Monthly Archives: June 2017
Morgan State University Partners With the Maryland Department of Natural Resources
Under the agreement, the department will provide apprenticeships, fellowships, and internships focused in the fields of construction, engineering, environmental infrastructure, information technology and science to Morgan State University students.
Two African American Faculty Members in New Roles
John Winters was promoted to associate professor of sports recreation management at Bacone College in Muskogee, Oklahoma, and Nicole Stokes-DuPass, a professor of sociology at Holy Family University in Philadelphia, was named associate vice president for institutional effectiveness and diversity.
Bethune-Cookman University Looks to Bolster the Institution’s Financial Outlook
An investigative report by the Daytona Beach News-Journal revealed that historically Black Bethune-Cookman University had nearly a $18 million operating loss in the fiscal year that ran from July 1, 2015 to June 30, 2016. But later data shows that the university has an improved financial outlook.
Notable Honors Awarded to Two African American Women in Higher Education
Rita Dove, Commonwealth Professor of English at the University of Virginia, was honored by the U.S. Presidential Scholars Foundation and DiOnetta Jones Crayton, associate dean for undergraduate education at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, received an award from the Women in Engineering Pro-Active Network.
State of Tennessee Passes Legislation to Help Its Seven HBCUs
The governor of the state of Tennessee recently signed into law the Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities. The legislation creates a director's position who will act as a liaison between lawmakers and leadership of the state's HBCUs.
Three African American Men in New University Administrative Posts
Taking on new administrative duties are Kevin McDonald at the University of Missouri, Johnny P. Tooson at the University of Massachusetts, and James A. Felton III at the State University of New York-Cortland.
In Memoriam: Yeworkwha Belachew, 1952-2017
Yeworkwha Belachew served as assistant dean, ombudsperson, and founder of the Dialogue Center at Oberlin College. She retired in 2015 after more than 35 years of service to the college.
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.
University of Arkansas’ New Historical Digital Archive Tells the Story of an Early HBCU
The University of Arkansas has debuted a new online archive of materials relating to Southland College in Phillips County, Arkansas. The school was the first institution of higher learning for African Americans in the United States founded west of the Mississippi River.
Hampton University Scholar Is a Contestant on This Fall’s Edition of the Hit Television Series Survivor
Desiree Williams is an assistant professor of physical therapy and director of the William R. Harvey Leadership Institute at Hampton University in Virginia. She was one of 18 contestants who competed for the $1 million first prize on the island of Fiji in the South Pacific. The show will air this fall.
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.
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 Louisville’s First African American Vice President Retires
Dan Hall, vice president and director of the Office of Community Engagement at the University of Louisville, is retiring after 32 years on the university's staff. He was the first African American to earn the title of vice president at the university.
Tuskegee University’s Accreditation Warning Status Has Been Lifted
In June 2015, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges issued a warning to Tuskegee University regarding concerns for institutional effectiveness and financial stability. That warning has now been removed.
Wilberforce University Signs a Partnership Agreement With Seattle Central College
Students who earn an associate's degree at Seattle Central College in Washington State will guaranteed admission to Wilberforce University, a historically Black college in Ohio. Transfer students will enter Wilberforce as juniors with all their credits accepted toward a bachelor's degree.
Karen E. Nelson Elected to the National Academy of Sciences
The National Academy of Sciences does not publish data on the race or ethnicity of its members. But according to a JBHE analysis of the group of 84 new members, it appears that only one of the new members is Black.
Stanford University Report Documents Persisting Racial Inequality in the United States
The study finds that despite gains in educational attainments for African Americans and other underrepresented groups, profound and persisting inequalities exist in the United States in areas such as employment, health and housing.
Ruth Simmons Appointed Interim President of Prairie View A&M University
Ruth Simmons, who served as the 18th president of Brown University, the Ivy League educational institution in Providence, Rhode Island, from 2001 to 2012, has been named the interim president of Prairie View A&M University in Texas.
Widespread Job Losses in a Community Impact College Attendance Patterns
Researchers at Duke University found that simple economics aren’t the only factor at play. Widespread job losses for parents and guardians also trigger adolescent emotional problems and poor academic performance, which, in turn, puts college out of reach.
Jerryl Briggs Named Acting President of Mississippi Valley State University
Dr. Briggs has been serving as executive vice president and chief operating officer at Mississippi Valley State University. Earlier, Dr. Briggs was vice president for student affairs and enrollment management at Central State University in Wilberforce, Ohio.
Youth Binge Drinking Is Declining But Less So for Black Adolescents
A new study led by researchers at the University of Michigan found that the rate of binge drinking among adolescents is dropping. The bad news is that decline in binge drinking among Black youth has not been as significant as it has been for other racial and ethnic groups.
President of Two Campuses of the University of Pittsburgh to Retire in 2018
Livingston Alexander, president of the University of Pittsburgh campuses at Bradford and Titusville, announced that he will step down on June 30, 2018. He has been president of the Bradford campus for 14 years and added the Titusville campus to his duties in 2012.
Black Television New Channel Won’t Be Located on Florida A&M University Campus
Three years ago, Florida A&M University signed an 11-year agreement to house the Black Television New Channel on campus. That deal has now been scrapped.
The New Dean of the School of Divinity at Shaw University in North Carolina
Johnny Bernard Hill has been serving as an associate professor of philosophy and religion at Claflin University in Orangeburg, South Carolina. Earlier in his career Dr. Hill was an associate professor of theology at the Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary.
New Scholarship Program for Students at Two HBCUs in North Carolina
The Cheatham-White Scholarships will be offered to students entering North Carolina Central University and North Carolina A&T State University in the fall of 2018. They will offer full-tuition scholarships for four years and are valued at about $75,000.
Four Black Scholars Taking on New Academic Duties at Major Universities
Taking on new assignments are John Rickford at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, Michelle Harding at Virginia Tech, Natoya Haskins at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia, and Robert T. Listenbee at Drexel University in Philadelphia.
Central State University in Ohio Commits $20 Million to Campus Upgrades
Several residence halls on campus will be renovated and many campus building will receive upgrades to heating and air conditioning systems. One of the larger projects is a $5 million renovation of the Hallie Q. Brown Memorial Library.
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.
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.
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.
University of Virginia Unveils the Design for Its Memorial to Enslaved Laborers
The University of Virginia has discovered the names - sometimes only the first names - of nearly 1,000 slaves who worked on campus. The university believes that as many as 5,000 slaves may have labored on university grounds in the 1817-to-1865 period.
New Academy Seeks to Prepare Black Students for Graduate Study in Health Care Management
The University of Alabama at Birmingham's School of Health Professions recently launched the Academy for Addressing Health Disparities through Health Care Leadership.
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.
Hampton University Scholar Mounts Effort to Digitize Local Historical Documents
Maureen Elgersman Lee, an associate professor at Hampton University in Virginia, is leading a project that encourages African Americans to bring historical letters, documents, and other correspondence to the library where they are scanned and preserved in digital form.
Carnegie Mellon University Africa Awards Its 100th Master’s Degree
This year, 33 students from Rwanda, Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda earned master's degrees in electrical and computer engineering and information and communication technology. It was the fourth commencement ceremony for Carnegie Mellon University Africa.
In Memoriam: William A. Butts, 1933-2017
Dr. Butts taught at Mississippi Valley State University and Delta State University in Cleveland, Mississippi. In 1975, he was named the eleventh president of Kentucky State University.
