The Journal of Blacks in Higher Education

Former Professor and University Administrator to Lead the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation

DeAngela Burns-Wallace is the  CEO and president of the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation. She held administrative positions at Stanford University, the University of Missouri, and the University of Kansas.

Phyllis Curtis-Tweed Appointed Provost at Queensborough Community College in New York

“I am thrilled to join the Queensborough Community College as provost and vice president of academic affairs, and to return to CUNY, where our very prescient mission remains to provide high-quality public education for all students," said Dr. Curtis-Tweed.

Three Black Scholars Appointed to Dean Positions

Mark Harden is the new dean of the Shaw University Divinity School in Raleigh, North Carolina. Marie-Carmel Chery is the new dean of the chapel and spiritual engagement at Voorhees University in Denmark, South Carolina, and Tony Jean Dickerson was appointed dean of the School of Education at Martin University in Indianapolis.

Research & Studies

Twenty Years After Law School, Many Black Attorneys Still Face Overwhelming Student Debt

A study of students who graduated from law school between 1998 and 2000 found that some 73 percent of Black law school graduates still held student loan debt, 20 years after earning their law degree. Twenty years later, the average debt outstanding for Black law school graduates was more than $74,000.

Research Finds Significant Racial Inequalities in Public Subsidized Housing

Using data from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, researchers found that Black subsidized renters, on average, pay $75 more per month than their White counterparts — a 17 percent upcharge. Black subsidized renters live in units with more unsafe conditions while simultaneously paying more, both in total cost and relative to their income.

Features

Statistic of the Week

5.2%
Percentage of U.S. children living in poverty in 2021
12.4%
Percentage of U.S. children living in poverty in 2022

Source: U.S. Census Bureau

Get the JBHE Weekly Bulletin

Receive our weekly email newsletter delivered to your inbox

Poll of the Week

Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.
Do you think the U.S. House of Representatives will vote to impeach Joe Biden?

Quote of the Week

If we want to be a country where the American dream is within reach, then we have to invest in our children and try to eradicate poverty in our nation.

Kim Janey,

former mayor of Boston and CEO of Boston Economic Mobility Pathways, commenting on the doubling of the child poverty rate from 2021 to 2022

JBHE Archives

All Recent Posts

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.

Temple University President JoAnne Epps Dies Suddenly at Campus Service

JoAnne A. Epps, acting president of Temple University in Philadelphia, collapsed on stage during a celebration of life ceremony for Charles L. Blockson on September 19, where she was scheduled to speak. She was taken from the stage to Temple University Hospital, where she was pronounced dead. President Epps was 72 years old

Professor Michael Dawson Wins Award From the American Political Science Association

Michael C. Dawson, the John D. MacArthur Professor of Race, Diaspora, and Indigeneity Studies and professor of political science at the University of Chicago, received the Charles E. Merriam Award from the American Political Science Association. The award is given to a person whose published work and career represent a significant contribution to the art of government through the application of social science research.

Several HBCUs Obtain Grants From the Institute of Museum and Library Services

The Institute of Museum and Library Services, an independent federal agency, has announced 64 grants totaling $20,363,297 to support libraries and archives across the country. Some of these grants have been awarded to historically Black colleges and universities.

Twenty Years After Law School, Many Black Attorneys Still Face Overwhelming Student Debt

A study of students who graduated from law school between 1998 and 2000 found that some 73 percent of Black law school graduates still held student loan debt, 20 years after earning their law degree. Twenty years later, the average debt outstanding for Black law school graduates was more than $74,000.

Agenia Walker Clark Will Be the Next President of Fisk University

For the past 19 years, Dr. Clark has been CEO of the Girl Scouts of Middle Tennessee. Prior to the Girl Scouts, Dr. Clark was the vice president of human resources for the Tennessee Education Lottery Corporation, senior director of human resources at Vanderbilt University, and directed human resources for Canadian telecommunications provider Nortel Networks.

Lisa Herring Is the New President of the PROPEL Center in Atlanta

The PROPEL Center was created in 2021 to support HBCU students and faculty through a robust virtual platform, a physical campus in the historic Atlanta University Center, as well as on-campus activations at partner institutions. Dr. Herring is the former superintendent of the public schools systems in Atlanta and Birmingham.

Research Finds Significant Racial Inequalities in Public Subsidized Housing

Using data from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, researchers found that Black subsidized renters, on average, pay $75 more per month than their White counterparts — a 17 percent upcharge. Black subsidized renters live in units with more unsafe conditions while simultaneously paying more, both in total cost and relative to their income.

How Race Has Become a Factor in Auto Insurance Rates

Across the country, consumers with good driving records but with poor credit annually pay hundreds or even thousands of dollars more for the basic auto insurance coverage mandated by state laws. Because credit history correlates to race and income, raising premiums on drivers with lower credit disproportionately harms low-income consumers and people of color.

