Monthly Archives: August 2020
New Report Shows How HBCUs Can Achieve Greater Student Success
New research from the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta identifies ways historically Black colleges and universities might improve student performance measures —such as graduation rates and graduates’ incomes — relative to predominantly White institutions.
The First African American Woman to Chair a Department at Johns Hopkins Medical School
Namandjé Bumpus was appointed chair of the department of pharmacology and molecular sciences. She is the first African American woman to chair an academic department at the medical school and the only African American woman currently chairing a pharmacology department at any medical school in the nation.
Study Finds That a Black Doctor Lessens the Infant Mortality Rate for Black Babies
New research from the scholars at the University of Minnesota, George Mason University, and Harvard University finds that Black newborns’ in-hospital death rate is a third lower when Black newborns are cared for by Black physicians rather than White physicians.
Archie Holmes to Lead Academic Affairs for the University of Texas System
In his new post, Dr. Holmes will work with the presidents and the academic leadership of all eight University of Texas academic institutions to help them achieve strategic goals to advance their institutions. He will also be a tenured professor of engineering at the University of Texas at Austin.
College Students Exhibit Symptoms of PTSD After Watching Videos of Police Killings of Blacks
A new study by scholars at the Yale University School of Medicine and Rutgers University School of Public Health in Newark, New Jersey, finds that a majority of college students of color show symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder after watching social media videos of unarmed Black men being killed by police.
Two African American Woman Appointed to Dean Positions at Universities
Evelyn L. Ashley has been named dean of students at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and Henrietta Williams Pichon, an associate professor of educational leadership and administration, was appointed interim dean of the College of Education at New Mexico State University.
New Administrative Positions for Nine African Americans 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.
New Academic Partnership Aims to Increase Diversity in the Field of Veterinary Medicine
Historically Black Tennessee State University has partnered with the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine to help agriculture students at Tennessee State transition to veterinary school once they complete their bachelor's degrees.
Three African American Scholars Who Are Taking on New Assignments
The three scholars embarking on new assignments are Tyra Good at Elms College in Chicopee, Massachusetts, Tamara Butler at the College of Charleston in South Carolina, and David Van Valen of the California Institute of Technology.
Elizabeth City State University Shows Significant Enrollment Increases
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many colleges and universities are struggling to maintain enrollments at levels that existed a year or two ago. But Elizabeth City State University, a historically Black educational institution in North Carolina is bucking the trend.
San Diego Mesa College Honors Its Former President Constance Carroll
Dr. Carroll was appointed chancellor of the San Diego Community College District in 2004. Earlier, she served as president of San Diego Mesa College for 11 years. The Humanities Institute on the campus of San Diego Mesa College will be named in her honor.
Claflin University Receives Approval to Launch a Master’s Degree Program in Nursing
When the new program begins in the fall of 2021, Claflin will be the only historically Black college or university in the state of South Carolina to offer a bachelor's and master's degree in nursing. All classes will be offered online except for on-site clinical training that will be required each semester.
Six African American Women Who Have Been Hired to Diversity Posts
At some colleges and universities, a hiring freeze has been enacted. But in the wake of worldwide Black Lives Matter rallies and other social justice protests, the hiring of diversity and inclusion officers at colleges and universities remains at a brisk pace.
HBCUs Should Lead the Way in Disaster Preparedness in Their Communities
Most of the nation's 104 historically Black colleges and universities are in southern states, and many of the HBCUs in these states are located in, or close to, poor-resourced communities with high housing density. These locations are prone to intense flooding, hurricanes, drought, and other natural disasters.
Princeton University Scholar Aims to Diversity the Pipeline for Economic Doctoral Programs
Today, about 3 percent of all Ph.D.s in economics are awarded to African Americans. Black economists made up only 1.2 percent of faculty in the 20 top-ranked economics departments in the United States. Leonard Wantchekon is taking steps to boost the number of Black doctoral students in the field.
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.
In Memoriam; Robert Lee Williams II, 1930-2020
Robert Lee Williams II was the founding director of the Black studies program at Washington University in St. Louis. He is credited with creating the term “Ebonics,” a combination of the words ebony and phonics.
