The budget for the Africana Studies and Research Center will be raised by more than 50 percent over the next five years, from a current base budget of $2.3 million to $3.5 million. In addition, there will be a one-time infusion of $2 million to recruit new faculty, support research and develop a new Ph.D. program.

In December 2010, the provost requested from the College of Arts and Sciences and the director of the center a five-year plan, which was submitted in early March. This week's decision on Africana Studies was sent out at the same time budgets for 2012 -- which include $31 million in reductions already scheduled in other units -- were issued to all deans and vice presidents from Provost Kent Fuchs and Vice President for Planning and Budget Elmira Mangum.

"I am glad to support this strong budget proposal which I have reviewed with the dean of Arts and Sciences and with the director of Africana. We are committed to Cornell's Africana Center becoming a top five program in the nation, and this support will help make that possible," said Fuchs.

The provost announced in December that he would transfer oversight of the center from his office to Cornell's College of Arts and Sciences, effective July 1, 2011. It will remain both a center and an academic department; the director will also be the department chair with the same authority and influence over the budget as any other department chair in the college.

"Funding for program development and the additional faculty lines will strengthen the center and position it for success," said Fuchs. "There's a very strong commitment on the part of the university to ensuring that the Africana Center becomes a more vibrant part of our academic and scholarly community."