Monthly Archives: September 2022
How the Pandemic Made the Student Loan Debt Crisis Even More Difficult for Black Women
The findings of a new report from the Center for Responsible Lending indicate that the widespread disruption in employment due to the pandemic has had a profound impact on women, their families, and their finances. Despite demonstrating immense resiliency, the worst outcomes have disproportionately harmed women of color.
A Trio of African Americans Have Been Appointed to Dean Positions
Tobias Raphael Morgan is the new dean of students at Shaw University in Raleigh, North Carolina. Alphonso Keaton was appointed dean of undergraduate studies at Prairie View A&M University in Texas and DeMethra LaSha Bradley is the new dean of students at Scripps College in Claremont, California.
Rutgers University Research Provides a Snapshot of the Backgrounds of HBCU Presidents
The report found that 72 percent of HBCU presidents were serving for the first time as CEO in higher education. More than three-fifths of HBCU presidents earned their undergraduate degrees at an HBCU. Only 11 percent of HBCU presidents hold a doctoral degree from an HBCU.
Sarah Willie-LeBreton Will Be the Next President of Smith College in Massachusetts
Dr. Willie-LeBreton currently serves as provost and dean of the faculty at Swarthmore College, where she has taught since 1997. Earlier, she served on the faculty at Colby College in Maine and Bard College in New York. She will become president of Smith College on July 1, 2023.
Five Black Scholars Who Have Been Named to New Faculty Positions at Colleges and Universities
Taking on new faculty roles are Carla Phillips Savage at the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, David Sterling Brown at Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut, Derek Young at Mount Holyoke College in South Hadley, Massachusetts, Valtreasa Tolliver-Cook at Alcorn State University in Mississippi, and Austin R. Chalmers at Fayetteville State University in North Carolina.
U.S. News and World Report’s Latest Rankings of the Nation’s Top HBCUs
Spelman College in Atlanta was ranked as the best HBCU and Howard University in Washington, D.C., was second. This was the same as a year ago. This was the 16th year in a row that Spelman College has topped the U.S. News rankings for HBCUs.
Colleges and Universities Announce the Appointments of Seven Black Administrators
Taking on new administrative roles are Jack Michael Bellamy at Yale University, Linda J. Bell at Dillard University in New Orleans, Isaac Brundage at California State University, Chico, Gaëtane Verna at Ohio State University, Rachelle L. Williams at Talladega College in Alabama, Tara Owens at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore, and Frederick Haywood Jr. at Fisk University in Nashville.
Southern University and Louisiana State University Partner to Bolster Higher Education in the State
Recently, leaders of historically Black Southern University and A&M College and Louisiana State University signed the LSU-SU A&M Agenda, a five-year agreement between the two institutions to expand their collective positive impact across the region.
Two Black Scholars Honored by the National Council of Teachers of English
Adedoyin Ogunfeyimi, an assistant professor of composition at the University of Pittsburgh, Bradford, and Hiawatha Smith, an assistant professor of literacy education at the University of Wisconsin–River Falls, have been honored with Early Career Educator of Color Leadership Awards.
University of Maryland Eastern Shore Launches Rebranding Initiative and New Logo
The University of Maryland Eastern Shore has embarked on a new branding initiative. The effort includes a new logo that includes the university's hawk mascot and identifies the school as a historically Black university.
Four African Americans Who Are Taking on Diversity Roles in Higher Education
Taking on administrative positions relating to diversity are Alesia LeSane at Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Massachusetts, Carl Ervin at Western Illinois University, Renita Miller at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, and Michelle Santana at Neumann University in Aston, Pennsylvania.
In Memoriam: Paul T. Kwami, 1952-2022
Dr. Kwami was named musical director of the Fisk Jubilee Singers in 1994. He was the first native African to hold the position. Two years later, he was appointed chair of the department of music at the university. Dr. Kwami served in that role until 2003.
Emerging Paradigms for HBCU Leadership: Reflections of a New Provost
S. Keith Hargrove reflects on his new role as provost at Tuskegee University, how the past two years have reshaped the landscape for HBCUs and the transition educational leaders must undertake to meet the moment.
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.
Racist Banner Unfurled on an Overpass at the University of California, Davis
Four white men wearing black clothing and masks displayed a banner over the Highway 113 bicycle overpass on the campus of the University of California, Davis that contained racist and antisemitic statements.
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.
Ohio Supreme Court Refuses to Hear Appeal of $36 Million Judgment Against Oberlin College
On a 4-3 vote, the justices of the Ohio Supreme Court voted not to hear an appeal of a case that awarded $36 million to the owners of a bakery who claimed they were defamed by statements from officials at Oberlin College after three Black students were arrested for theft.
