Monthly Archives: October 2019
Reginald Leseane Serving as Provost at Savannah State University in Georgia
Dr. Leseane joined Savannah State University’s College of Business Administration 21 years ago and recently served as interim dean and associate dean.
Texas Southern University Partners With the Monterey Jazz Festival
Under the agreement music and business students from Texas Southern University travel to California to participate as production and marketing interns during the festival and the two organizations put on a three-day symposium on jazz in Houston
University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff Offers a New Degree Program in Agricultural Engineering
The only other agricultural engineering program in the state is offered through the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville. Students who enroll will be able to choose an option in power and machinery, agricultural production systems, or soil and water systems.
Shaq and Miles College Team Up in Entrepreneurial Venture
Miles College, a historically Black educational institution in Fairfield, Alabama, is partnering with NBA great Shaquille O'Neal in a new initiative that plans to open a Papa John's Pizza franchise on the campus of every HBCU in the nation.
Four African Americans Join Georgia State’s College of Education and Human Development
The College of Education and Human Development at Georgia State University had added four African Americans to its faculty. They are Natalie Davis, Charity Gordon, Jonte Myers, and Nickolaus Ortiz.
University of Georgia to Rename Its College of Education to Honor Its First Black Graduate
Charlayne Hunter and Hamilton Holmes were the first African American students to enroll at the University of Georgia in 1961. But Mary Frances Early was the first African American to earn a degree from the University of Georgia. She was awarded a master’s degree in music education in August 1962.
Five African Americans Who Are Taking on New Administrative Roles in Higher Education
Assuming new duties are Earl Brown at Berkeley College in New Jersey, Charity Seaborn at Roosevelt University in Chicago, Melissa A. Weber at Tulane University in New Orleans, Renell Wynn at Wesleyan University in Middletown, Connecticut, and Tiffany Tuma at Saint Augustine's University in Raleigh.
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.
Wake Forest University in North Carolina Is Examining Its Ties to Slavery
Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, has undertaken a major initiative to examine its ties to slavery. It recently established a website - The Slavery, Race and Memory Project - where it will present the results of research into the university's past ties to slavery.
Two American Universities Join Consortium to Improve Neonatal Care in Africa
Rice University and Northwestern University are teaming up with international foundations and African educational institutions in an initiative that hopes to improve newborn survival rates by 50 percent over the next eight years in the African nations of Malawi, Tanzania, Kenya, and Nigeria.
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.
Buffalo State Hires Three Faculty Members to Staff Its New Africana Studies Major
Buffalo State University is using funds from the State University of New York's Promoting Recruitment, Opportunity, Diversity, Inclusion and Growth (PRODI-G) initiative to hire new faculty members to strengthen the university's Black studies efforts.
Black Students Respond to Racist Incident on the Campus of the University of Colorado at Boulder
Two Black students at the University of Colorado at Boulder were verbally abused by a White woman who is not affiliated with the university. After the incident, the Black Student Alliance issued a set of demands to the university's administration.
The University of Florida Has the Most Black Women Faculty in Engineering
According to the American Society for Engineering Education, a nonprofit dedicated to engineering education, the seven Black women faculty members in engineering are the most among the 338 four-year degree-granting engineering schools in the United States.
Dwight A. McBride Named President of The New School in New York City
Since 2017, Dr. McBride has served as provost and executive vice president of academic affairs at Emory University in Atlanta. Before going to Emory, Dr. McBride was the Daniel Hale Williams Professor of African American studies, English, and Performance Studies at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois.
New Report Offers Statistics on Pell Grant Recipients by Racial and Ethnic Group
More than 57 percent of African American undergraduate students received a federal Pell grant in the 2015-16 academic year. For White undergraduates, 31.5 percent of all undergraduates received a federal Pell grant. Blacks received 22.7 percent of all Pell Grants in the 2015-16 academic year.
The New Provost at Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Massachusetts
Winston Oluwole Soboyejo has been serving as interim provost since September 2018 and as the Bernard M. Gordon Dean of Engineering at the university. He joined the faculty in 2016. Earlier, he was a professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering at Princeton University in New Jersey.
