Monthly Archives: December 2019
Law Students Ask That the Image of Robert E. Lee Not Appear on Their Diplomas
Students, alumni, and faculty members of the Washington and Lee University School of Law have started a petition asking the university's administration to give graduating students the option of not having the images of George Washington and Robert E. Lee on their diplomas.
In Memoriam: Bill Wilson, 1940-2019
Bill Wilson was the first African American elected to the city council in St. Paul, Minnesota, founder of the Higher Ground Academy, and former administrator at the University of Minnesota.
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.
In Memoriam: Joe. A. Hairston, 1948-2019
Dr. Hairston was the first African American to lead the Baltimore County school system. After 12 years as superintendent, Dr. Hairston taught educational leadership and policy at Howard University in Washington, D.C.
The First African American Provost at Rice University in Houston, Texas
Since 2017, Reginald DesRoches has been the William and Stephanie Sick Dean of Engineering at Rice University. Previously, he served as chair of the School of Civil & Environmental Engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology.
New Report Documents an Alarming Rise in Suicide Rates Among Black Youth
Self-reported suicide attempts rose by 73 percent between 1991-2017 for Black high school students. The suicide rate for Black children ages 5-12 is roughly twice that of White children of the same age group.
Professor Mildred Robinson Is Retiring After 47 Years of Teaching in Higher Education
Mildred Robinson is the Henry L. and Grace Doherty Charitable Foundation Professor of Law at the University of Virginia School of Law. Professor Robinson, who specializes in tax law, was the law school's first African American female tenured professor.
Black Teens Daily Exposure to Racial Discrimination Is a Public Health Problem
The researchers surveyed a large group of Black youth between ages 13 and 17 each day for two weeks about their experiences with racial discrimination. The teens reported an average of more than five experiences per day.
Brown University Dean Andrew Campbell to Lead the Council of Graduate Schools
Andrew G. Campbell is the dean of the Graduate School at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island. Also, Dr. Campbell is a professor of medical science whose research focuses on microbial diseases. He has taught at Brown University since 1994.
The Huge Gender Gap in Black Enrollments at HBCU Law Schools
All told there are 123 Black men enrolled at the six law schools at HBCUs. At these six schools, there are 438 Black women enrolled. Thus, among Black enrollments at these law schools, Black women make up 78 percent of all Black enrollments.
University of Kansas Renames its Integrated Sciences Building for Bernadette Gray-Little
Dr. Gray-Little became the 17th chancellor of the University of Kansas in 2009. She is the only woman to serve in that role. Dr. Gray-Little stepped down as chancellor after the 2016-17 academic year.
Virginia Union University to Cut Undergraduate Tuition by Nearly a Third
The university announced recently that as part of the university’s “Access to Excellence” initiative undergraduate tuition would be reduced by 32 percent. This amounts to a reduction of approximately $5,000. The new tuition rate will begin with the Fall 2020 semester.
Three African American Scholars Taking on New Assignments in Higher Education
Taking on new duties are Simone T.A. Phipps, of Middle Georgia State University in Macon, Thelma Hurd at the University of California, Merced, and Raegan W. Durant, of the University of Alabama at Birmingham’s Division of Preventive Medicine.
Fayetteville State University Enters Partnership With Central Carolina Community College
Graduates of Central Carolina Community College who have obtained an associate’s degree will be able to complete an online bachelor’s degree at Fayetteville State University at a total cost of no more than $10,000 in out-of-pocket expenses.
Two Black Scholars Appointed to Endowed Professorships at Simmons University
The School of Social Work at Simmons University in Boston, Massachusetts, has appointed two Black scholars to endowed professorships. They are Johnnie Hamilton-Mason and Hugo Kamya.
Xavier University of Louisiana Will Explore Creating a Catholic University in Arizona
Xavier University and St. Michael Indian School in St. Michaels, Arizona will join forces to determine the possibility of creating a Catholic university in Arizona to serve members of the Navajo Nation. Both Xavier University and St. Michael Indian School were founded by Saint Katherine Drexel.
Three African American Men Who Are Assuming New Administrative Posts at Universities
Taking on new roles are Cletis Earle at the Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Sherwin E. James at Clayton State University in Morrow, Georgia, and Marlon C. Lynch at the University of Utah.
