Monthly Archives: March 2013
Towson University Refutes Allegations of an Unsafe Campus for White Students
A group calling itself the White Student Union has vowed to start unarmed patrols on the campus of Towson University in Maryland to combat "black on white" crime.
Higher Education Grants of Interest to African-Americans
Here is this week’s news of grants to historically Black colleges and universities or for programs of particular interest to African Americans in higher education.
Daniel Wubah Selected as the Next Provost at Washington and Lee University
Dr. Wubah is currently professor of biological sciences, vice president for undergraduate education, and deputy provost at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in Blacksburg.
1805 Bill of Sale for Three Slaves Donated to Duke University
The bill of sale lists three slaves, Elizabeth, a 20-year-old woman and her daughter Harriet who was six months old. A third slave Delilah, aged 14, was also included. The three slaves were sold for a total of $493.
Alicia Harvey-Smith Named the Next President of River Valley Community College
Dr. Harvey-Smith has been serving as vice president for student affairs at Baltimore City Community College in Maryland. She is the former dean of learning and student development at the Community College of Baltimore County.
Racial Stereotypes on Black Tipping Behavior May Lead to Poor Restaurant Service
When waiters at restaurants have the preconceived notion that Black patrons are poor tippers, they are unlikely to give a high level of service to these customers, according to a new study by a sociologist at Wayne State University in Detroit.
The New Dean of Arts and Sciences at Fort Valley State University
Victor M.D. Brown has been serving as dean of the Division of Science, Mathematics, and Technology at Burlington County College in Pemberton, New Jersey. He holds a Ph.D. in biochemistry from the University of the West Indies.
Study Finds That Outdoor Education Can Close the Racial Gap in Environmental Literacy
When middle school students were taken outdoors to learn about environmental science, they were more likely to perform better academically in the subject compared to their white peers than in cases when all students remained in the classroom for instruction.
Change in Leadership at Essex County College
Edythe Abdullah has announced she is stepping down as president of the two-year college in Newark, New Jersey, and will be replaced on an interim basis by Gale Gibson, senior vice president for academic affairs.
CalTech’s Stephen Mayo Appointed to the National Science Board
Professor Mayo joined the faculty at CalTech in 1991 and for a time was the only African American on the university's faculty. From 2007 to 2010, he served as CalTech's vice provost for research.
Florida A&M University Professor Using Plants From His Native Ghana for New Medicines
Seth Y. Ablordeppey, professor of pharmaceutical sciences at Florida A&M University in Tallahassee, has received a U.S. patent for a compound that fights a staph infection that is resistant to common antibiotics.
Tekla Ali Johnson’s Book Honored by the National Council on Black Studies
Dr. Ali Johnson is an assistant professor of history at Salem College in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. She was honored with the award for outstanding scholarly publication in Africana studies for her book on Ernest Chambers.
Lydie Louis Will Earn Two Doctorates This Spring in Microelectronics and Photonics
Lydie Louis will make history this spring when she become the first student in the interdisciplinary microelectronics-photonics graduate program at the University of Arkansas to earn two Ph.D.s. She will be awarded doctorates from both the University of Arkansas and the Ecole Centrale Paris.
The Higher Education of One of the GOP’s Rising Black Stars
Tahrohon Wayne Shannon is Speaker of the Oklahoma House of Representatives. He is only 34 years old and is a rising star in the Republican Party. Shannon is an African American and a member of the Chickasaw Nation.
Derrick Gragg Named Vice President and Director of Athletics at the University of Tulsa
For the past seven years, Gragg, who holds a doctorate in higher education administration from the University of Arkansas, has been the director of intercollegiate athletics at Eastern Michigan University in Ypsilanti.
New Robotics Laboratory Opens at Elizabeth City State University
The laboratory will train university students to design, build, and program robots and to operate them remotely and autonomously. It will also be used during a summer outreach effort aimed at increasing interest among high school in pursuing careers in high technology industries.
Langston Fitzgerald Wins The Kennedy Center/ Stephen Sondheim Inspirational Teacher Award
He is a professor of trumpet at Pennsylvania State University but was nominated for the award by a master's degree student of his when he taught at Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C.
