Monthly Archives: May 2017

Notable Honors for Two African American Scholars

Davene M. White of Howard University received the inaugural Director's Award from the Office of Research on Women's Health of the National Institutes of Health. Lester Spence, an associate professor of political science, received the Provost's Prize for Faculty Excellence in Diversity from Johns Hopkins University.

Shaw University Enters Partnership With Roanoke-Chowan Community College

Shaw University has been offering courses in the Ashokie area since 1983. Under the agreement, these Shaw University courses will now be offered on the campus of Roanoke-Chowan Community College.

Four African American Scholars Taking on New Duties at Major Universities

Rachel L. Swarns will join the faculty at New York University. Jennifer Hamer, a professor at the University of Kansas, will serve as vice provost for diversity. Autumn Womack was hired to the faculty at Princeton and Ibram X. Kendi is joining the faculty at American University.

Alcorn State University to Offer Bachelor’s Degree Programs at Its Vicksburg Location

Alcorn State University, the historically Black educational institution in Mississippi, has announced that it will now offer bachelor's degree programs at its Vicksburg Expansion Center. Previously, students at the Vicksburg location could take courses only leading to an associate's degree.

Two State Universities Appoint African Americans to Chief Diversity Officer Posts

James L. Moore III was appointed interim vice provost for diversity and inclusion and interim chief diversity officer at Ohio State University and Emily Monago will be the inaugural chief diversity officer at the University of Wyoming.

In Memoriam: William R. Scott, 1940-2017

William R. Scott was a professor emeritus of history at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. He joined the faculty at Lehigh University as a full professor in 1992 and served as the first director of the university's African American studies program.

Online Articles That May Be of Interest to JBHE Readers

Each week, JBHE 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.

The Plan to Save Cheyney University of Pennsylvania

A state task force said that for Cheyney University to remain an independent, four-year institution, workforce reductions would have to be made, the campuses may need to be downsized, and that the university may have to consider eliminating intercollegiate sports.

North Carolina A&T University Offering One-Year Master’s Degrees in Engineering Disciplines

One-year master's degrees are now being offered in bioengineering, chemical engineering, civil engineering, electrical engineering, industrial /systems engineering and mechanical engineering, as well as computer science.

Higher Education Grants or Gifts 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.

Using Food to Bridge the Cultural Divide

“Sharing Experience: Heritage, Home and History” was the title of a research project conducted at Mississippi State University in Starksville this spring.

The HBCU Clean Energy Consortium Competing for Solar Energy Development Funds

Over the next 18 months, the consortium will work on developing new and innovative financial and business models that would increase solar energy adoption in low-income, African American communities.

Two Major Black Scholars Retiring From High-Ranking Universities

Willie Ruff, a professor at the Yale School of Music, is retiring after teaching at the university since 1971. Also retiring is Darlene Clark Hine, a professor of history and professor of African American studies at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois.

Tommie Shelby Named a Harvard College Professor

Tommie Shelby, a professor of philosophy was named the Caldwell Titcomb Professor of African and African American Studies and Philosophy. Professor Shelby joined the Harvard University faculty in 2000. Earlier, he taught at Ohio State University.

Huge Racial Disparity in Prisoners Serving Life Sentences

According to a new report from The Sentencing Project, nearly one half of life and virtual life-sentenced prisoners are African American. In Alabama, Georgia, Illinois, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, and South Carolina two thirds or more are African American.

Former Assistant Attorney General Named to Lead the John Jay College of Criminal Justice

When she takes office on August 1, Karol V. Mason will be the first woman and the first person of color to serve as president of the college. She served as an assistant attorney general during the Obama administration and was the director of the Office of Justice Programs.

No Surprise That Black Voting Rates Dipped in 2016: Here Are the Numbers

According to a new report from the U.S. Census Bureau, Black voter turnout decreased by seven percentage points in 2016 from 2012. In 2012, non-Hispanic Blacks were 12.9 percent of all people who cast votes in the presidential election. In 2016, this percentage dropped to 11.9 percent.

