Monthly Archives: June 2015
Universities Create Historical Online Archive of Recent Baltimore Protests
The University of Baltimore and the University of Maryland, Baltimore County are teaming up with the Maryland Historical Society to create an archive to document the history of the Baltimore protests surrounding the death of Freddie Gray in April.
Two New Bachelor’s Degree Programs at Fayetteville State University
Fayetteville State University, the historically Black educational institution in North Carolina, has announced the establishment of two new bachelor's degree programs in visual arts and music.
In Memoriam: Ray Floyd Wilson, 1926-2015
Ray F. Wilson taught chemistry at Texas Southern University in Houston for 42 years. In 1953, he was the first African American to earn a Ph.D. in chemistry at the University of Texas at Austin.
Two High-Ranking Black Academics Announce Their Retirements
Billy K. Cannaday Jr., dean of the School of Continuing and Professional Studies at the University of Virginia, and Amelia Ross-Hammond, a professor and director of service-learning and civic engagement at Norfolk State University, are retiring.
Rice University Finds Slavery’s Legacy Impacts Today’s Racial Segregation in Schools
Researchers at Rice University in Houston found a correlation between counties in the South that had the highest percentages of slaves in their population and those that now have the most racial segregation in schools.
Al M. Panu Appointed Chancellor of the University of South Carolina at Beaufort
Since 2013, Dr. Panu has served as senior vice president for university affairs at the University of North Georgia in Dahlonega. Earlier he was vice president for academic affairs at Gainesville State College, which is now part of the University of North Georgia.
New Pew Research Center Study Focuses on Multiracial Americans
An interesting finding of the Pew Research Center report is that single-race African Americans and multiracial Americans with one or more Black parents or grandparents report equal levels of racial discrimination and harassment.
Howard University’s New Provost and Chief Academic Officer
Anthony K. Wutoh has been serving as dean of the College of Pharmacy and associate provost for international programs at the university. Dr. Wutoh joined the faculty at Howard University in 1996 as an assistant professor.
New Research Finds That 44 Percent of Black Women Say They Have a Family Member in Prison
According to a study conducted by researchers at Cornell University, the University of Washington, and the University of Michigan, 44 percent of Black women said they had a family member who was in prison. For White women, the figure was 12 percent.
The New Dean of the College of Education at East Tennessee State University
Terrence Hicks has been serving on the faculty at the Whitlowe R. Green College of Education at Prairie View A&M University in Texas. From 2004 to 2012, Dr. Hicks was on the faculty at Fayetteville State University in North Carolina.
Florida A&M University Confers Ph.D.s in Physics to Two Black Women
According to the National Science Foundation, 1,902 people earned Ph.D.s in physics at American universities in 2013. Only 18.8 percent were women and only 19 were Black. Now two Black women have earned Ph.D.s in physics at the same university in the same year.
Darryll K. Jones to Lead the College of Law at Florida A&M University
Jones will serve as interim dean. He has been serving as associate dean for academic affairs. He joined the law school in 2009 as associate dean for research and faculty development. Jones holds two law degrees from the University of Florida.
North Carolina Central University to Offer New Dual-Degree Program
Under the plan, students will spend their first-three undergraduate years at North Carolina Central taking a physics-based curriculum and then transfer to North Carolina State to take courses in electrical engineering.
Two African American Men Appointed to New Faculty Positions
Desmond U. Patton was appointed an assistant professor at the Columbia University School of Social Work and Brandon Ofem was named an assistant professor in the College of Business Administration at the University of Missouri-St. Louis.
Fort Valley State University Announces a Series of New Minor Degree Programs
Fort Valley State University, the historically Black educational institution in Georgia, has announced new minor degrees in applied statistics, theater/performance studies, gerentology, and chemistry.
New Administrative Posts in Higher Education for Six African Americans
The appointees are Quentin Wright at Lone Star College, Curtis E. Creagh at Kentucky State University, Mautra Jones at Langston University, Terri Yvette Ofori at Bloomfield College, Donovan Allen at Medgar Evers College, and Milton Overton at Florida A&M University.
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.