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.
Yale Renews Faculty Diversity Effort for Another Five Years
There are 85 Black ladder faculty at Yale. They make up 3.2 percent of all tenured or tenure-track faculty. In 2018, eight Black ladder faculty were hired, making up 3 percent of all new hires. Eight Black ladder faculty left Yale in 2017.
University of Kansas to Offer a Graduate Degree Program in Diversity and Inclusion Leadership
The program is designed to offer graduate students and working professionals the tools and techniques to better navigate leadership opportunities within the context of social diversity and equity in the United States.
University of Cincinnati Addresses the History of Its Slave-Owning Founder
When Charles McMicken died in 1858, he left money and property “to found an institution where White boys and girls might be taught.” He also left provisions to free his slaves and send them to Liberia. The university's president is now recommending that McMickon's name no longer be associated with the university's College of Arts and Sciences.
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.
Women of Color Get Snubbed in Offers to Present at a Major Earth Science Conference
The study found that at the fall meeting of the American Geophysical Union women from ethnic minorities were invited to give fewer talks, invited to give talks less often, and opted for poster presentations more than researchers who were not from underrepresented minorities.
Nicole Stanton Will Be the Next Provost at Wesleyan University in Middletown, Connecticut
Stanton joined Wesleyan in 2007 as an associate professor of dance. She served as chair of the department for two three-year terms and is currently serving as dean of the Arts and Humanities. Earlier in her career, she taught at Ohio State University.
Study Finds That 93 Percent of Confederate Monuments Still Remain in Place
A new study by researchers from the University of Oklahoma found that over the past three years, 108 statutes or other monuments honoring the Confederacy have been taken down. But the authors found that 93 percent of all Confederate monuments remain in place. Seven states have passed laws banning their removal from public spaces.
The Inaugural Dean of the School of Education at Belmont University in Nashville
Dr. Wayne Lewis most recently served as the commissioner of education for the Kentucky Department of Education. He taught as an associate professor in the department of educational leadership studies and as an affiliated faculty member with the African American and Africana studies program at the University of Kentucky.
Black Enrollments at the Law Schools at Historically Black Universities
At Howard University's law school in Washington, D.C., there were 122 Black students enrolled in 2019. They made up 76.3 percent of the total enrollments in juris doctorate programs. This is the highest percentage of Black enrollments at any of the six law schools at HBCUs.
Anthony Purcell Reelected President of a National Law Enforcement Agency
The Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies maintains a body of standards to consistently improve accreditation management in law enforcement. The commission recently reelected Anthony Purcell of the University of Alabama at Birmingham as its president.
Three African Americans Who Are Stepping Down From University Administrative Posts
Teresa Phillips, director of athletics at Tennessee State University, and E. Royster Harper, vice president for student life at the University of Michigan, are retiring. Harry Elam will step down from his post as vice provost for undergraduate education at Stanford University.
Tuskegee University to Add Master’s Degree Program in Psychology
The new master's degree program in psychology will include 12 hours of core course study, 15 hours of electives, and a one- to three-hour internship experience. The degree program has both thesis and non-thesis options.
A Pair of African American Women Named to Dean Posts at Major Universities
Mona Hicks was named dean of students at Stanford University in California and Cora Thompson has been appointed interim dean for the College of Education at Savannah State University in Georgia.
Grambling State Partners With the Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine in Virginia
The articulation agreement will guarantee provisional admission to five students annually into the four-year doctor of osteopathic medicine program at the Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine in Blacksburg, Virginia.
Tulane University Honors Its First African American Students
In 1966 and 1967, Deidre Dumas Labat and Reynold T. Décou became the first African American undergraduates to earn degrees from Newcomb College and Tulane University, respectively. The university recently renamed a residence complex in their honor.
Bowie State University to Offer a New Bachelor’s Degree Program in Chemistry
The new chemistry major - within the department of natural sciences - will serve as a pipeline for students to further their education or begin a career in disciplines such as medical sciences, engineering, and nanotechnology.
Three African Americans Who Are Assuming New Administrative Roles in Higher Education
Taking on new administrative roles are Judith Brown Clarke at Stony Brook University in New York, Cheryl Pollard at Jackson State University in Mississippi, and Brandi Stone at the University of New Mexico.