The Next Dean of the College of Education at the University of Rhode Island

R. Anthony Rolle has been serving since 2014 as a professor and chair of the department of educational leadership and policy studies at the University of Houston. Earlier, he taught at Texas A&M University and the University of South Florida.

Racial Gap in Outcomes for Children Who Lived in Public Housing Have Disappeared

A new study by two researchers at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore has found that Black and White children who grew up in public housing tend to fare similarly in educational attainment, earnings, and employment. This was not the case several decades ago.

Ty Stone Appointed the Sixth President of Jefferson Community College in Watertown, New York

Dr. Ty Stone has been serving as vice president for strategic initiatives as Sinclair Community College in Dayton, Ohio, the third largest community college in the state. She has been on the staff at the college since 2010.

In Memoriam: Eddie Nathan Williams, 1932-2017

Eddie N. Williams was the long-time president of the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies in Washington and former administrator at the University of Chicago.

Texas Southern University Adds a New Doctoral Degree Program in Public Administration

If approved by the Texas Higher Education Commission, the new online doctoral program in public administration at Texas Southern University will be the first in Texas and one of only six in the nation.

Verna Williams to Lead the University of Cincinnati College of Law

Professor Williams joined the faculty at the University of Cincinnati College of Law in 2001. She is the Judge Joseph P. Kinneary Professor of Law and co-director of the Center for Race, Gender, and Social Justice at the law school.

HBCU Fellowship Program Established by Columbia’s School of Professional Studies

Under Columbia University's HBCU Fellowship program, high-performing students from a network of historically Black colleges and universities will be matched with sponsor companies to receive full scholarships to Columbia’s professional master’s degree programs.

Bennett College in North Carolina Names a Building in Honor of Johnnetta Cole

Johnnetta B. Cole, the former president of Bennett College in Greensboro, North Carolina, was recognized by having a dormitory named in her honor on the college's campus. The Johnnetta Betch Cole Honors Hall will be reserved for students with at least a 3.0 grade point average.

Lincoln University Enters Agreement to Feed Students to Drake University’s Professional Schools

Under the agreement, students at Lincoln University who meet certain criteria will be guaranteed admission to the Drake School of Law and the School of Pharmacy and Health Sciences. These students will also receive significant scholarships.

New Administrative Posts in Higher Education for Six African Americans

The appointees are: Lisa M. Coleman at New York University, Constance Tucker at Oregon Health & Science University, Claude Poux at Dartmouth College, Charima Young at Penn State, Cliff Scott at the University of South Carolina, and Moses T. Alexander Greene at North Carolina State University.

Online Articles That May Be of Interest to JBHE Readers

Each week, JBHE 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.

New Community Engagement Awards Honor Early Black Student at Yale

Yale University has announced the first cohort of 20 high school juniors who are the winners of the Bassett Award for Community Engagement. Bassett took classes at Yale in the 1850s and later was the first African American to be named a U.S. diplomat.

University of Cincinnati Researchers Produce a Racial Diversity Map of the Entire Nation

The map shows how the racial makeup of neighborhoods changed between 1990 and 2010. Users can zoom in to focus on a particular state, city, or even neighborhood. The maps are so detailed that information can be found for any 30-square-meter area in the country.

Higher Education Grants or Gifts 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.

Task Force Issues Plan to Make Western Carolina University More Inclusive

The Joint Task Force on Racism at Western Carolina University in Cullowhee, North Carolina, was composed of faculty, staff, and students. The task force recently issued a series of recommendations to improve the climate for diversity and inclusion on campus.

Three African American Scholars Appointed to Dean Positions

The appointees are Byron P. McCrae at Davidson College in North Carolina, Barbara Krauthamer at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, and Vernon Hurte at Iowa State University.

Emory University Scholar Honored for Exhibition on Black Civil War Soldiers

Pellom McDaniels III, curator of African American collections at the Stuart A. Rose Manuscript, Archives, and Rare Book Library at Emory University in Atlanta, received the 2017 Primary Source Award for Research from the Center for Research Libraries.

Latest News