To Cut Costs, Administrators at Prairie View A&M University Are Heading Back to the Classroom

Administrators at Prairie View A&M University, the historically black educational institution in Texas, are taking a novel approach to close the university’s budget gap. President George C. Wright and other administrators are planning to return to the classroom rather than hire new faculty members. Dr. Wright plans on teaching a lecture course in American history to 275 students this fall. This large lecture class will replace six smaller sections of the course taught by history department instructors. Before coming to Prairie View, Dr. Wright taught U.S. history at Duke University, the University of Texas, and the University of Kentucky.

Also returning to the classroom is E. Joahanne Thomas-Smith, provost and senior vice president of academic affairs. She will teach a course in on the principles of effective learning.

College of Engineering Dean Kendall Harris will teach an upper level course, eliminating the need for three sections which had been taught by instructors. The deans of the College of Arts and Sciences, the School of Architecture, and the College of Business will also teach this fall.

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