Monthly Archives: May 2023
The Presence of Black Physicians in a County Boosts Black Life Expectancy
In a study by the Association of American Medical Colleges, researchers found that there were no Black primary care physicians in more than half of all counties in the United States. They also found that a 10 percent increase in Black primary-care physician representation in a county was associated with a higher life expectancy for Blacks of 30.61 days.
Eric Turner Will Be the First Black President of Lasell University in Newton, Massachusetts
Turner was named Lasell’s provost in June 2020 after serving as the institution’s vice president of graduate and professional studies. Earlier in his career, he was a senior vice president at State Street Corporation, a financial services firm based in Boston.
Three African American Professors Who Are Taking on New Assignments
Jeanette Davidson was appointed director of the Center for Societal Impact and a professor of instruction at the University of Texas at Austin. Tony Morris has been named the associate dean of the College of Arts and Letters at Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, Tennessee, and Nicholas Bratcher was appointed director of the School of Visual and Performing Arts at the University of Louisiana Monroe.
Bowie State University in Maryland Adds Two New Master’s Degree Programs
Historically Black Bowie State University in Maryland has announced the establishment of two new master's degree programs. The new programs are in applied biotechnology and molecular biology and the internet of things and internet technologies. The latter program is offered completely online.
Five African Americans Taking on New Administrative Duties in Higher Education
Newly appointed to administrative posts are Wanda A. Wright at Arizona State University, Shawan Baptiste at Texas College in Tyler, Chancey Page at Stockton University in Galloway, New Jersey, Branville Bard Jr. at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, and Evelyn Rucker at Western Carolina University in Cullowhee, North Carolina.
Spelman College Team Wins $1 Million in the Goldman Sachs Market Madness
This year, Goldman Sachs expanded the program to include 150 students from 12 HBCUs, selected from more than 400 applications. Students were split into 31 teams and, throughout the semester, conducted company research and proposed a strategic business solution for featured client, L’Oreal.
Yale University Awards Degrees to Two of its First Students
James W. C. Pennington (1808-1870) and Alexander Crummell (1819-1898) studied at Yale from 1834 to 1837 and 1840 to 1841, respectively. Because they were Black, however, the university did not allow them to register formally for classes or matriculate for a degree. They could not participate in classroom discussions or access library resources.
An Alumni Group at Tougaloo College in Mississippi Is Calling for Major Changes
The Alumni Coalition for Change at Tougaloo College in Mississippi has authored an online petition calling for the resignation of all top executives at the college. The alumni state that "there is discontentment among our ranks directly related to low student enrollment, a decrease in campus morale, horrid student living conditions, and questionable financial practices."
Four African Americans Named to Diversity Positions in Higher Education
Taking on new duties relating to diversity are Russell Morrow in the College of Business at Ohio University, Tanyka M. Barber at the University of Maryland Baltimore County, E. Cheryl Ponder at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, and Bill Woodsen at Hobart and William Smith Colleges in Geneva, New York.
Black Student at Lehigh University Harassed and Assaulted on His Way to His Dormitory
A Black student at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, was accosted when he was walking back to his dormitory. Authorities allege that the student was harassed with a racial slur from a group of individuals in a passing car.
The First Black Woman in Vanderbilt University’s Neurosurgery Residency Program
According to the American Society of Black Neurosurgeons, there are currently only 33 Black women who are in the field of neurosurgery in the United States. Tamia Potter, who completed her medical degree at Case Western Reserve University, will be the first Black women neurosurgery resident at Vanderbilt in the program's 91-year history.
Fayneese Miller, President of Hamline University in Minnesota, to Step Down in 2024
After a controversy surrounding the handling of an incident where an art history instructor showed depictions of the Prophet Muhammad during an Islamic art class, Fayneese Miller, president of the university, announced she will retire on June 30, 2024. In January, a large majority of the university's faculty urged President Miller to resign over her handling of the incident.
The University of South Carolina’s First Building Named to Honor an African American
The University of South Carolina has renamed a residence hall to honor Celia Dial Saxon, who was born enslaved in 1857 but later had a 57-year career as an educator in South Carolina. Saxon attended the Normal School on the University of South Carolina campus when it was integrated during Reconstruction.
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.
Brookings Institution Study Examines the High School Graduation Rate Gap by Race and Gender
In some states, the on-time high school graduation rates for specific sub-groups are quite low. In Michigan, for example, only 61 percent of Black boys graduate high school on time, compared to 75 percent of Black girls, 81 percent of White boys, and 87 percent of White girls.
Christy L. Brown Will Be the Next President of Alverno College in Milwaukee
Since 2012, Brown has served as chief executive officer for Girl Scouts of Wisconsin Southeast. Prior to leading the Girl Scouts, Brown served as vice chancellor for finance and administrative affairs at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee from 2007 to 2012. Earlier, she was executive vice president and general counsel at Milwaukee Area Technical College from 2002 to 2007.
Blacks Make Up a Large Share of Students With Some College Credits But No Credentials
A new report from the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center finds that Black students made up 13.8 percent of all enrolled undergraduate students but 19.4 percent of all students who entered college in 2013 or later and who have not earned a credential.
Clark Atlanta University Appoints Charlene Gilbert to Provost Position
Dr. Gilbert currently serves as the senior vice provost for student academic excellence at Ohio State University. Prior to this position, Dr. Gilbert served for five years as the dean of the College of Arts and Letters at the University of Toledo.
Report Examines Racial Diversity in the Nation’s Newsrooms
A new study from the Pew Research Center finds that only 6 percent of all reporting journalists in the United States are Black. Only 3 percent of all journalists whose primary beat is science are Black. Blacks are 2 percent of all reporters whose primary focus is on the environment or energy.
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.
Ron K. Patterson Appointed the Twelfth President of Chadron State College in Nebraska
Dr. Patterson has been serving as vice president for diversity, equity, and inclusion and director of the presidential mentor’s academy at the University of North Alabama in Florence. He joined the staff there in 2016. Previously he served as vice president for enrollment management at Marietta College in Ohio.
California State Universities Appoint Two African American Men to Dean Positions
Arnold Holland is the new dean of the College of the Arts at California State University, Fullerton and Mitch Mitchell has been appointed associate vice president for student success and dean of students at California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt in Arcata.
