Monthly Archives: September 2021
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.
Visa Announces the First Cohort of Its Black Scholars and Jobs Program
In addition to financial assistance, Visa Black Scholars will work with mentors from the company, receive year-round programming and training aimed at developing their professional and technical skills, and will also be provided opportunities for paid internships. Those who meet program requirements will be invited to join Visa full-time after graduation.
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.
In Memoriam: Charles Wade Mills, 1951-2021
Since 2016, Charles W. Mills was the Distinguished Professor of Philosophy at the Graduate Center of the City University of New York. Earlier, he served as the John Evans Professor of Moral and Intellectual Philosophy at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois.
The Persistent Black-White Poverty Gap Hinders African American Access to Higher Education
In 2020, 17.4 percent of all Black families were living in poverty. The government defines the poverty rate for a four-person family - two adults and two children - as having an annual income of less than $26,646. For non-Hispanic White families, only 5.7 percent were living below the poverty threshold.
Ericke Cage Is the New Leader of Historically Black West Virginia State University
Cage joined the university in July as vice president and chief of staff and has been serving as the university’s chief operating officer managing the day-to-day operations of the university since July 30. Before arriving at West Virginia State, Cage was the senior advisor to the president and university ombudsman at Norfolk State University in Virginia.
Adding Ethnic Studies to High School Curricula Improves Performance and Graduation Rates
In one California school district, ninth graders with a grade-point average of 2.0 or under were automatically enrolled in an ethnic study course. The research showed that enrollment in ethnic studies substantially increased high school graduation, attendance, and the probability of enrolling in college.
Sean Perryman to Lead the New Center for Social Justice at the Thurgood Marshall College Fund
Perryman has served as director of social impact policy at the Internet Association leading the association’s efforts on diversity in tech, immigration, and its racial justice strategy. Earlier, Perryman served as the youngest-ever president of the Fairfax County, Virginia, NAACP.
Experiment in Problem Solving Finds Whites Pay Less Attention to the Ideas of Their Black Peers
Researchers from Columbia University and the University of Texas at Dallas gave a puzzle to a diverse group of participants. Each person was able to see how their peers solved the same puzzle and could choose whether to learn from them. They found that participants were 33 percent more likely to pay attention to and learn from White peers compared to Black ones.
Three Black Women Scholars Named to Dean Positions at HBCUs
Afua Arhin is the new dean of the College of Health, Science, and Technology at Fayetteville State University. Michelle McQueen-Williams was appointed interim dean of the School of Education at Virginia Union University and Julia Wilson was named interim dean of the Scripps Howard School of Journalism and Communications at Hampton University in Virginia.
Several Racist Incidents Occur at the University of Massachusetts Amherst
Racist emails and online messages have recently been directed at Black students at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Also, it was reported that a motorist yelled a racist slur at a group of Black students on campus.
New Assignments in Higher Education for Five African American Scholars
Taking on new roles are Bruce Milton Jackson at Rhodes College in Memphis, Tennessee, Roslyn Satchel at Kennesaw State University in Georgia, Johnny Rice II at Coppin State University in Baltimore, Ebony Copeland at Howard University in Washington, D.C., and Chantel Smith at Washington and Lee University in Lexington, Virginia.
The Four HBCU Medical Schools Look to Increase Diversity in Cancer Research
The American Cancer Society has committed to a $12 million investment to support four HBCU medical schools with institutional development grants to fund a four-year program that aims to increase the pool of minority cancer researchers by identifying talented students and faculty from HBCUs.
A Large Group of African Americns Who Have Been Appointed to University Administrative Positions
Here is a roundup of recent announcements regarding the appointments of African Americans to administrative positions at colleges and universities throughout the United States.
Three HBCUs Partner With Penn State to Increase Research Opportunities in Materials Science
North Carolina Central University, Spelman College. and Clark Atlanta University and several other minority-serving educational institutions will participate in a National Science Foundation program called Partnerships for Research and Education in Materials (PREM).
Consuelo Wilkins of Vanderbilt University Will Be Honored for Her Work in Promoting Health Equity
Dr. Wilkins is senior vice president for health equity and inclusive excellence at the Vanderbilt University Medical Center and senior associate dean for health equity and inclusive excellence in the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine. She will be honored during a ceremony at Drexel University College of Medicine in Philadelphia on November 4.
Morehouse Launches a Bachelor’s Degree Program in Journalism in Sports, Culture, and Social Justice
Morehouse students pursuing the 30-credit hour degree program will take foundational courses in news writing, multimedia and visual storytelling, and mass media law. Students in the new major will have three possible tracks – sports journalism, arts and culture, and social justice journalism.
