The University of Louisville is pausing certain graduate degrees offered through the Pan-African Studies Department, and cutting all new assistantships that help graduate students cover some costs while they get their degrees. Dayna Touron, the dean of U of L’s College of Arts and Sciences said the programs aren’t attracting students and that all its assistantships for 2026 were unfilled.
But the move has some faculty members concerned it marks a step toward divestment in Kentucky’s only comprehensive Black studies department. Jess Clark with the Kentucky Center for Investigative Reporting spoke with Pan-African Studies Professor Ricky Jones, the longtime former chair of the department.
Click the player above to listen to the conversation. An edited transcript is below…