Study Finds That HBCUs Pay A Premium to Underwrite Tax-Exempt Bonds
A recent study found that historically Black colleges and universities pay higher fees to underwriters than other colleges and universities to secure tax-exempt bonds for major projects. The authors conclude that racism plays a role in these higher fees.
A Trio of African Americans Who Have Been Appointed to Dean Positions
At Livingstone College in Salisbury, North Carolina, Dawn Brown McNair was appointed dean of mathematics and sciences and Hilton Kelly was appointed dean of liberal arts and humanities. Doze Y. Butler has been named dean the School of Agriculture, Fisheries and Human Sciences at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff.
Examining the Racial Gap in Graduate School Enrollments in the United States
If we look at total enrollments in U.S. graduate schools, we find that in 2018, there were 1,869,845 students. Of these, 190,224, or 10.2 percent were African Americans. Women made up 69.5 percent of all African American graduate school enrollments.
Hamilton College’s Shelley Haley Elected to Lead the Society for Classical Studies
Dr. Haley is the Edward North Chair of Classics and professor of Classics and Africana Studies at Hamilton College in Clinton, New York. She will serve for a year as president-elect of the society during 2020 and become president in January 2021.
Delaware State Graduates Will Have an Opportunity to Enroll in Athletic Training Graduate Program
Under a new agreement, one student from Delaware State’s kinesiology degree program within the department of public and allied health sciences will be selected to enroll in the master of science Athletic Training Degree Program at the University of Delaware.
New Scholarship Program Honors Tuskegee’s First Nursing Graduate
Della Sullins was among three nursing students who came to Tuskegee to obtain the necessary coursework to earn a degree when then-Tuskegee Institute launched the state’s first bachelor's degree nursing program in 1948.
Five Black Scholars Who Are Taking on New Assignments in the Academic World
Taking on new roles are L. Trenton S. Marsh at the University of Central Florida, Nadya Mason at the University of Illinois, Ariel James at Malcaster College in St. Paul, Minnesota, Keena Arbuthnot at Louisiana State University, and Trevon Logan at the University of California, Santa Barbara.
Xavier University of Louisiana Debuts New Master’s Degree Program in Speech-Language Pathology
The new master's degree program in speech-language pathology will play a significant role in the university’s efforts to respectfully and compassionately address the speech, hearing, and language difficulties across diverse communities.
Harold Martin Sr. to Receive the Educational Leadership Award From the TMCF
Harold L. Martin Sr., chancellor of North Carolina A&T State University in Greensboro, has been selected to receive the Educational Leadership Award from the Thurgood Marshall College Fund. He will be honored at the association's Anniversary Awards Gala on October 19 in Washington, D.C.
A Half Dozen African Americans Who Are Taking on New Administrative Roles in Higher Education
Taking on new duties are Bonita McClain Vinson at North Central Texas College, Curtis Dean at Livingstone College, Danielle McBeth at Florida A&M University, Iessa Sutton at Berkeley College, Herman L. Wood Jr. at Delaware State Univerity and Jerry Melton at Grambling 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.
Cornell University Commemorates the 1969 Willard Straight Hall Takeover by Black Students
A half century ago, a group of Black students occupied Willard Straight Hall on the campus of Cornell University. To commemorate the 50th anniversary of the protest, Cornell will place a permanent plaque on the building.
In Memoriam: Cornelius W. Grant, 1931-2019
Cornelius Grant, who served for 30 years as vice president of student affairs at Albany State University, died late last month in Albany, Georgia.
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.
University of Wisconsin Video Touting Diversity Comes Up Short
The student homecoming committee at the University of Wisconsin-Madison posted a video online touting the university's diversity. But the video was criticized and pulled offline when it became apparent that few students of color appeared in the video.
Oprah Winfrey Doubles Down on Her Support for Morehouse College Scholarships
Oprah Winfrey came to Atlanta to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Oprah Winfrey Scholars Program. But she also made a surprise announcement, donating $13 million to enhance the scholarship fund, pushing her total investment to $25 million.
The University of Wyoming Issues a Formal Apology to the Black 14
In October 1969, 14 Black students at the University of Wyoming were thrown off the university's football team. Now 50 years later, the University of Wyoming has issued a formal apology to the 14 players. Only 11 are still alive.
