Monthly Archives: January 2019
A Pair of African American Scholars Appointed to Positions as Deans
Allyson Watson has been named dean of the College of Education at Florida A&M University and William R. Moultrie has been named interim dean of University College at North Carolina Central University in Durham.
Three African American Women Faculty Members Who Are Taking on New Roles
Collette Chapman-Hilliard of the University of Georgia has been appointed to the editorial board of The Counseling Psychologist. Afua Hirsh at the University of Southern California and Melanye Price at Prairie View A&M University i n Texas have been appointed to endowed professorships.
Savannah State University to Offer Certificate Program in Virtual Forensic Science
The program will provide immersive learning experience with the 3D virtual reality crime scene housed at Savannah State University. The coursework will cover procedures necessary for the proper use of 3D technology in criminal investigations.
Danielle Laraque-Arena Named Scholar-in-Residence at New York Academy of Medicine
Most recently, Dr. Laraque-Arena served as President and Health System CEO of the State University of New York Upstate Medical University. She has held academic appointments at the University of Pennsylvania, Columbia University, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, and the Albert Einstein College of Medicine.
Tennessee State Upgraded by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education
Tennessee State University now joins 10 other HBCUs who have the R2 designation. The R2 classification is the second highest classification an institution can receive from the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education.
Six African Americans Named to Administrative Posts at Colleges and Universities
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.
U.S. Senators Ask for Advice on How to Address Racial Disparities in Student Debt
Recently, a group of four United States senators issued a statement asking for expert advice on how to address the racial disparities in student debt. African American college graduates are more likely to default on student loans than White college dropouts.
Black First-Year Students at the Nation’s Leading Research Universities
In 2004, only two of the nation’s highest-ranked universities had incoming classes that were more than 10 percent Black. This year there are seventeen with an entering class that is more than 10 percent Black.
In Memoriam: Richard Payne, 1951-2019
Richard Payne was the Esther Colliflower Professor Emeritus of Medicine and Divinity at Duke Divinity School. Earlier in his career, he taught at the University of Texas and held the Anne Burnett Tandy Chair in Neurology at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City.
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.
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.
The Revival of Frederick Douglass’ The North Star
In 1847, 172 years ago, Frederick Douglass and Martin Delany started The North Star as the leading abolitionist newspaper of the day. Now, with the blessing and permission of the family of Frederick Douglass, The North Star is being revived.
Six Schools of Public Affairs Launch New Diversity Alliance
The new Public Affairs Diversity Alliance seeks to encourage and sustain a pipeline of diverse candidates for faculty positions in criminal justice, policy, and public administration at the six participating schools.
In Memoriam: Lamin Sanneh, 1942-2019
Lamin Sanneh, the D. Willis James Professor of Missions and World Christianity at Yale Divinity School, passed away on January 6 from a stroke.
Two African American Men Stepping Down From High-Level University Posts
John Newson, director of university bands at Howard University in Washington, D.C., has retired from his position after 25 years and James Lucas, director of human resources at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, is retiring after almost seven years at the institution.
Study Finds That Institutional Support Is Essential for Black Ph.D. Students in STEM Fields to Succeed
The research team investigated why Black graduate students were nearly three times less likely to have published a paper in an academic journal than White, Asian, and graduate students from other underrepresented groups.
A Change in Leadership Is Coming at Savannah State University in Georgia
The University System of Georgia announced that Kimberly Ballard-Washington will serve as interim president of Savannah State University, effective July 1. She currently serves as associate vice chancellor for legal affairs for the University System of Georgia.
Black Family Physicians Remain Underrepresented Despite Recent Diversity Efforts
While the number of Black family physicians has increased over the past three decades, the percentage of Black or African Americans who passed the the American Board of Family Medicine's certification examination in 2017 was only one half of the Black percentage of the U.S. population.
Titilayo Ufomata Appointed Provost at Saint Mary’s College in Notre Dame, Indiana
Currently, Dr. Ufomata had served as special advisor to the president and board of trustees at Hobart and William Smith Colleges in Geneva, New York. She first joined the colleges in 2012 as provost and dean of faculty. She will become provost at St. Mary's College on June 1.
Study Finds Academic Engineering Remains Largely the Domain of White Men
The study found that 82 percent of the deans at the nation's 300 or more accredited engineering schools are men and 74 percent are White. For faculty, only 2.3 percent of all faculty at accredited schools of engineering are Black.
Two African Americans Appointed to Dean Posts at Community Colleges
Javon Brame has been named dean of students at Arapahoe Community College in Littleton, Colorado and Carol Ash is the new interim dean of the School of Health, Wellness & Public Safety at Central New Mexico Community College in Albuquerque.
South Carolina State to Create Pipeline for Technical College Students to Earn Bachelor’s Degrees
Under a new agreement, students from any of the state's 16 technical colleges who earn their associate's degree will have access to the South Carolina State University's bachelor's degree programs and services.
Long-Time University of New Mexico Official Appointed to State Government Post
William Scott Carreathers, director of African American Student Services at the University of New Mexico since 2000 has been appointed by the governor as the new executive director of the state's Office of African American Affairs.
Simmons College Partners With Local Schools to Produce More Black Teachers
The first phase of the new program will allow Simmons graduates to get into the county's public school classrooms quickly through a 12-week summer boot camp that has been approved by the state.
Birmingham Civil Rights Institute Revokes Honor for Professor Angela Davis
In September of 2018, the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute selected Angela Davis to receive the Fred Shuttlesworth Human Rights Award at its annual gala in February. That decision has now been changed and the event has been cancelled. Dr. Davis believes her support of Palestinian rights prompted the decision.
Morgan State University Designated With a Higher Research Classification
Morgan State has established many initiatives to improve the quality of research done on campus including a university-wide effort to increase research and grant projects and to expand the type of research conducted throughout the institution.
New Administrative Posts for Four African Americans in the Academic World
Taking on new roles are Kenneth Strother Jr. at Princeton University in New Jersey, Opio Mashariki at Savannah State University in Georgia, Alphonso Garrett Jr. of Virginia Tech, and La'Tosha Brown at Christian Brothers University in Memphis, Tennessee.
In Memoriam: Tasia Smith, 1986-2018
Tasia Smith was the Evergreen Assistant Professor of Counseling Psychology and Human Services at the University of Oregon. Only 32 years old at the time of her death, Dr. Smith had joined the faculty at the University of Oregon in 2016.
Black First-Year Students at the Nation’s Leading Liberal Arts Colleges
We note that there appears to be a greater reluctance to divulge information about Black student acceptance rates. The recent litigation involving the admissions practices of Harvard University concerning Asian American students appears to have struck a nerve in higher education circles.
University of Cincinnati to Decide What to Do About Its Slave-Owning Founder
When McMicken died in 1858, he left money and property to the city of Cincinnati "to found an institution where White boys and girls might be taught." He owned slaves and reportedly fathered children with enslaved women.
In Memoriam: Henry J. Durand Jr., 1948-2018
Dr. Durand began his career at the University at Buffalo in 1990. He held many positions throughout his tenure, ultimately becoming senior associate vice provost of academic affairs and executive director of Cora P. Maloney College.
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.
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.
Student at the University of Tennessee Uses Racial Slur in Social Media Video
A member of the Alpha Chi Omega sorority at the University of Tennessee was suspended from the Greek organization after a racist video surfaced on social media. The student was asked on a short video what she called Black people. She shouted "Niggers."
