TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The Universities of Alabama, Georgia and Mississippi will take part in a joint videoconference Jan. 13, 2004 to reflect on the 40th anniversary commemorations of desegregation on their respective campuses and to discuss the future of race relations in the South and in higher education.

Each of the three universities has celebrated the 40th anniversary of desegregation on its campus in the last three years. Programs included “Opening Doors” at The University of Alabama June 9-11, 2003, the 40th anniversary of UGA’s desegregation at the University of Georgia Jan. 9, 2001, and “Open Doors, Forty Years of Opportunity” at the University of Mississippi, a yearlong observance that ended in October 2003 and recognized those who have worked for inclusion and greater opportunity and access to higher education.

The University of Alabama will host the videoconference with panelists from the three universities reviewing events on their campuses and, more importantly, focusing on “where do we go from here?” Discussion will be directed toward responses to 40th anniversary activities and institutional next steps in addressing issues of race.

Students, faculty, staff and others will be able to attend the event live on each of their respective campuses. The program is scheduled for 1-3 p.m. (Central Standard Time).

The program will be moderated by Dr. E. Culpepper Clark, dean of the UA College of Communication and Information Sciences and author of “The Schoolhouse Door: Segregation’s Last Stand at the University of Alabama” (Oxford University Press, 1993).

Panelists will include:

University of Georgia

• Dr. Betty Jean Craige, University Professor of Comparative Literature and director of UGA’s Center for Humanities and Arts
• Dr. Robert A. Pratt, professor of history and author of “We Shall Not Be Moved: The Desegregation of The University of Georgia.”
• Victor Wilson, associate vice president for student affairs

University of Mississippi

• Dr. Donald Cole, assistant provost
• Dr. Gloria Kellum, vice chancellor for UM relations
• Kezia Pigford, McDonnell Barksdale Honors College student, current Black Student Union president and member of the student leadership council of the William Winter Institute for Racial Reconciliation

University of Alabama

• Cleophus Thomas Jr., J.D., trustee emeritus, who was elected SGA president in 1976 and remains the only African American SGA president in UA’s history
• Katie Boyd, current SGA president and member of the UA Opening Doors planning committee
• Dr. Samory Pruitt, assistant to the president and chair of the UA Opening Doors program

The program will include video presentations and comments by panelists followed by a question and answer session. Participants at UGA and UM will be able to call questions in to UA on a 1-800 number.

Participants may attend the videoconference in Sellers Auditorium at UA’s Bryant Conference Center, the Mahler Auditorium in the Georgia Center for Continuing Education at UGA and the Old Chemistry Auditorium at UM.