Texas Tech Honors a Black Student It Expelled in 1985

ColeTimothy-medThe board of regents of Texas Tech University in Lubbock has decided to award an honorary degree to Timothy Cole. In 1985, Cole was expelled from the university after he had been accused of raping a White woman student. He was convicted a year later and sent to prison. Cole died in prison in 1999. A decade later, DNA analysis determined that Cole was not the rapist. He was posthumously pardoned by Texas Governor Rick Perry.

M. Duane Nellis, president of Texas Tech University, stated that “through no fault of his own, Timothy Cole did not realize the joyous moment of graduation and experience the rewards of earning a college degree. In this bittersweet moment, we are proud to posthumously bestow this much deserved honorary degree in Law and Social Justice on Timothy and hope it lends to the long and difficult healing process the Cole family has endured.”

Cole’s family will travel to Lubbock to receive the award in May.

The complete story can be found in Fred McKinley’s book, A Plea For Justice: The Timothy Cole Story (Eakin Press, 2010).

Related Articles

3 COMMENTS

  1. I have not researched anything about this tragic situation however I can give a nod to TT for owning their part in it and trying to amend.

Leave a Reply

Get the JBHE Weekly Bulletin

Receive our weekly email newsletter delivered to your inbox

Latest News

California State University Sacramento Launches Black Honors College

Officially launching for the fall 2024 semester, the Black Honors College will support students from all backgrounds who study Black history, life, and culture by providing them with a specialized curriculum and mentoring opportunities.

Higher Education Gifts or Grants of Interest to African Americans

Here is this week’s news of grants or gifts to historically Black colleges and universities or for programs of particular interest to African Americans in higher education.

In Memoriam: Norman B. Anderson, 1955-2024

Dr. Anderson was the assistant vice president for research and academic affairs at Florida State University at the time of his death. He had an extensive career in clinical psychology, which led him to become the first African American chief executive officer of the American Psychological Association.

Georgia State University Launches Program to Support Black Women in Tech

While Black women account for roughly 29 percent of the Georgia State University undergradaute student body, they represent only 10 percent of the university's computer science majors and 18 percent of the computer information systems majors.

Featured Jobs