the students. The remainder of the evening was spent socializing.

BFSA is a union of African American faculty and staff members on campus. It first started in 2016, with the help of Dean of Students Sonia R. Rucker, as a way for African American faculty and staff members to advocate racial equality, and come together to help each other.

Rucker said one of the reasons for bringing BFSA to campus is, “it is an opportunity to recruit more black faculty and staff members to the community.” She also noted that people of color make up for 13 to 14 percent of the faculty and staff at Southeast, numbers which were only slightly higher a year ago.

Rucker said that many faculty and staff members of color resigned from Southeast for various reasons this past school year, and the BFSA hopes to raise that number back up to where it was, if not, higher.

Alumni and staff chair of BFSA James Williams

said that through the program, he hopes to, “provide a support group for faculty and staff members.”

Mass media professor and faculty chair of BFSA Dr. Tamara Zellars Buck said the alliance is not only a professional organization, but a “cultural resource” for black faculty, staff and students. She then offered, on behalf of BFSA, to support the students in all of their upcoming endeavors.

The BFSA will be hosting a networking social 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 6. The location is still to be determined.