Monthly Archives: November, 2020

In Memoriam: Drew Saunders Days III, 1941-2020

Drew S. Days III was the Alfred M. Rankin Professor of Law at Yale Law School. He led the Civil Rights Division of the Justice Department during the Carter administration and was Solicitor General of the United States during the Clinton administration.

The College Graduation Rates of African American Student Athletes

For Black student athletes who entered college in 2013 at NCAA Division I institutions, 59 percent earned their diplomas within six years. This is 11 percentage points higher than the rate for Black students as a whole at these institutions.

The First African American Leader of the Virginia Military Institute

The Virginia Military Institute was founded in 1839 and trained many of the officers of the Confederate Army. Today, African Americans are 6 percent of the student body, according to the latest data reported to the U.S. Department of Education. Now Retired Maj. Gen. Cedric T. Wins will serve as interim superintendent at VMI.

Students From Sub-Saharan African Nations at U.S. Colleges and Universities, 2019-20

In the 2019-20 academic year, there were 41,697 students from sub-Saharan Africa enrolled at colleges and universities in the United States. They made up 3.9 percent of the 1,075,496 foreign students at U.S. colleges and universities that year. The number of students from sub-Saharan Africa was up 3.5 percent from the prior year.

Marsha Gable Selected as the New Leader of Grossmont College in El Cajon, California

Dr. Gable has been serving for the past five years as vice president of student services at Grossmont College. She served for eight months in 2019 and 2020 as interim president of San Diego Miramar College. Earlier, Dr. Gable was dean of counseling services and admissions and records at Cuyamaca College in Rancho San Diego, California.

The Current Racial Digital Divide May Have Long-Lasting Repercussions

A new report from Deutsche Bank Securities finds that due to the current racial gap in personal computer ownership and broadband access "76 percent of Blacks and 62 percent of Hispanics could get shut out or be under-prepared for 86 percent of jobs in the United States by 2045."

Soyica Colbert Appointed to Dean Position at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C.

Professor Colbert joined the Georgetown faculty in 2013. She is the Idol Family Professor of the College of Arts and Sciences and has been serving as vice dean of the faculty. Professor Colbert will now serve as interim dean of Georgetown College.

Howard University Is Offering a New Bachelor’s / Juris Doctorate Dual Degree Program

The new dual-degree program is open to incoming first-year students. The program will allow students to complete their bachelor's and law degrees in six years instead of the traditional seven years, providing a cost-effective path to an advanced degree.

Five African Americans Who Have Been Appointed to New Administrative Posts in Higher Education

Taking on new administrative roles are April R. Clark at Talladega College in Alabama, Gerald L. Hector at the University of Central Florida, Maurice A. Tyler at Bowie State University in Maryland, Qiana N. Wilson at the University of Georgia, and Donell D. Maxie at Mississippi Valley State University.

Fort Valley State University Teams Up With Robins Air Force Base in Georgia

Under the collaboration, students at the university will be introduced to more practical experiences in the high-demand fields of computer science and cybersecurity. Coursework may include electronics, avionics and aging aircraft issues as well as manufacturing, electronic combat, and environmental issues.

Berkeley’s Nikki Jones Honored by the Western Society of Criminology

Nikki Jones, a professor of African American studies at the University of California, Berkeley, has been awarded the 2020 W.E.B. DuBois Award from the Western Society of Criminology for her work in raising awareness for racial and ethic issues in criminology and criminal justice.

Grambling State University Signs Agreement With Bossier Parish Community College

Under the agreement, full-time faculty and staff at Bossier Parrish Community College in Louisiana will be allowed to enroll at Grambling State University for undergraduate or graduate courses at a reduced rate.

Six African Americans Named to Diversity Positions at Colleges and Universities

The six African Americans named to diversity posts are Tiffany Hayden at the University of Kentucky, Anthony DiNicola at the University of Arkansas, Robin R. Means Coleman at Northwestern University, Jasmine A. Lee at the University of Maryland Baltimore County, Andreá Williams at Ohio State University, and Yolanda Caldwell at the College of St. Rose in Albany, New York.

In Memoriam: David Norton Dinkins, 1927-2020

David Dinkins was the 106th mayor of New York City and the first African American to lead the city. He also was a professor in the practice of public policy at the School of Public and International Affairs at Columbia University.

Association of American Medical Colleges Changes Name of Its Most Prestigious Award

In his 1910 report, Abraham Flexner wrote that Black students should be trained as “sanitarians” rather than surgeons and their primary role should be to protect White people from disease. “A well-taught negro sanitarian will be immensely useful; an essentially untrained negro wearing an M.D. degree is dangerous.”

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.

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.

The Nationwide Racial Gap in College Graduation Rates

The Black student college graduation rate of 48 percent was 22 percentage points lower than the rate for Whites and 31 percentage points below the rate for Asian Americans. The Black student graduation rate trailed the rates for Hispanics by 13 percentage points.

Thomas Hudson Appointed the Twelfth President of Jackson State University In Mississippi

Thomas Hudson has been serving in the post on an interim basis since February. Before being named acting president in February, Hudson had been serving as special assistant to the president and chief diversity officer at the university.
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Deborah Jones Named President of the MGH Institute of Health Professions

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“I am inspired by the [MGH Institute for Health Professions'] mission to educate health professionals and researchers who will drive innovation in the delivery of equitable and interprofessional care,” said Dr. Jones. “This mission aligns deeply with my own purpose, which is to bring together people, ideas, and systems for the greater good, because the greater good is stronger than any individual part.”

Ayana Allen-Handy to Lead the Hofstra University School of Education

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Dr. Allen-Handy, professor of urban education at Drexel University, is slated to become dean of Hofstra University's School of Education on January 1. She is a leading scholar on the social foundations and social contexts of education.

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