Three African American Men Who Have Been Selected to Serve as Deans

Joel A. Johnson was appointed dean of admission at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa. Darren D. Kelly will be the next dean of the Office of African American Affairs at the University of Virginia and Jimmie Smith has been named dean of aviation at Savannah Technical College in Georgia.

Colleges and Universities Announce the Appointments of Seven Black Administrators

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. If you have news for this section, please send an email to info@jbhe.com.

Xavier University Students Win Department of Homeland Security’s Invent2Prevent Competition

The Invent2Prevent program encourages student teams at the high school or college level to develop innovative projects that seek to prevent targeted violence and terrorism in local communities. The Xavier students presented their project, “Still We R.O.S.E (Recognizing Our Shared Experience),” aimed at bridging the misunderstanding between Black and Jewish communities due to controversial statements made by certain Black celebrities.

Six Black Scholars Who Are Taking on New Duties in Higher Education

Taking on new roles are Imani Perry at Harvard University, Tyrone McKinley Freeman at the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, Alisha Butler at Wesleyan University in Middletown, Connecticut, Gordon Ibeanu at North Carolina Central University, Linda Lausell Bryant in the Silver School of Social Work at New York University, and Andrea Dawn Frazier at Columbus State University in Georgia

Voorhees University Gains Approval to Offer a New MBA Program

The MBA program will be offered online, with the first cohort to begin classes in January 2024. Under the new MBA program, Voorhees will offer minors in human resource management and data analytics.

Rita Dove to Receive Lifetime Achievement Award From the National Book Foundation

Rita Dove, the Henry Hoyns Professor of Creative Writing at the University of Virginia, has been selected to receive the medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters from the National Book Foundation, the nonprofit organization that presents the National Book Awards. She will be honored in New York on November 15.

Spelman College Establishes a Student Exchange Program With the Berklee College of Music

The mission of the Berklee-Spelman exchange program is to promote educational opportunities in music and liberal arts to female-identifying students of African descent; to facilitate cultural and social integration through the study of music performance, theory, and history, with a specific focus on jazz and contemporary music; and to increase the participation of African American women in jazz.

Three African Americans Who Have Been Appointed to Diversity Posts in Higher Education

Stephanie Akunvabey has been named associate vice president for diversity and inclusion and chief diversity officer at Pace University in New York. Alton M. Standifer was appointed vice provost for inclusive excellence director of the Office of Institutional Diversity at the University of Georgia and Ashton Murray is the inaugural chief diversity officer and vice president for diversity, equity, and inclusion at Rockefeller University in New York City.

In Memoriam: BeEtta L. Stoney, 1959-2023

Dr. Stoney joined the Kansas State community in 1999 as a race equity coordinator and technical consultant with the College of Education's Midwest Equity Assistance Center. She was subsequently hired as an assistant professor of secondary education with the college in 2000 and was promoted to associate professor in 2005. Dr. Stoney served as Kansas State's faculty athletics representative for 13 years from 2010 to 2023.

Managing Cultural Audacity in the HBCU Environment

Tuskegee University provost Keith Hargrove argues that ultimately, accountability and responsibility are things that everyone in the HBCU community must share.

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.

Highland Community College Agrees to Reform Allegedly Biased Disciplinary Procedures

The U.S. Justice Department has announced a settlement agreement with Highland Community College to resolve the department’s investigation into allegations that Black students experienced discriminatory treatment in many aspects of campus life, including discipline, housing, and interactions with campus security officers.

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.

Berkeley Professor to Design Emory University’s Memorial to the Enslaved

In 2021, Emory University announced plans to develop memorials on its Atlanta and Oxford campuses to honor the enslaved individuals who are part of Emory’s history. The university has selected the Hood Design Studio of Oakland, California to develop plans for the memorials.

Study Finds Persisting Occupational Segregation Among Similarly Educated Blacks and Whites

A new working paper from the National Bureau of Economic Research finds that over the past 20 years, the percentage of Black workers with a bachelor’s degree rose from 18.9 percent to 28.3 percent. Yet, despite educational gains, there has not been a reduction in the racial wage gap, mainly due to the fact that Blacks with a college degree continue to face occupational segregation.

All Recent Posts

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.

Temple University President JoAnne Epps Dies Suddenly at Campus Service

JoAnne A. Epps, acting president of Temple University in Philadelphia, collapsed on stage during a celebration of life ceremony for Charles L. Blockson on September 19, where she was scheduled to speak. She was taken from the stage to Temple University Hospital, where she was pronounced dead. President Epps was 72 years old

Professor Michael Dawson Wins Award From the American Political Science Association

Michael C. Dawson, the John D. MacArthur Professor of Race, Diaspora, and Indigeneity Studies and professor of political science at the University of Chicago, received the Charles E. Merriam Award from the American Political Science Association. The award is given to a person whose published work and career represent a significant contribution to the art of government through the application of social science research.

Several HBCUs Obtain Grants From the Institute of Museum and Library Services

The Institute of Museum and Library Services, an independent federal agency, has announced 64 grants totaling $20,363,297 to support libraries and archives across the country. Some of these grants have been awarded to historically Black colleges and universities.

