Monthly Archives: May 2020
Lamont Repollet Appointed President of Kean University in Union, New Jersey
Dr. Repollet has been serving as the New Jersey Commissioner of Education. From 2014 to 2018, he served as superintendent of the Asbury Park School District. Previously, he served as principal of Carteret High School n New Jersey.
Stanford University Study Finds That “Driving While Black” Is Less Risky at Night
The results of the study of 95 million traffic stops between 2011 and 2018 showed that Blacks, who are pulled over more frequently than Whites by day, are much less likely to be stopped after sunset, when “a veil of darkness” masks their race.
Two HBCUs in North Carolina Announce the Appointments of New Provosts
Lee Brown was named interim provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs at Fayetteville State University in North Carolina, and Josiah J. Sampson, III was appointed provost and vice president of academic affairs. at St. Augustine's University in Raleigh, North Carolina.
Black Unemployment Surges But the Racial Gap Shrinks
In April, the unemployment specter hit both Blacks and Whites very hard. Unemployment rates rose to 16.7 percent for Blacks and 14.2 for non-Hispanic Whites. The traditional 2-to-1 Black-to-White unemployment ratio has disappeared. But the economic recovery in Black communities is likely to lag the rest of the nation.
Ivy Ruth Taylor to Be the First Woman President of Rust College in Holly Springs, Mississippi
Dr. Taylor is the former mayor of San Antonio, Texas. She spent six years as a lecturer in public administration at the University of Texas at San Antonio. She also worked at a nonprofit affordable housing agency and served multiple terms as a city councilmember prior to her term as mayor.
The New Leader of the School of Commerce at the University of Virginia
Nicole Thorne Jenkins is currently vice dean of the Gatton College of Business and Economics at the University of Kentucky, where she is also the Von Allmen Chaired Professor of Accountancy. She was previously on the faculty at Vanderbilt University in Nashville and Washington University in St. Louis.
Three African American Women Faculty Taking on New Assignments
Namandje Bumpus was named chair of a department at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Cassandra Extavour was named a Harvard College Professor and associate professor Amoaba Gooden was appointed interim vice president for diversity, equity, and inclusion at Kent State University in Ohio.
Another Setback for Paine College’s Battle to Retain Its Accreditation
Paine College in Augusta, Georgia, lost an appeal of a court ruling that upheld a decision by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to revoke its accreditation. But the college retains all rights to federal funds as a candidate for accreditation by the Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools.
Vanderbilt University Scholar Named a Dreyfus Foundation Teacher-Scholar
Steven D. Townsend is an assistant professor of chemistry at Vanderbilt University in Nashville. He is the only African American among the 14 Dreyfus Foundation Teacher Scholars for 2020. Each scholar receives a $100,000 unrestricted research grant.
Tennessee State University Pitches In to Help Families in Need Due to the Pandemic
Historically Black Tennessee State University in conjunction with Second Harvest Food Bank and One Generation Away, hosted a contact-free, mobile food pantry distribution outside the university's indoor athletic facility. More than 500 families were served.
Six African Americans Who Have Been Named to Higher Education Administrative Positions
The new appointees are Irish Spencer at Fayetteville State University, Walter McCollum at Miami Dade College, Monique Guillory at the Morehouse School of Medicine, Lamar R. Hylton at Kent State University, Eruore Oboh at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, and Rhonda Moses at Johnson C. Smith University.
Fayetteville State University to Expand Its Offerings in Theatre
The theatre department will now offer concentrations in media performance, media production, costuming/cosplay, and theatre education. The concentrations will allow theatre majors to extend their learning from the stage to the screen utilizing emerging technologies.
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 First Black Valedictorian in the 274-Year History of Princeton University
Nicholas Johnson is a graduate of Selwyn House School in Westmount, Quebec. He has majored in operations research and financial engineering. He will begin doctoral studies in operations research this fall at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
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.
Racist Zoombombs Oklahoma City University’s Online Graduation Ceremony
On May 9, Oklahoma City University held its graduation online on the Zoom platform. During the benediction offered by student Jay Williams, the hacker displayed a swastika and a racial slur on the screen.
