Monthly Archives: March 2016
UCLA Study Finds Huge Racial Wealth Gap in Los Angeles
The report finds that the typical African American household in Los Angeles has on average only about 1 percent of the average wealth of non-Hispanic White households. Many Asian American groups had an even higher average net worth than White households.
Historically Black Delaware State University to “Deactivate” 23 Academic Programs
More than one quarter of all academic programs at the university will be cut. The programs that will be eliminated have low enrollments and the university plans to place more emphasis on academic programs that will attract larger numbers of students.
New Partnership Seeks to Increase Study Abroad Opportunities for HBCU Students
African Americans are about 13 percent of all undergraduate students but only 5.6 percent of the students who study abroad. A new partnership aims to increase study abroad opportunities for students at all minority serving educational institutions.
New Faculty Posts for Two African American Women Scholars
Kemberly Washington was named to the Eben Hardie Jr. Finance Endowed Professorship at Dillard University in New Orleans and Pearl K. Ford Dowe was named scholar-in-residence at the Ronald W. Walters Leadership and Public Policy Center at Howard University.
Albany State Students Protest the Adoption of the University’s New Mission Statement
Students, dressed all in black, stood up and walked out of an Honors Day award ceremony. They objected to the fact that there was no mention of Albany State's status as a historically Black university in the new mission statement.
Distinguished Honors for Two African American Scholars
The honorees are Adriel A. Hilton, executive assistant and chief of staff for the president of Grambling State University in Louisiana and Otelia Cromwell, the first African American to graduate from Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts.
Tuskegee University Looks to Boost African Americans’ Participation in Clinical Trials
The partnership with Eli Lilly and Company will include applied research, education, and community engagement programs. The ultimate goal of the project is to reestablish trust between the African American community and the medical research establishment.
New University Administrative Posts for Five African Americans
Taking on new administrative duties are Valerie I. Harrison at Temple University, David M. Grubb at Dillard University, Margo Foremen at Iowa State University, Adrienne J. McNeil-Washington at Lehigh University, and Yvette Barker at Texas Southern 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 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. The books included are on a wide variety of subjects and present many different points of view.
University of Cincinnati Launches New Fellowships for Minority Ph.D. Students
The University of Cincinnati has announced that it has created the Provost Graduate Fellowship that will provide financial aid for students from underrepresented minority groups in the university's graduate programs.
Duke University to Further Honor the Black Man Who Designed Much of Its Campus
Duke University has announced that the main quadrangle with the university's initial academic and residential buildings will be named Abele Quad. An African American architect, Julian Francis Abele, designed many of the buildings on the quadrangle.
Two African American Men Are Leaving High-Level Administrative Posts at State Universities
Charles Wilson, dean of the College of Arts and Letters at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia, will retire in June. Patrick R. Liverpool, provost and vice president for academic affairs at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore, has stepped down due to medical reasons.
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.
In Memoriam: S. Rudolph Martin Jr., 1935-2016
In 1970, Martin was one of 18 founding faculty members at Evergreen State College. During a 27-year career at Evergreen State, Dr. Martin served as academic dean and taught classes in the humanities and the arts. He retired in 1997.
Racist Graffiti Painted on the Walls of a Chapel at Northwestern University
The graffiti included swastikas, a slur directed at African Americans, and the name "Trump." Two White first-year students were arrested and charged with felony hate crime violations.
University of Oregon Receives Collection of Photographs of Famous Black Women
The art museum at the University of Oregon has received a donation of 75 photographs from Pultizer Prize-winning photographer Brian Lanker's collection "I Dream a World: Portraits of Black Women Who Changed America."
Johns Hopkins University Releases a Roadmap for Achieving Diversity and Inclusion
In releasing the draft plan, Ronald J. Daniels, president of Johns Hopkins University, stated that "diversity of thought, people, and experiences is central for the excellence of our work, and to our education, research, and service missions."
