Monthly Archives: October 2015
Demographics of Students in a Particular School Can Impact the Racial Achievement Gap
A new report from the Department of Education finds that Black students, particularly Black males, did poorer academically in schools with a high percentage of Black students. The overall Black-White achievement gap was higher in schools with a large percentage of Black students.
The New Dean of Students at Union County College
Dr. Terrence Hardee previously served as vice president for student success at Rowan University in Glassboro, New Jersey, and dean of the University Center at Cumberland County College in Vineland, New Jersey.
In Memoriam: Robert Curvin, 1934-2015
Dr. Curvin served as dean of the Milano School of Management and Urban Policy at the New School and as a senior policy fellow at the School of Planning and Public Policy at Rutgers University.
Online Articles That May Be of Interest to JBHE Readers
From time to time, The Journal of Blacks in Higher Education will provide links to online articles that may be of interest to our readers. Here are this week’s selections.
Recent Books That May Be 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. Here are the latest selections.
Three Black Scholars Named MacArthur Fellows
Of this year’s 24 MacArthur Fellows, three are Black scholars with ties to the academic world. They are Patrick Awuah, Ta-Nehisi Coates, and LaToya Ruby Frazier.
University of Nebraska Upgrades Its Website on Slaves in 1860s Washington, D.C.
The University of Nebraska's online project documenting nineteenth-century slaves' efforts to win their freedom through the District of Columbia's court system has been upgraded with new tools and information.
Ohio University’s New Program to Boost Black Male Enrollments and Graduation Rates
The African American Male Initiative aims to connect its more than 40 students to academic support services on campus. It also is working in tandem with student organizations, student affairs, and the Athens community to establish a welcoming environment that young Black males can call home.
Higher Education Grants of Interest to African Americans
Here is this week’s news of grants to historically Black colleges and universities or for programs of particular interest to African Americans in higher education.
University of Iowa Offers New Certificate Program in Leadership for Diversity
Students in the program will take courses in coalition building across diverse groups, navigating and defusing conflict situations, and fostering a climate where diverse opinions, backgrounds, and identities can flourish and be respected.
Two Black Scholars Join the Faculty at the Harvard Graduate School of Education
The Graduate School of Education at Harvard University has announced that two members of the university's Faculty of Arts & Sciences - Danielle Allen and Roland G. Fryer Jr. - will hold joint appointments as professors of education.
Newspaper Article Produces Turmoil on the Wesleyan University Campus
An op-ed piece on the Black Lives Matter movement in the student newspaper produced protests and calls for the student government to stop funding the paper.
New Academic Roles for Seven Black Scholars
The seven Black scholars who are taking on new duties are Paul C. Clement, Jamal Ratchford, Nicholas Ball, Dineo Khabele, James Hill, Jordanna Malton, and Robert Winn.
Southern University’s Slave Narrative Archives Are Now Available Online
The archives are a series of letters and documents of interviews with slaves that focus on the thoughts of slaves about slave owners, abuse, clothing, religious life, superstitions and religion in their communities.
Honors and Awards for African Americans in Higher Education
The honorees are Twyla J. Cummings of the Rochester Institute of Technology, Tiana Clark of Vanderbilt University, Elson S. Floyd, the late president of Washington State University, and Brenda Y. Cartwright of Winston-Salem State University.
Jackson State University Takes Its Marketing Efforts Nationwide
After three straight years of record enrollments, Jackson State University in Mississippi is extending its marketing outreach by showing a television commercial on national cable networks. The commercial will be featured on MTV, VH1, BET, and other cable outlets.
Three African Americans Named to New Posts at Colleges and Universities
Eric Poole was named director of the choir at Howard University. Julianna Stratton was appointed director of the Center for Public Safety and Justice at the University of Illinois at Chicago, and Terri Harris Reed was appointed secretary of Spelman College.
Johnson C. Smith University Adds New Degree Programs
The historically Black universities in Charlotte, North Carolina, has added two new online degree programs in business administration and sports management. Also, a new on-campus major in dance is being offered.
In Memoriam: Sybil C. Mobley, 1925-2015
Dr. Mobley was named chair of the business department at Florida A&M University in 1970 and in 1974 became the founding dean of the School of Business and Industry. She served in that role until her retirement in 2003.
Ivory A. Toldson Named Director of the White House Initiative on HBCUs
Prior to joining the staff at the White House, Dr. Toldson was an associate professor of education at Howard University in Washington, D.C. Earlier he taught at Southern University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
Pell Grants Are a Major Factor in College Affordability for African Americans
Nearly 62 percent of all African American undergraduates received a Pell Grant in the 2011-12 academic year. For Whites, 33.5 percent of undergraduates that year were Pell Grant recipients. The average grant to Black students was $3,400.
President of Voorhees College Announces He Will Step Down
Cleveland L. Sellers Jr., a celebrated leader of the civil rights movement and president of Voorhees College in Denmark, South Carolina, announced that he will step down at the end of the current academic year.
Higher Mortality Rates for All Races in Communities With High Levels of Racial Prejudice
The data showed that communities with a higher level of anti-Black prejudice had a death rate for people of all races that averaged 24 percent higher than in communities with low levels of racial prejudice.
Gwendolyn Boyd Has Her Contract Extended at Alabama State University
Gwendolyn Boyd, president of Alabama State University in Montgomery since February 1, 2014, has had her contact extended by the board of trustees for another three years until 2019. However, the vote by the board was 8 to 6 in favor of the contract extension.
What Are the College Prospects for the 4 Million Black Children Living in Poverty?
In 2014, there were 4,090,000 African Americans under the age of 18 in the United States who were living in poverty. The percentage of Black children in poverty rose from 33.7 percent in 2013 to 37.1 percent in 2014.
Jennifer Baszile Named Director of the Consortium on High Achievement and Success
Jennifer L. Baszile was named director of the nation's oldest and largest organization dedicated to the success of underrepresented students on liberal arts college campuses nationwide. She previously served on the faculty at the University of Connecticut and Yale University.
Online Articles That May Be of Interest to JBHE Readers
From time to time, The Journal of Blacks in Higher Education will provide links to online articles that may be of interest to our readers. Here are this week’s selections.