Five African Americans Who Have Been Appointed to Diversity Posts in Higher Education
Taking on new roles as diversity officers are Tacquice Wiggan Davis at the College of New Jersey, Phillip Cockrell at Cleveland Stae University in Ohio, Felysha Jenkins at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Nickey Woods at the University of Southern California School of Law, and Shawnboda Mead at the University of Mississippi.
In Memoriam: Albert J. Raboteau, 1943-2021
Albert Raboteau, the Henry W. Putnam Professor of Religion Emeritus at Princeton University, joined the faculty at the university in 1982. He served as chair of the department of religion from 1987 to 1992 and as dean of the Graduate School from 1992 to 1993.
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.
An Oral History Project of Black Students at Pennsylvania State University a Half-Century Ago
Among the oral history subjects, there were mixed feelings about Penn State. Some have returned to campus with fond memories, while others do not have positive memories and refuse to come back to campus.
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.
In Memoriam: Julie Elena Stokes-Thomas, 1952-2021
Dr. Stokes-Thomas joined the faculty at California State University, Fullerton as a full-time lecturer in African American studies and psychology in 1995. She taught there for the next 18 years.
A Banana Was Taped to the Dorm Room Door of Two Black Students at Rhodes College in Memphis
After a banana was taped to the door of two Black male students’ dorm room at Rhodes College in Memphis, Tennessee, students at the college complained that the administration's response to the incident was slow and not sufficient.
The Racial Income Gap Narrowed in 2020, But There is Still a Long Way on the Road to Equality
In 2020, the median Black household income was 61.2 percent of the median income of non-Hispanic White families. This is an increase from 59.7 percent in 2019. However, with only minor fluctuations, the racial gap in median income has remained virtually unchanged for more than a half-century.
Andra Johnson to Lead the University of Florida Cooperative Extension Service
Dr. Johnson has been serving as associate director of Pennsylvania State University Extension. Earlier in his career, he was assistant director of research and graduate research at Alcorn State University in Mississippi and vice chancellor for research and technology development at Southern University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
Emory University Study Finds Racial Disparities in Heart Condition Among College Football Players
The study found no racial differences in concentric left ventricular hypertrophy among college football athletes that played on the offensive or defensive lines. But for skilled position players - quarterbacks, receivers, and running backs - a higher percentage of Black collegiate football players were more likely to develop concentric left ventricular hypertrophy than White football players.
Journalist Meredith Clark to Lead a New Academic Center at Northeastern University in Boston
Meredith Clark has been named the founding director of the Center for Communications, Media Innovation and Social Change in the College of Arts, Media and Design at Northeastern University in Boston. Dr. Clark, who is a former print journalist for the Tallahassee Democrat and the Raleigh News & Observer will hold the rank of associate professor.
New Data Shows the Effect of the Pandemic of Black Enrollments in Higher Education
There were 2,331,529 Black or African American students enrolled in higher education last fall. In the fall of 2019, there were 2,474,200 Black students enrolled. Thus, Black enrollments were down nearly 6 percent. This is four times the drop for students as a whole. In 2010, more than 3 million Black students were enrolled in higher education.
Don Essex Is the New Dean of Lyman Beecher Brooks Library at Norfolk State University
Before coming to Norfolk State, Dean Essex was an associate professor and director of the Theofield G. Weis Library at Washington Adventist University in Takoma Park, Maryland, for nearly seven years. Earlier, he served for 13 years as a legislative information specialist for the Washington office of the American Library Association.
Six Black Scholars Who Are Taking on New Faculty Assignments in Higher Education
Appointed to new faculty posts are Frederick W. Gooding, Jr. at Texas Christian University, Tekla Ali Johnson at Clarkson University in Potsdam, New York, Virgil Goodwine at Wilberforce University in Ohio, Delali Kumavie at Syracuse University in New York, Patrese A. Robinson-Drummer at Haverford College in Pennsylvania, and Sierra Williams at Claremont McKenna College in California.
U.S. News and World Report Offers Its Picks for the Nation’s Best HBCUs
Spelman College in Atlanta was rated the best HBCU and Howard University in Washington, D.C., was ranked second. This was the same as a year ago. This was the 15th year in a row that Spelman College has topped the U.S. News rankings for HBCUs.
Colleges and Universities Announce the Hiring of Six African American Administrators
Taking on new administrative roles are David Valentine at Goucher College in Maryland, Ashley Pallie at the California Institute of Technology, Veronica Creech at Saint Augustine's University in Raleigh, Alfred L. Norris at Talladega College in Alabama, Charlotte Fant Pegues at the University of Mississippi, and Veronica Cohen at Edward Waters University in Jacksonville, Florida.
Defense Department Funds HBCU Centers of Excellence in Biotechnology and Materials Science
After considering proposals from many institutions, the Army Research Laboratory chose to fund the Center for Biotechnology at North Carolina A&T State Univerity in Greensboro and the Center for Advanced Electro-Photonics with 2D Materials at Morgan State University in Baltimore.
