Earlier this week, a committee found that the university’s African-American studies program is underfunded and understaffed.

It’s not very clear, however, why it took the university so long to come to this conclusion.

Students – especially African-American students – have been trying to tell the administration about this problem for years.

Students have filed grievances. They have held rallies at Beardshear.

Time and again, they have met with administrators to voice their concerns with the program.

Two years ago students even held silent protests in an African-American history class over the issue.

In all that time and after all that effort, the only response has been to send the issue to a committee, which in turn concluded the obvious.

The problem is there. It has never been a secret. So why is the administration dragging its feet?

Hopefully now the administrative red tape has finally been cut, and hopefully now the university can focus on improving the program.

The university needs it. The students deserve it.

But how many committees will there need to be before the university can find a solution to the problem?

Probably too many.