Monthly Archives: September 2018
Florida International University Aims to Boost Diversity in STEM Faculty
Many of the 600 women from underrepresented groups who have graduated with STEM degrees from the university over the last five years, were most likely never taught by a woman who was Black or Hispanic.
The Digital Divide Among High School Students
A new study from the ACT's Center for Equity in Learning has found a critical gap in academic success between students who have access to more than one electronic device in their home and those who only have one. African Americans are far more likely than Whites to have access to only one device.
Paulette Dillard Named the Eighteenth President of Shaw University in Raleigh, North Carolina
Dr. Dillard had been serving as interim president of Shaw University since June 2017. Previously, she was the vice president of academic affairs and dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at the university. Dr. Dillard is a trained medical technologist certified by the American Society of Clinical Pathology.
Black Male College Students Thrive When They Take Part in Black Male Initiative Programs
A new study led by Derrick R. Brooms, an associate professor of sociology and Africana studies at the University of Cincinnati, has found that Black male initiative programs enhance Black male students' sense of belonging and success in college.
Clark Atlanta University’s Ronald E. Mickens Wins the 2018 Blackwell-Tapia Prize
Dr. Mickens is the Distinguished Fuller E. Callaway Professor in the department of physics at Clark Atlanta University. He is being honored for being a role model for mathematical scientists and students from underrepresented groups.
Report Finds a Lack of Diversity Among Top Staff in the House of Representatives
Only 2 percent of White Democratic members’ top staffers are Black. The fact that African Americans and members of other racial and ethnic minority groups are having so little impact and influence in the hall of Congress, can have an impact on educational issues that come before the legislative body.
The Slow Progress of African American Enrollments at Flagship State Universities
A research team at UCLA found that the number of Black students enrolled at prestigious, public universities was either stagnant or declined over the past 40 years. They found that across the country, Black student enrollments at these top state-operated universities were not reflective of the Black population in that particular state.
Howard University Appoints Three African Americans to Key Administrative Positions
El Hadji Djibril Diagne has been named associate director of the Office of Development and Alumni Relations. Sharon Strange Lewis has been named director of alumni relations and Jonathan Piersol has been named chief information officer.
Nine Black Scholars Taking on New Assignments
Here is this week’s listing of African American faculty members from colleges and universities throughout the United States who have been appointed to new positions or have been assigned new duties.
U.S. News Issues New Rankings of the Nation’s Best HBCUs
The top five HBCUs remained the same as last year's ranking; Spelman College in Atlanta, Georgia was first. This was the 12th year in a row that Spelman College has topped the U.S. News rankings for HBCUs. Spelman College and Howard University also climbed in the overall rankings.
Three African American Women Receive Notable Honors or Awards
The late Wilma L. Moore of Indiana University Libraries has had a scholarship named in her honor. Lenora Helm Hammonds of North Carolina Central University was named Artist-in-Resident at the University of Pretoria and Talitha Washington of Howard University was honored by the Mathematical Association of America.
Xavier University Announces the Creation of the Center for Equity, Justice, and the Human Spirit
The new center will be an intellectual and physical convening place for research, teaching, community engagement, and debate on issues related to race-based inequities, social identity production, and power relations.
New Administrative Posts 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.
Shaw University in Raleigh, North Carolina Receives Donation of Religious Books
Shaw University has received a donation of 500 books from the late Reverend Milton P. Snyder's personal library. The gift will enhance the university's collection of diverse religious publications.
Bethune-Cookman Faculty Want Action to Solve the University’s Problems
A group of 30 faculty members at Bethune Cookman University, a historically Black educational institution in Daytona Beach, Florida, recently sent a letter to university president Hubert Grimes. The faculty wrote that they were being “blatantly disregarded” and wanted solutions to the colleges growing list of problems.
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 College of William & Mary Soliciting Ideas for a Memorial to the Slaves That Worked on Campus
The College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia, has launched a competition to solicit conceptual ideas for a Memorial to African-Americans Enslaved early in the educational institution's history.
The University of Rochester’s Strong Ties to the African Leadership Academy
Since its founding the African Leadership Academy has had 75 of its graduates attend the University of Rochester in New York. This is nearly double the number of the university with the second highest total.
UNCF Goes on the Road to Boost Interest in HBCUs
The United Negro College Fund’s (UNCF) Empower Me Tour is a traveling college-and-career-readiness roadshow that aims to inform students about educational opportunities at UNCF member institutions. Last year alone, nearly $4 million in scholarships were awarded by UNCF-member institutions during the tour.
