UConn to Require Students to Pass ‘Anti-black Racism’ Course in Order to Graduate

The University of Connecticut (UConn) will officially make its “Anti-Black Racism” (ABR) course mandatory for all undergraduate students as part of the core curriculum’s new social justice requirement.

Provost Anne D’Alleva announced on May 17 that the requirement will go into effect during the 2024-2025 academic year with a course that will be similar to the one-credit ABR elective that has been offered since 2021.

“An education at our university must provide many opportunities to confront the history and current reality of injustice and human rights abuses, and we expect our students to be leaders in creating a more just and equitable world. ABR and the curricular changes that are in development are a powerful point of departure from the status quo,” D’Alleva stated.

University Spokesperson Stephanie Reitz told Campus Reform that the course requirement was created by the University Senate, which approved the motion 36-25. “The Senate’s discussion includes different perspectives voiced by various members of that body, including faculty and students, so we would refer you to that discussion,” Reitz stated.

According to UConn’s website, the fall 2022 version of the course was designed to instruct students about “foundational concepts related to Black consciousness, Black resistance, Black resilience, and intersectional solidarity.”

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