Twenty Years After Law School, Many Black Attorneys Still Face Overwhelming Student Debt

A study of students who graduated from law school between 1998 and 2000 found that some 73 percent of Black law school graduates still held student loan debt, 20 years after earning their law degree. Twenty years later, the average debt outstanding for Black law school graduates was more than $74,000.

Agenia Walker Clark Will Be the Next President of Fisk University

For the past 19 years, Dr. Clark has been CEO of the Girl Scouts of Middle Tennessee. Prior to the Girl Scouts, Dr. Clark was the vice president of human resources for the Tennessee Education Lottery Corporation, senior director of human resources at Vanderbilt University, and directed human resources for Canadian telecommunications provider Nortel Networks.

Lisa Herring Is the New President of the PROPEL Center in Atlanta

The PROPEL Center was created in 2021 to support HBCU students and faculty through a robust virtual platform, a physical campus in the historic Atlanta University Center, as well as on-campus activations at partner institutions. Dr. Herring is the former superintendent of the public schools systems in Atlanta and Birmingham.

Research Finds Significant Racial Inequalities in Public Subsidized Housing

Using data from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, researchers found that Black subsidized renters, on average, pay $75 more per month than their White counterparts — a 17 percent upcharge. Black subsidized renters live in units with more unsafe conditions while simultaneously paying more, both in total cost and relative to their income.

How Race Has Become a Factor in Auto Insurance Rates

Across the country, consumers with good driving records but with poor credit annually pay hundreds or even thousands of dollars more for the basic auto insurance coverage mandated by state laws. Because credit history correlates to race and income, raising premiums on drivers with lower credit disproportionately harms low-income consumers and people of color.

Three African American Men Who Have Been Selected to Serve as Deans

Joel A. Johnson was appointed dean of admission at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa. Darren D. Kelly will be the next dean of the Office of African American Affairs at the University of Virginia and Jimmie Smith has been named dean of aviation at Savannah Technical College in Georgia.

Colleges and Universities Announce the Appointments of Seven Black Administrators

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. If you have news for this section, please send an email to info@jbhe.com.

Xavier University Students Win Department of Homeland Security’s Invent2Prevent Competition

The Invent2Prevent program encourages student teams at the high school or college level to develop innovative projects that seek to prevent targeted violence and terrorism in local communities. The Xavier students presented their project, “Still We R.O.S.E (Recognizing Our Shared Experience),” aimed at bridging the misunderstanding between Black and Jewish communities due to controversial statements made by certain Black celebrities.

Six Black Scholars Who Are Taking on New Duties in Higher Education

Taking on new roles are Imani Perry at Harvard University, Tyrone McKinley Freeman at the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, Alisha Butler at Wesleyan University in Middletown, Connecticut, Gordon Ibeanu at North Carolina Central University, Linda Lausell Bryant in the Silver School of Social Work at New York University, and Andrea Dawn Frazier at Columbus State University in Georgia

Voorhees University Gains Approval to Offer a New MBA Program

The MBA program will be offered online, with the first cohort to begin classes in January 2024. Under the new MBA program, Voorhees will offer minors in human resource management and data analytics.

Rita Dove to Receive Lifetime Achievement Award From the National Book Foundation

Rita Dove, the Henry Hoyns Professor of Creative Writing at the University of Virginia, has been selected to receive the medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters from the National Book Foundation, the nonprofit organization that presents the National Book Awards. She will be honored in New York on November 15.

Spelman College Establishes a Student Exchange Program With the Berklee College of Music

The mission of the Berklee-Spelman exchange program is to promote educational opportunities in music and liberal arts to female-identifying students of African descent; to facilitate cultural and social integration through the study of music performance, theory, and history, with a specific focus on jazz and contemporary music; and to increase the participation of African American women in jazz.

Three African Americans Who Have Been Appointed to Diversity Posts in Higher Education

Stephanie Akunvabey has been named associate vice president for diversity and inclusion and chief diversity officer at Pace University in New York. Alton M. Standifer was appointed vice provost for inclusive excellence director of the Office of Institutional Diversity at the University of Georgia and Ashton Murray is the inaugural chief diversity officer and vice president for diversity, equity, and inclusion at Rockefeller University in New York City.

In Memoriam: BeEtta L. Stoney, 1959-2023

Dr. Stoney joined the Kansas State community in 1999 as a race equity coordinator and technical consultant with the College of Education's Midwest Equity Assistance Center. She was subsequently hired as an assistant professor of secondary education with the college in 2000 and was promoted to associate professor in 2005. Dr. Stoney served as Kansas State's faculty athletics representative for 13 years from 2010 to 2023.

Managing Cultural Audacity in the HBCU Environment

Tuskegee University provost Keith Hargrove argues that ultimately, accountability and responsibility are things that everyone in the HBCU community must share.

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.