University of Pittsburgh Acquires the Archives of Jazz Pianist Erroll Garner
Garner was born in Pittsburgh in 1921. He began playing piano at age 3 and by the age of seven was performing on the radio. In 1944, Garner moved to New York City where he became a leading performer and composer.
Tracking Racial Diversity in Universities of the Pacific Athletic Conference
Enrollment data shows that many schools in the PAC-12 have high percentages of students from ethnic minority groups. But, the vast majority of ethnic minority students at PAC-12 schools are either Hispanic or Asian. Very few are Black.
New Book Explores the History of Storer College in West Virginia
Storer College was founded in Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, in 1865 by the Freewill Baptist Home Mission Society. It was the first college in West Virginia that admitted African Americans.
Including Africans in the Study of the First-Year Experience of College Students
The National Resource Center for the First-Year Experience and Students in Transition at the University of South Carolina has entered into a partnership agreement with the University of Johannesburg in South Africa.
Alfred Mathewson Named Co-Dean of the University of New Mexico School of Law
Professor Mathewson joined the law school's faculty in 1983. Previously, he worked as a corporate, securities, and banking attorney in Denver. Professor Mathewson also serves as as director of the Africana studies program at the university.
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.
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.
In Memoriam: Franklin Jerome Anderson, 1954-2015
Franklin J. Anderson was a lecturer in African American studies and director of the Challenger Program at the University of Houston. The Challenger Program is a TRIO program for student support services, funded by the U.S. Department of Education.
Almost Everyone Believes They Are Less Biased Than Their Peers
A new report by researchers at several universities has found that people generally have a "bias blind spot." Almost all participants in the study said they were less biased than the average person.
The Lehigh Valley Campus of Penn State Names Its Next Chancellor
Tina Q. Richardson has been serving as associate dean of academic affairs in the School of Education at Drexel University in Philadelphia. She will begin her new job on July 15.
University Study Offers New Evidence on DWB: Driving While Black
A new study led by Scott Decker, a Foundation Professor at Arizona State University, found that in Missouri Black drivers were more likely to be stopped, more likely to be searched, but less likely to be found with illegal items compared to White drivers.
The Next Dean of the University of Virginia School of Medicine
Dr. David S. Wilkes has been serving as executive associate dean for research affairs at the Indiana University School of Medicine. He is a board-certified specialist in pulmonary disease and critical care medicine.
Educational Television for Preschoolers Shown to Benefit Young Blacks
A new study authored by scholars at Wellesley College and the University of Maryland found that children who watched Sesame Street when it was first broadcast nearly a half century ago, did better in school as they got older.
Richard Green to Lead The Lincoln University in Pennsylvania
Lincoln University in Pennsylvania has named Richard Green as interim president. He will begin his duties on July 1 and serve until a permanent president is named. Dr. Green has been serving as interim provost at Saint Cloud State University in Minnesota.
Some Relief for South Carolina State University, But a Tough Road Ahead
The university learned recently that its accreditation will continue and that it has five additional years to repay a $6 million loan. But the new board declared a "financial exigency" that will allow it to fire tenured faculty and contracted staff.
The First Black Faculty Member in the 650-Year History of the University of Vienna
Adams Bodomo, from Ghana, was appointed professor and chair of the department of African languages and literatures at the University of Vienna in Austria. He is the former director of the African studies program at the University of Hong Kong and earlier taught at Stanford University.
Alabama State University Signs Partnership With the University of Liberia
Alabama State University President Gwendolyn Boyd stated that under the agreement the two universities will participate in faculty and student exchanges, research projects, and study abroad service learning initiatives.
New Assignments for Two Black Male Scholars
William Darity Jr., a professor at Duke University, was named a visiting scholar for the 2015-16 academic year at the Russell Sage Foundation. Munya Bryn Munochiveyi was promoted to associate professor of history at the College of the Holy Cross in Massachusetts.
LeMoyne-Owen College Exploring Technology Cooperative With the University of Memphis
LeMoyne-Owen College, the historically Black educational institution in Memphis, is looking for ways to provide high-tech services without the expense of purchasing major computer and networking infrastructure.
