Monthly Archives: July 2020
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.
Study Finds That Prospective Teachers Perceive Black Children as Angry When They Are Not
Participants in the study were 1.36 times more likely to exhibit racialized anger bias against Black children than against White children, meaning that they were that much more likely to incorrectly view a Black child as angry when the child was not actually making an angry facial expression.
The New Leader of the Data Science Initiative of the Atlanta University Center Consortium
Talitha Washington, formerly of Howard University, will lead the effort that will work to increase the number of highly-skilled underrepresented minorities with skills in data science and to advance data science research, especially as it impacts minority communities.
How a Death in the Family Impacts Black Students’ Path to Higher Education
Black adolescents and young adults were about 2-3 times more likely to have lived through the death of a close family member than White participants. Young adults, who were college-aged when a sibling or parent died, were about half as likely to graduate from college.
Four African American Women Appointed to Dean Positions in Higher Education
The new deans are Taléa R. Drummer-Ferrell at Kent State University in Ohio, Dorie J. Gilbert at Prairie View A&M University in Texas, Cheryl Anderson at the University of California, San Diego, and Aarika Camp at Goucher College in Baltimore, Maryland.
In Memoriam: John Robert Lewis, 1940-2020
Congressman Lewis was one of the original Freedom Riders. He chaired the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee and was the youngest speaker at the March on Washington in 1963. In 1965 he was beaten on the Edmond Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama on Bloody Sunday.
Apple Boosts Its Partnership With the HBCU Community
Launched last year, Appleʼs Community Education Initiative now extends to 24 locations across the United States — 12 of which are HBCUs and 21 of which predominately serve majority Black and Brown students.
New Assignments in Higher Education for Four Black Faculty Members
Taking on new roles are Kevin Haggard at Tennessee State University in Nashville, Lisa Beckley-Roberts at Jackson State University in Mississippi, Jamal Duncan in the School of Music at Arizona State Univerity, and Moses T. Kairo of the University of Maryland Eastern Shore.
Fort Valley State University Debuts Two New Degree Programs in School Counselor Education
The master's degree program in school counselor education online launched this summer. The next cohort will begin in the summer of 2021. An educational specialist degree program with a major in school counselor education will be offered online this fall.
A Trio of African American Scholars Receive Notable Honors or Awards
The honorees are Milton Morris, the director of Environmental Health Science at Benedict College in South Carolina, Stephanie Luster-Teasley, a professor of engineering at North Carolina A&T State University, and Alexander Byrd, associate dean of humanities and associate professor of history at Rice University in Houston.
Edward Waters College Aims to Transition to University Status
New state funding has emboldened the institution to add new bachelor's degree programs and it first master's degree program. The goal for the college is ultimately to become a university with the creation of its first graduate-level program, a master’s degree in business administration.
Eight African Americans Who Have Been Appointed to New Administrative Posts in Academia
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.
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.
Black Faculty at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock Air Their Grievances
Recently a group of faculty from underrepresented groups held an online meeting with the chancellor of the University of Arkansas at Little Rock where they aired a number of grievances.
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.
Delaware State University Announces Plan to Acquire Wesley College
Delaware State University has announced that it has reached an agreement to purchase Wesley College in Dover, Delaware. According to Delaware State, no historically Black college or university has ever before acquired a non-HBCU educational institution. The acquisition is expected to be completed by June 30, 2021.
In Memoriam: Arthur Sanderson Paul, 1950-2020
Beginning in 1981, Dr. Paul served at Howard University as a faculty member in the College of Engineering, Architecture, and Computer Science. He remained on the faculty for 38 years. Professor Paul also served as interim associate provost for research at Howard.
Eliminating the Racial Gap in Educational Readiness in Preschool Children
The Rutgers University study found that by the time they enter kindergarten, Black children are on average nearly nine months behind in math and almost seven months behind in reading compared to their White non-Hispanic peers.
The First Black President in the 152-Year History of the University of California System
Dr. Drake, who had served as the first Black president of Ohio State University since June 2014, announced last fall that he would step down as president at the end of the 2019-20 academic year. Before being named president at Ohio State, Dr. Drake was chancellor of the University of California, Irvine.
