The University Housing director is scheduled to speak tonight on the problems that African-American students face every day, a Black Unity Association member says.

The Black Unity Association is having a panel discussion on African-Americans in higher education, Alexandria Goodson, Black Unity Association president, said.

We want to take a look into the future to see where African-Americans are going, Goodson said.

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The Black Unity Association is a new SIUC organization designed to meet the needs of the growing number of African Americans residing in Thompson Point, a campus housing area, Goodson said.

The group would like the speakers to give opinions on what African-American students can do to improve the future of current students as well as incoming freshmen, Goodson said.

There are many issues that face African-Americans on SIUC’s campus, Ed Jones, University Housing director, said.

African-Americans are not a monolith, Jones said. They are from different backgrounds. And different issues and problems that African-Americans face, other students face as well.

Jones said that he will speak on external pressures that students face, such as peer pressure, and internal pressures, such as finding the right time to study and learning not to procrastinate.

Jones said he will also speak about old-fashioned values.

Some of the issues we face, people before us have faced, Jones said.

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People in the past have come across obstacles more difficult than the ones we have today, and they have worked through them, Jones said.

He said people sometimes end up in bad situations that they must overcome.

It’s like the old song, Making a Way Out of No Way,’ Jones said. You have to look for good in almost any situation.

Jones said he wants students to understand that they are in an information age. He said technology is changing rapidly, and it is important for students to keep up.

He also said students need to have a positive mental attitude toward college.

This is an opportunity to interact with other students. Jones said.

Jones said he would like to have feedback from the students during his presentation.

Seymour Bryson, executive assistant to the chancellor, is also scheduled to speak at the forum, Goodson said.

Bryson said he will talk about retention rates for students and the steps African-American students need to take before graduation.

The forum and dinner is tonight at 5 p.m. in Lentz Hall dining room five.

Keith McMath, adviser for the Black Unity Association, said the group will try to have the panel discussions once a month and get prominent African American faculty members to lead the discussions.