Howard University Announces Plans for a Major New Residential Complex
The new housing will have room for 1,360 students and will include social areas, game rooms, laundry areas, and study places as well as meeting rooms, classrooms, and offices. The $107 million project is expected to be completed by August 2014.
Three African American Men in New University Faculty Roles
Harvey Felder joined the music department and this fall Preston Green III will hold an endowed chair in the College of Education at the University of Connecticut. James Holden, an assistant professor of music, was named interim director of bands at Virginia State University.
Morgan State University Partners With the U.S. Navy
The agreement will enable students at Morgan State University to receive academic and career advice from Navy personnel. Students can also participate in Navy research projects.
Honors for Three African American Educators
Professor Gerald Early is getting a star on the St. Louis Walk of Fame. Shante Hearst of Morehead State University was honored by the American College Personnel Association and Bowie State President Mickey Burnim is having an endowed chair named in his honor.
In Memoriam: James Madison Nabrit III, 1932-2013
He was a prominent civil right attorney who argued several important cases involving education before the U.S. Supreme Court. His father, James M. Nabrit Jr. was president of Howard University in the 1960s.
Recent Books That May Be of Interest to African American Scholars
The Journal of Blacks in Higher Education regularly publishes a list of new books that may be of interest to our readers. Here are the latest selections.
Astrophysicist John Johnson Leaving CalTech for Harvard
In a blog post, Dr. Johnson wrote, "At Caltech, over the 3.5 years that I've been there I've come to recognize a fundamental mismatch between what I value and what the institute values."
Online Articles That May Be of Interest to JBHE Readers
From time to time, The Journal of Blacks in Higher Education will provide links to online articles that may be of interest to our readers. Here are this week's selections.
Edison O. Jackson Named President of Bethune-Cookman University
Dr. Jackson previously served as president of Compton Community College in California and as president of Medgar Evers College, part of the City University of New York system. He retired as president of Medgar Evers College in 2009 after serving in that position for 20 years.
A Successful Program to Attract and Retain Minority Doctoral Students in the Life Sciences
The study examines the record of the Initiative to Maximize Student Development in life sciences Ph.D. program, instituted at Brown University four years ago. The initiative has resulted in increased applications, enrollments, and retention rates.
Valerie Roberson Is a Finalist for President of Prairie State College
Currently, Dr. Roberson is vice president for academic affairs at Joliet Junior College in Illinois. She is the former president of Olive-Harvey College and was vice president for adult education at the City Colleges of Chicago.
Predominantly White Medical Schools With the Most Black Graduates
Howard University, Meharry Medical College and Morehouse School of Medicine produce the most Black medical school graduates. Wayne State University in Detroit led all other predominantly White medical schools with 32 Black graduates in 2011.
Higher Education Grants of Interest to African-Americans
Here is this week’s news of grants to historically Black colleges and universities or for programs of particular interest to African Americans in higher education.
New Poem by Jupiter Hammon, a Slave, Discovered at Yale Library
Jupiter Hammon was born into slavery in 1711. Although a slave, he attended school and learned to read and write. Later in life he wrote essays and poetry and is generally considered the first African American writer to be published.
Texas Bill Proposes That History Requirement Cannot Be Filled by Ethnic Studies Courses
Under the proposed legislation, only courses that present a "comprehensive survey" of American or Texas history could be used to meet the six-credit history requirement for all bachelor's degree recipients at state universities.
In Memoriam: George R. Greene, 1930-2013
Early in his legal career, Greene represented students from Shaw University and Saint Augustine's College who were arrested in 1960 for their participation in Raleigh's lunchcounter sit-ins.
Alabama State University to Offer a Fourth Doctoral Program
In addition to Ph.D. and Ed.D programs in educational leadership, policy, and law, the university offers a Ph.D. program in microbiology and a doctor of physical therapy degree program.
New Mentoring Program for Minority Nursing Students at the University of Cincinnati
Advising Minorities By Inspiring & Transforming Them Into Outstanding Nurses (AMBITION) is a new mentoring and networking group for pre-nursing minority students at the University of Cincinnati.
Kentucky State University Debuts New Agricultural Research Magazine
The new magazine will highlight ongoing agricultural research at the university. The first edition includes a cover story on the use of honey bees in agricultural production.