Study Led by Scholar at the University of Georgia Finds Racial Gap in Patent Approvals
The researchers examined more than 4 million patent applications that were filed between 2000 and 2015. Using data analysis to determine the probability of inventors' names being from a particular racial or ethnic group, the researchers determined that inventors from underrepresented groups were less likely to be approved.
Alexander Okwonna Has Been Appointed Provost at San Jacinto College in Houston, Texas
Dr. Okwonna has been in higher education for more than 15 years. During his tenure at San Jacinto College, he has served as pharmacy technology professor, program director, and department chair. For the past seven years, he has been dean of Health and Natural Science at the college's South Campus.
New Federal Reserve Bank of New York Study Examines Student Debt by Race
The researchers identified zip codes that are majority Black, majority White, and majority Hispanic. They then examined college enrollment rates of the population in those zip codes as well as student debt levels, and default rates on student loans.
Dorothy Mosby Appointed Dean of the Faculty at Mount Holyoke College
Dr. Mosby joined the Mount Holyoke community in 2003. She was professor of Spanish and was appointed associate dean of faculty in 2016. She has also served as a deputy coordinator for the Title IX compliance programs.
Lincoln University Board of Trustees Does Not Renew the Contract of President Brenda Allen
Before being named the fourteenth president of Lincoln University in 2017, Dr. Allen was provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs at Winston-Salem State University in North Carolina. She is the former associate provost for institutional diversity at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island.
North Carolina A&T State University to Offer a Master’s Degree in Health Psychology
The first students are expected to enroll in the program in the fall of 2021. The new degree program will have an initial cohort of about 15 students with plans to grow enrollment to an average of 35 to 45 students over the next few years.
A Quartet of Black Scholars Who Are Taking on New Duties
The four Black scholars taking on new assignments are Nwando Achebe at Michigan State University, Anthony Burrow at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, Jessica M. Pena at Weill Cornell Medical College in New York City, and Adia Harvey Wingfield at Washington University in St. Louis.
Melissa Holloway Honored by the National Association of College and University Attorneys
Since May 2019, Mellissa Holloway has been general counsel for legal affairs at North Carolina A&T State University in East Greensboro. Earlier, she was deputy general counsel at Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana, and general counsel at North Carolina Central University in Durham.
Claflin University Enters Into a Partnership With Zoom Video
Claflin University, a historically Black educational institution in Orangeburg, South Carolina, has announced it has entered into a partnership with Zoom Video that encompasses internships, scholarships and curricula development.
Six African Americans Who Have Been Appointed to Diversity and Inclusion Positions
The new diversity officers are Michael Snowden at Northwestern State University in Louisiana, Schvalla R. Rivera at Grinnell College in Iowa, Dannie Moore at Eastern Kentucky University, Tanisha Stevens at the University of Missouri-St. Louis, Clyde Wilson Pickett at the University of Pittsburgh, and Karen A. Jones at Binghamton University.
In Memoriam: Ronald Eugene Chavers, 1931-2020
A native of Urbana, Ohio, Dr. Chavers had African American and Native American ancestry. He was a professor of cultural and symbolic studies, affiliated with the Intercultural Open University in The Netherlands.
Analysis Finds That Howard University Is the Only HBCU That Is Tapping the Bond Market
According to data compiled by Pensions & Investments, Howard University is the only historically Black college or university to tap the bond market this year. Howard raised $147 million earlier this year and recently announced plans for more than $200 million in debt.
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 Archives of Architect Paul Revere Williams Find a New Home
The archives, which include approximately 35,000 plans, 10,000 original drawings, photographs, and other materials, were jointly acquired by the University of Southern California School of Architecture and the Getty Research Institute.
Roanoke College in Virginia Creates the Center for Studying Structures of Race
Roanoke College was founded in 1842. While Roanoke College did not own slaves, the College’s earliest buildings — the Administration Building and Miller Hall — were constructed using the labor of enslaved people. Black students were not admitted until 1964.