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 Woman to Earn a Ph.D. in Neuroscience at the University of Rochester
Dr. Mendes, who is from Jamaica and holds a bachelor's degree in biology from the University of Florida, successfully defended her thesis, titled "The Kinetics of Microglial Ontogeny and Maturation in the Adult Brain."
Racial Differences in Preschool and Daycare Arrangements in the United States
More than two-thirds of African American parents said the cost of daycare was a very important factor in the decision of where to place their child. For Whites, only 47 percent said cost was a very important factor.
Carlos R. Clark Selected as the Fifteenth President of Arkansas Baptist College
Dr. Clark has been serving as provost and executive vice president at Arkansas Baptist. He joined the staff at the educational institution in 2018. Earlier, he held senior-level positions at Wilberforce University in Ohio, Prairie View A&M University in Texas, and Alabama A&M University.
Study Finds Black Women With Natural Hair Styles Face Bias in Job Searches
Participants in the study evaluated profiles of Black and White female job applicants across a variety of hairstyles. We found that Black women with natural hairstyles were perceived to be less professional, less competent, and less likely to be recommended for a job interview than other women.
Terrell Strayhorn Appointed Provost at Virginia Union University in Richmond
Dr. Strayhorn joined the faculty at Virginia Union earlier this year as a tenured professor in the Evelyn Reid Syphax School of Education and director of the Center for the Study of HBCUs. He has taught at the University of Tennessee, Ohio State University, and Le Moyne-Owen College in Memphis.
New Department of Education Report Examines Racial Differences in Financing Higher Education
Nearly 92 percent of African Americans who enrolled in higher education in the 2011-12 academic year received some type of financial aid. Some 75 percent of Black students received federal Pell grants compared to 37.7 percent of White students.
Three African Americans Who Have Been Appointed to Dean Positions at Universities
Manica Finch is the new dean of enrollment management at Harris Stow-State University. Martin Smith is the new dean of academic affairs for Trinity College at Duke University and Tresmaine R. Grimes was appointed dean of the School of Arts and Sciences and the School of Education at Pace University.
Morehouse College to Lead the HBCU Undergraduate Success Research Center
The new center will study impactful STEM initiatives at 50 HBCUs, and produce data and a set of best practices that can be duplicated on a national scale to help mainstream state institutions and other liberal arts colleges graduate more minority STEM majors.
Four African Americans Scholars Who Are Taking on New Roles in Higher Education
The four African American scholars who are beginning new assignments are Josef Sorett at Columbia University in New York City, Lerone A. Martin at Washington University in St. Louis, Jessica T. DeCuir-Gunby at North Carolina State University, and Kristopher A. Oliveira at the University of Kansas.
Legislation Seeks to Enhance the Reach of Historically Black Medical Schools
The legislation would encourage recruiting, enrolling, and retaining Black students in medical schools and help fund programs for schools that mostly serve students from marginalized backgrounds, including the nation's four historically Black medical schools.
City of Tallahassee Honors Former Florida A&M University Professor Charles Evans
The city of Tallahassee, Florida, has renamed a pond in the Myers Park neighborhood to honor Charles E. Evans, a former professor at Florida A&M University. The pond used to be named for a segregationist justice of the Florida Supreme Court.
Texas Southern University Report Examines Racial Injustice in the Pandemic Era
The Center for Justice Research at Texas Southern University in Houston and the Black Public Defender Association recently released a report detailing why public health responses and strategies to address COVID-19 must be centered around race and the criminal legal system.
Ten African Americans Who Have Been Named to New Administrative Positions in Higher Education
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.
In Memoriam: Clara Isabel Adams, 1933-2020
Clara Adams was a member of the faculty and an administrator at Morgan State University in Baltimore for nearly 60 years. She was also the first Black woman to earn a Ph.D. in chemistry at the University of Massachusetts.
The New African American Members of the American Philosophical Society
This year 28 Americans were elected to the American Philosophical Society. Six of the new members are African Americans.
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.
