Johnson C. Smith University, the historically Black educational institution in Charlotte, North Carolina, has announced the establishment of several new degree programs.
The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools has approved the expansion of the accelerated online bachelor’s degree programs in business administration and sports management offered by the university’s Metropolitan College. Students enrolled in the business administration degree program can choose between concentrations in management or accounting.
Laura McLean, dean of Metropolitan College, stated that “this is a historic moment for JCSU and the surrounding community. We now have the unique opportunity to make it easier for our students to achieve their goal of earning a bachelor’s degree.” The university also hopes that the new online courses will boost revenues and help the university’s financial position.
The university also announced that it is now offering a new bachelor’s degree program in dance. Previously, students could major in an interdisciplinary program in visual and performing arts that included a concentration in dance. Students interested in the program must audition either on campus or by sending in a video of a performance.
Instead of Johnson C. Smith University expending precious time, intellectual labor, and material resources in creating new programs, it should redirect this similar energy towards: 1) significantly increasing their graduation rates, and 2) significantly enhancing all of their current academic programs which will result in more recent Black high school graduates submitting applications for admissions.
This particular surface level tactic is being used by numerous HBCUS to make it appear to the stakeholders they’re keeping up with the current trends in higher education. The reality at many HBCUs is that many of these institutions are proving to be a disappointment within the boundaries of the classroom along with not providing students with adequate services(i.e., food, residential life, safety, etc.) for which they pay for.
The same can be said of how all of your comments speak from a deficit model. I appreciate your wanting realistic outcomes, but the majority of your comments are scathing and curt.
Re: William;
Opinions vary. The fact remains how many of HBCUs function and operation is totally unacceptable by any substantive metrics. However, when some one point this out in an effort to hold these institutions and administrators accountable, individuals such as yourself (i.e., neoliberal, status-quo ideology, etc. ) feel insulted or hurt (how unfortunate). It’s quite obvious of your ideological leanings and politically correct mentality in your failed attempt to use an inherently flawed Eurocentric theory(come on, ‘deficit theory’). That said, based upon your contextual behavior, I would clearly said you have a ‘low race salience’ as identified in Cross’s Black Racial Identity theory (that’s an assignment for you).
In close, my comments are always intellectually honest and always emphasize holding Black people accountable(regardless of their lofty title or position). Further, individuals such you would probably say the neoliberal and corporatist President Obama has really done a lot of good for HBCUs. In the future, I would highly suggest that you develop some ‘thick skin’ along with ridding yourself in the usage of Eurocentric paradigms and theories application.