Am I Not Your Target Demographic?: An Open Letter to Syracuse University

To Syracuse:

When I entered my MLIS program at Syracuse, I entered with an understanding that I would be making a sacrifice to invest in my betterment. I was aware of the cost, but I knew that getting an education and training from the best online MLIS program in the country would be invaluable. Not only would I be working with and learning from an amazing group of students and faculty, but working through my degree online would give me the flexibility to continue working and the opportunity to build an international network of information professionals.?

From my understanding, entering librarianship would be difficult, especially as a woman of color. The number of library positions isn’t growing as rapidly as their candidates. Working towards an MLIS is a commitment to a niche and a rare set of opportunities. However, it’s also a commitment to increasing information literacy, advocacy through an ethical profession, and developing your community.?

Upon enrolling into the iSchool at Syracuse, I have accepted these understandings as facts. However, I was unaware of how the journey would shape and push my thoughts and philosophies.?

My courses have been nothing short of amazing. My professors and classmates have taught me so much; this is a simple fact, but I cannot emphasize this enough. I have learned hard and soft skills. We have dived deeper into cultural competency and emotional intelligence than I assumed we would. I am grateful to Syracuse for providing a well-rounded education. However, it has not been a well-rounded experience, and the content of my courses has highlighted that for me.

The library, as most librarians would agree, is a special place. Whether we call it a safe space or a brave space, libraries are there to provide, nurture, and change. To do that, as pointed out by many experts, including Syracuse’s own amazing professors, we need to diversify the profession. It is easy to claim that you are working towards diversity. Facilitating conversions regarding DEIA is a great start, but it’s just that: a start.?

One of the biggest challenges when diversifying a profession is determining why different populations aren’t entering the industry. In my mind, these reasons fall into three categories: what the profession is doing to keep people out, what the profession isn’t doing to draw different people in, and what the diverse populations are and aren’t able or willing to do, which, in my opinion, is still a partial responsibility of the profession.?

In general, information professionals have done a fair job of assessing the first two categories. Whether actions have been taken or not, I have found a lot of the assessments that I’ve come across to be accurate. However, I feel that I haven’t seen enough discourse about the final category. What are diverse populations, and specifically marginalized communities, able or willing to do??

As a member of many marginalized communities, I would like to present some insight. What I’m presenting is not new. You may have heard this in and out of classrooms and libraries. I am presenting these thoughts to point out a flaw in Syracuse’s DEIA commitment. There have been studies to complement these arguments, but my goal is to bring about anecdotes and perspective. I encourage third-party conversation and discussion regarding this letter, especially from those from marginalized communities, whether a librarian or not.?

In my home, a risky job was not an option. Life, I was taught, was not kind to people who looked like me. Children and young adults should work hard, find a good paying job, and help their families. You are encouraged to be a doctor, lawyer, teacher, or something along those lines. We were encouraged to choose a degree that would get us a secure job.?

It would be deemed unwise to choose a major that wouldn’t get you a secure job straight out of school. It would almost be considered dumb to get a second degree in a low-paying industry. There’s always a push to get educated, but much less of a push toward an education that would lead to a similar financial situation. We aren’t encouraged to spend money to learn just for the knowledge or expertise. Education, to my Black, low-income family and community, is a tool to get ahead. So, you can imagine what we’re told about a path like an MLIS program, especially at a school as expensive as Syracuse.?

While it is a cultural philosophy, it is still the responsibility of the profession to address and try to solve that issue, especially when the reasoning is valid. What is Syracuse doing to address the risk of librarianship? I would say you all are contributing to the inaccessibility of an MLIS program with a high price tag.?

On the other side of my $67,500 bill is likely a hard-to-get, low-paying job.?

My current salary in a private academic library is less than my tuition. After earning my degree, if I were to switch to a professional librarian role, if one were to open up, my projected salary would still be less than the 18-month program. Where does Syracuse expect this money to come from??

If I had to guess, you all expect your students to have access to financially stable parents, have established high credit to qualify for loans (not to mention the support needed to repay the loan), and/or have a financially stable partner.?

A note on scholarships: Before pointing to the seemingly obvious answer, please understand that the available scholarships for iSchool students are all, with the exception of one, only available to on-campus students. The exception is a scholarship that’s available to students in upstate New York. One of the biggest benefits of going to school online is that someone would be able to interact with and learn from people anywhere. This benefit is diminished when scholarships are not available for students anywhere.?

So, what does all of this say about the type of students that you’re seeking? Am I, a Black, single paraprofessional from a low-income family in an urban city, not your target demographic?

One may argue that I have other, cheaper options. I do, but, I chose the iSchool at Syracuse, one of the best programs and seemingly a progressive one. I am of the belief that I should be welcomed here if I am academically qualified.?

A note on progress: progressiveness is important for a plethora of reasons ranging from my comfort to the preparation and skills to push for progress in my community through my career. Choosing a progressive environment should and will always be a priority for me. I don’t want to sacrifice the comfort in and acceptance of my identity for education. Higher education is already a challenging journey; I do not need racism, sexism, and other forms of bigotry to assist in the challenge. I understand that I have cheaper progressive options, but I was sold the type of progressive philosophies and values that I desire by Syracuse.?

Everything I have said up to this point is true and should be considered valid, but those are minimal compared to my main plight: hypocrisy, whether intentional or overlooked.?

Syracuse's diversity statement reads, “Syracuse University is fully committed to fostering a diverse, inclusive, and respectful campus community. In the classroom and across campus, our commitment to diversity and inclusion is rooted in the belief that multiple points of view, life experiences, ethnicities, cultures, and belief systems are essential to academic excellence.”?

Is this what full commitment looks like? An education that is only accessible to a certain type of student??

In my classes, I’m learning how librarians should intentionally consider diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility in their decisions. I am taught to disrupt systems that aren’t aligned with those values. I am encouraged to be a leader by calling in the people and institutions that aren’t acting ethically.?

This is a call-in to Syracuse.?

I admire the iSchool for the content they teach. I value the supportive community of my MLIS program. I am having the time of my life furthering my education, but when I close my laptop after class, the weight of tuition smothers me.?

I thought the hardest part of this journey would be keeping up with the work while working full-time, but that has been a breeze compared to figuring tuition out. I did know what I was getting myself into financially, but I was not expecting to learn accessibility from an inaccessible source. Every time I watch a lecture or complete a module on accessibility and diversity, I feel a specific type of frustration.?

When I entered my MLIS program at Syracuse, I entered with an understanding that I would be making a sacrifice to invest in my education, but I didn’t expect to invest in a curriculum that highlights the lack of ethics in its own program.?

I was aware of the cost, but I knew that getting an education and training from the best online MLIS program in the country would be invaluable. I just didn’t know that the program would repeatedly remind me of why people who look like me aren’t represented in the profession.?

I thought that I would be working with and learning from an amazing group of students and faculty. I thought my degree online would give me the flexibility to continue working and the opportunity to build an international network of information professionals, but I forgot to consider that the group would be unavailable to other qualified students. I forgot to consider how inaccessible such a pricey program could be for another student who should be sitting next to me.?

Syracuse, did you forget that, as well??

I show grace because no one person or institution is perfect and, as expressed, it slipped my mind, too. However, I do hope to see your practices and decisions begin to align with your stated values and taught curriculum very soon.