Saint Augustine’s University, the historically Black educational institution in Raleigh, North Carolina, has created a new Male Mentoring Program designed to increase retention and graduation rates for African American men. The latest data shows that less than 30 percent of Black male students entering the university graduate within six years.
The Male Mentoring Program is under the direction of Paul Norman, dean of first-year experience at the university. About 20 male faculty and staff members attended the first meeting of the organization expressing interest in mentoring male students.
Dr. Norman said that “the program is important because it will increase the retention and graduation rate among our male students and prepare them for leadership and success.”
Dr. Norman is a graduate of Elizabeth City State University in North Carolina, where he majored in business administration. He holds a master’s degree in student personnel/counseling from North Carolina Central University in Durham and an educational doctorate in adult and community college education from North Carolina State University in Raleigh.
If appears to me university administrators at Saint Augustine’s University are behind the student and academic affairs curve in reference to retaining and graduating native born Black male students. If only 30 percent are graduating within the six year period, both student and academic affairs administrators should be embarrassed for not having the foresight to develop this program years ago.
If Saint Augustine’s University truly wanted to make the 70 percent of Black males who didn’t complete their degree ‘educationally whole’, they should offer to pay for those Black males to complete their respective degree. Further, Saint Augustine’s University President along with Student and Academic Affairs Administrators should minimally send these Black male students a letter of apology admitting how they failed these students for not providing the appropriate and adequate mentoring. For those who dissent, I am most certain your position would be different if you were part of that 70 percent Black males who didn’t complete their degree.