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.
Howard University Launches Campaign on Sexual Assault Prevention
Campaign activities will educate students and faculty on how to look for and prevent interpersonal violence.
SUNY New Paltz Looking to Change Names of Buildings That Honor Slave Owners
The president of the State University of New York at New Paltz is recommending that the university change the names of six buildings which are currently named after the first settling families of New Paltz, all of whom owned slaves.
Condoleezza Rice to Be Honored by the American Political Science Association
The announcement that Dr. Rice would be the recipient of the Hubert Humphrey Award has upset some members of the political science field. Over 130 scholars have signed a petition calling for the American Political Science Association to revoke Dr. Rice's award.
Two African American Women Are Retiring From High-Level Posts at Major Universities
Pat Singleton-Young was the director of the Multicultural Student Center at Coastal Carolina University in Conway, South Carolina and Carolyn Ashe is retiring as professor and director of the Institute for Business Ethics, and Public Issues at the University of Houston-Downtown.
Do Universities Discriminate Against Black Political Activists in Their Admission Practices?
The study by researchers at Florida Gulf Coast University found that admissions counselors were 26 percent less likely to respond to emails from Black students interested in racial justice. White male counselors were twice as likely to respond to Black women interested in environmental studies compared to racial studies.
Tavarez Holston Appointed President of Georgia Piedmont Technical College in DeKalb
Since 2013, Dr. Holston has served as vice president for academic affairs at Lanier Technical College in Oakwood, Georgia. He holds a master's degree in leadership and organizational effectiveness from Troy University in Alabama and a doctorate in higher education leadership from Valdosta State University in Georgia.
Study Finds That the Presence of Chief Diversity Officers Does Not Improve Faculty Diversity
After examining hiring date from 2001 to 2016 at major research universities, the authors concluded that even though there has been significant progress made in faculty diversity since 2001, the presence of a chief diversity officer does not appear to be a significant contributor to this progress.
Sylvester James Gates to Lead the American Physical Society
Dr. Gates, Ford Foundation Professor at Brown University, has been named to the presidential line of the American Physical Society, a nonprofit organization that represents more than 55,000 physicists worldwide. Dr. Gates will serve as vice president in 2019, president-elect in 2020, and president in 2021.
Teens Stressed Out About Discrimination More Likely to Develop Behavioral Problems
A new study of more than 2,5000 high school students in Los Angeles led by researchers at the University of Southern California has found that teenagers who display high levels of stress over recent public acts of discrimination also show increased behavioral problems.
The New Leader of Arkansas Baptist College in Little Rock
Regina Favors has been serving as president and CEO of Pinnacle Business Solutions, a subsidiary of Arkansas Blue Cross Blue Shield. Previously, she had worked for the Federal Bureau of Investigation and has taught as an adjunct professor at Arkansas Baptist College.
Spelman College Receives a Donation of 14,000 Books From Harvard’s Skip Gates
Spelman College, the historically Black educational institution for women in Atlanta, Georgia, has received a donation of 13 pallets of books from Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates Jr.'s personal library. According to the college, the Gates' donation is the single largest book donation ever received by an HBCU.
Five Black Scholars Taking on New Assignments
Taking on new roles are Maurice Dawson at the Illinois Institute of Technology, Kya Mangrum at Westmont College in California, Michael H. Casson Jr. at Delaware State University, Gregory Battle at Livingstone College in North Carolina, and Michelle L. Rockaward at Morgan State University in Baltimore.
Benedict College in Columbia, South Carolina, Eliminates Seven Majors
Benedict College, a historically Black educational institution in Columbia, South Carolina, will be eliminating seven majors this school year. The majors that will be cut are history, religion and philosophy, sociology, political science, transportation and logistics engineering, mathematics, and economics.
Boston College Psychologist Janet E. Helms Honored With Two Lifetime Achievement Awards
Janet E. Helms, the Augustus Long Professor at the Lynch School of Education at Boston College, was presented with the Lifetime Achievement in Mentoring Award in Counseling Psychology by the Society of Counseling Psychology and the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Society for the Psychological Study of Culture, Ethnicity and Race.
NBA Legend Isiah Thomas Seeks to Increase Celebrities’ Support of HBCUs
According to a statement released by Florida Memorial University, the new program is “intended to inspire successful athletes, entertainers and other influential partners to re-commit, embrace and support historically Black colleges and universities.”