Willie Smith Appointed Chancellor of Baton Rouge Community College in Louisiana
Dr. Smith has led Baton Rouge Community College on an interim basis for the past 10 months. Before serving as interim chancellor at BRCC, he served as vice president for training and business partnerships at the college. He has worked in the Louisiana Community & Technical College System for the past 19 years.
A Snapshot of Enrollments at the Nation’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities
In the fall of 2018, there were 291,767 students enrolled at the nation's HBCUs. African Americans made up about 76.5 percent of the enrollments at HBCUs that year. This fall, undoubtedly many HBCUs will struggle to maintain enrollments due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Cynthia Jackson-Elmoore Named Provost at California Polytechnic State University
Dr. Jackson-Elmoore is currently dean of the Honors College at Michigan State University and a professor with affiliations in the School of Social Work and the Global Urban Studies Program. She also currently co-chairs a university-level Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Steering Committee.
Study Examines How Racial Identity Affects Self-Esteem and Well-Being Among Young Black Males
Researchers from the University of Michigan and the University of Arizona surveyed a large group of young Black males to examine the effects of puberty on symptoms of depression, self-esteem, and self-efficacy.
Tuskegee University President Lily McNair to Resume Her Duties on May 15
In January of this year, Lily McNair, the eighth president of Tuskegee University in Alabama and the first woman to hold the position, asked for and was granted a medical leave of absence from her duties. The university has announced that she will resume her duties on May 15.
Center for America Progress Report Shows Why Blacks Are Dying From the Coronavirus
The report shows that at least 28 percent of people of color between the ages of 18 and 64—more than 21 million people in total—have a medical condition that could put them at higher risk of severe illness from COVID-19.
The New Dean of the School of Continuing and Professional Studies at DePaul University in Chicago
Tatum Thomas currently serves as senior associate dean of student affairs at Columbia University's School of Professional Studies. Prior to her current role, she served as the director of academic services at New York University's School of Professional Studies.
Maryland Governor Vetoes Bill That Would Have Provided $577 Million to the State’s HBCUs
In a letter to legislative leaders, Governor Larry Hogan wrote that the economic fallout from this pandemic simply makes it impossible to fund any new programs, impose any new tax hikes, nor adopt any legislation having any significant fiscal impact, regardless of the merit of the legislation."
Alabama A&M University Reports a Large Graduating Class of STEM Students
The College of Engineering, Technology, and Physical Sciences at historically Black Alabama A&M University, has announced that it graduated the largest class of students in the past decade.
Emory University’s Jericho Brown Wins the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry
In selecting Professor Brown's collection of poetry for this honor, the Pulitzer board called it “a collection of masterful lyrics that combine delicacy with historical urgency in their loving evocation of bodies vulnerable to hostility and violence.”
University of Arkansas Pine Bluff Announces a New Program in Nanoscience
Nanoscience is an interdisciplinary field that involves physics, chemistry, biology, and engineering. The new program at the historically Black university will encompass core science courses in physics, chemistry, and math, with different focuses on nanoscience and technology.
Fred Bonner II to Edit New Book Series on Racial and Gender Diversity in the Academy
Fred A. Bonner II a professor in the department of educational leadership and counseling at Prairie View A&M University in Texas, has announced the launching of a book series, “Diverse Faculty in the Academy,” with Routledge Publishers.
Lincoln University in Missouri Facing Significant Drop in Enrollments
Lincoln University, the historically Black educational institution in Jefferson City, Missouri, is warning of steep enrollment declines this fall in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. For the upcoming fall semester, 510 students have enrolled so far — down 25 percent from last year's 676 at this time.
New Administrative Positions in Higher Education for Three African Americans
Erika K. Davis was named vice president for enrollment management at Cedar Crest College in Pennsylvania. Darvis Griffin is assistant chief information officer at Texas A&M University and Ronica Smucker has been named associate vice president of development at Rice University in Houston.
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.
Three Universities in Charlotte Team Up to Promote Racial Justice
The University of North Carolina at Charlotte, historically Black Johnson C. Smith University, and Queens University of Charlotte have formed the Charlotte Racial Justice Consortium to support racial healing and transformation in the community.
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.
Texas A&M University’s Africana Archive
Rebecca Hankins, a Texas A&M professor and archivist at Cushing Library, has been building the collection since she joined the university in 2003. She has focused her research and acquisitions involving organizations such as the Black Panthers and Students for a Democratic Society.