Racist Incidents at the University of Utah
Over the course of the past year, several racial incidents have occurred on the Salt Lake City campus. Recently, members of the campus community were subjected to racial slurs.
How Childhood Socioeconomic Status Has Impacted the Racial Gap in Faculty Positions
Faculty at U.S. colleges and universities are up to 25 times more likely to have a parent with a Ph.D. than the population as a whole. "The professoriate is, and has remained, accessible disproportionately to the socioeconomically privileged," the authors write. And it is clear that the "socioeconomically privileged" are predominately White.
New Data Shows How the Pandemic Widened the Racial Gap in Educational Progress
Everyone feared that exclusively online education for students during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic would have a severe negative impact on educational progress. Now we have proof that in fact, that is the case. And this negative impact is even more pronounced for Black students.
White Patients’ Reactions to Treatment Can Be Impacted by the Race of Their Healthcare Provider
A new study by researchers at Stanford University, the University of Washington, and the University of Zurich in Switzerland finds that the bodies of patients who were given placeboes reacted to the treatment differently depending on the race of the healthcare provider.
Two African American Women Appointed to Provost Positions
Gloria Oikelome was appointed provost and vice president of academic affairs at Delaware Valley University in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, and Antoinette A. Coleman is the new provost and senior vice president for academic affairs at Medgar Evers College in Brooklyn, New York.
Study Finds Black-Owned Restaurants Had a Larger Drop in Business During the Pandemic
The authors speculate that "the costs of staying open and continuing to offer dine-in services during the first few months, the loss of employees due to virus infection and the depletion of financial reserves, made the Black-owned restaurants less competitive than those that had better flexibility in reacting to the pandemic."
Two New Deans Have Been Appointed at Alcorn State University in Mississippi
LaShundia Carson is the new dean of the School of Education and Psychology and Dexter B. Wakefield was appointed interim dean of the School of Agriculture and Applied Sciences.
Sandra Shannon Honored by the Association of Theatre in Higher Education
Sandra Shannon, professor emerita of African American literature at Howard University in Washington, D.C., is widely acknowledged as a major scholar in the field of African American drama. She is a leading authority on playwright August Wilson and is president of the August Wilson Society.
Savannah State University Partners With Michigan’s Grand Valley State University
The universities recently signed an agreement that allows some undergraduates at Savannah State to eventually qualify for in-state tuition at Grand Valley State University in one of three master's degree programs: cybersecurity, criminal justice, and communications, none of which are currently offered at Savannah State.
A Quartet of Black Women Who Have Been Appointed to Faculty Positions
The four Black women taking on new duties are Charmaine A. Nelson at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, Vene Baggett at Texas A&M University-Central Texas in Killeen, Catina Bacote at Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut, and Jennifer Simmons at the University of Mississippi.
North Carolina A&T State University Announces Record Enrollments
North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University recently announced that the school is educating about 13,500 students for the 2022-2023 academic year, making it the largest historically black university in the nation for the ninth straight year and the largest enrollment ever recorded by an HBCU.
Gerald Simon of the University of Alabama at Birmingham Was Named Optometrist of the Year
Gerald Simon, the associate dean for student affairs at the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Optometry, has been named 2022 Optometrist of the Year by the National Optometric Association. He was nominated for this award for his efforts to increase minority enrollment at the UAB School of Optometry.
Jackson State University Offers New Online Bachelor’s Degree Program in History
To obtain the online bachelor's degree, the university requires students to complete at least 39 hours of history credits in addition to two three-hour courses, each in the history of civilization. Students must also complete the general education requirements in mathematics, communication, humanities, and natural science.
Seven African Americans Who Have Been Named to Administrative Roles in Higher Education
Taking on new administrative duties are Aaron J. Hart at Virginia Commonwealth University, Shawn Bake at Harris-Stowe State University in St. Louis, Carmen W. Harper at Fayetteville State University, Monique Carroll at Chicago State University, Lisa Lee at Rice University in Houston, Earl Holland Jr. at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore, Toniette Haynes Robinson at Dallas College.
Three African Americans Who Have Been Appointed to University Diversity Positions
Taking on new roles relating to diversity are Tony Laing at Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Massachusetts, Nkenge Friday at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, and Jamila Jefferson-Jones at the University of Kansas School of Law.
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.
The College Board Introduces an Advanced Placement Course on African American Studies
This fall for the first time, there is an Advanced Placement course in African American studies. The course is being offered in 60 high schools throughout the United States. The new offering makes a total of 40 Advanced Placement tests and it is the first new subject added since 2014.