Laboratory Used by Edward Bouchet Designated a Historic Site by the American Physical Society
Edward A. Bouchet was the first African American to earn a doctorate from an American university when he received a Ph.D. in physics at Yale University in 1876. The laboratory where he did much of his research has been named the 37th historic site in the history of physics.
Roderick McDavis to Leave Presidency of Ohio University in 2017
Roderick J. McDavis, president of Ohio University in Athens, Ohio, has announced that he will step down at the end of the 2016-17 academic year. Dr. McDavis has been president of Ohio University since 2004.
Survey Examines How College Presidents Are Dealing With the Racial Climate on Their Campuses
Nearly one half of all presidents at four-year colleges and universities who responded anonymously to the survey reported that there had been organized protests or events on diversity and inclusion at their campus.
Cumberland County College in New Jersey Names Its Next President
Yves Salomon-Fernandez, who is fluent in four languages, has been serving as interim president of Massachusetts Bay Community College in Wellesley Hills. She will begin her role as president of Cumberland County College on July 1.
The Residential Resegregation of Major Urban Areas in the United States
A new study examines how neighborhoods in four large metropolitan area has changed since housing discrimination was outlawed during the civil rights era. The results show that more than a third of all neighborhoods have experienced "steady resegregation."
Two African American Scholars Nominated for the PEN/Faulkner Award in Fiction
Two of five finalists for the award are African Americans with current affiliations at American universities. James Hannaham is an associate professor of humanities and media studies at the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn and Julie Iromuanya is an assistant professor of English and Africana literature at Arizona State University.
North Carolina A&T State University Partners With the Elon University School of Law
Students will spend their first three years at North Carolina A&T, studying a pre-law curriculum. They will spend the next two and a half years at Elon's law school. Successful completion will allow students to earn a bachelor's degree and a juris doctorate in five and a half years.
Seven Black Faculty Members Appointed to New Posts
Here is this week’s roundup of Black faculty members from colleges and universities throughout the United States who have been appointed to new positions.
Howard University’s Founders Library Designated a “National Treasure”
The university and the National Trust for Historic Preservation will now cooperate in efforts to improve the facility as a 21st-century learning environment while protecting its historical significance.
Notable Honors and Awards for Five Black Scholars
The honorees are Stephan Moore of the University of the Virgin Islands, Sharon Draper, an author and retired educator, Alfred Whitesides Jr., former chair of the board at the University of North Carolina Asheville, Tanure Ojaide of the University of North Carolina Charlotte, and Airea D. Matthews of the University of Michigan.
Former Predominantly Black University Presidents Start an Executive Search Firm
Four former president of predominantly Black universities have formed a new executive search firm that will focus on filling positions at historically Black colleges and universities and other predominantly Black educational institutions.
New Administrative Duties for Seven African Americans in Higher Education
Here is this week’s roundup of African Americans who have been appointed to new administrative positions at colleges and universities throughout the United States.
In Memoriam: Russell G. Hamilton, 1934-2016
Dr. Hamilton, professor emeritus of Spanish and Portuguese at Vanderbilt University, joined the faculty at the university in 1984 as dean for graduate studies and research. He was the first African American to serve as a dean of a Vanderbilt school or college.
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.
Michigan State Establishes an Anti-Bias Unit Within Its University Police Force
Sgt. Florene McGlothian-Taylor, a 26-veteran of the police force, will lead the new anti-bias unit. It is believed to be one of the first such units among university police forces across the nation.
Recent Books 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. The books included are on a wide variety of subjects and present many different points of view.
Three Black Scholars Appointed to Named Professorships at the University of Chicago
The three Black scholars appointed to named professorships at the University of Chicago are Daniel Abebe and Justin Driver at the University of Chicago Law School and Melissa Gilliam in obstetrics and gynecology and pediatrics.
Indiana University Assesses Its Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion
A diversity assessment was conducted by an independent consulting firm for Indiana University at Bloomington and Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis. The report found that progress has been made but noted areas that need improvement.
