Penn State has promoted two of its professors to become the acting directors of the university's newly established Africana Studies Research Center.

The center was one of the key demands of demonstrators, who staged a 10-day sit-in of HUB-Robeson Center, protesting race relations at Penn State in April.

Roy Austin, associate professor of justice, sociology and African American studies, started his two-year term as the center's director earlier this month. Cary Fraser, assistant professor of African and African American studies and history, will serve as the center's associate director.

With degrees from Yale and the University of Washington, Austin joined Penn State as a professor in 1972. During his time at the university, Austin's work has been published in sociology and criminal justice journals, and he has also served as a faculty adviser to the Black Caucus and other student groups.

Affiliated with the College of Liberal Arts, the center will begin work in August. Susan Welch, dean of College of Liberal Arts, said the college is working to select students and faculty to become members of an advisory board, which will chart the course of the center.

While the acting directors get the center off the ground, Penn State will conduct a national search for a permanent director. The center will not require additional faculty, Welch said.

"It's not like a (academic) department," she said. "What it does is it brings together faculty that are already here for research and support."

Welch said a location for the center office should be decided by fall.

Last spring, a death threat sent to black caucus president LaKeisha Wolf, sparked student protests focusing on how Penn State handles race relations in and out of classroom.

Administrators and students agreed to a "plan to enhance diversity at Penn State," which included the center and a commitment to hire more African and African American studies professors.

Many of the student protesters, who fought for changes in the spring are now working to keep Penn State to its plan. Black Caucus president Hasan Amenra (senior-secondary education and social studies) said he is looking forward to the appointment of the permanent director.

"As an interim, Roy Austin and Carey Fraser will do an efficient job as directors," Amenra said. "But this is an extremely important step to improve diversity at Penn State and an enormous effort should be put forth for the national search."

Amenra said while the appointment is positive step, more needs to be done. He said this fall the Black Caucus would continue to advocate for the universal freshman seminar on race relations.

"If things are going to improve, we have to make them do it and do it well," Amenra said.