Beverly Anderson and Ken Powell, co-presidents of the African-American Alumni Association at Harvard Business School, are mounting an effort to increase racial diversity at the school. A recent letter from the alumni leaders calls on Harvard University President Lawrence Bacow to consider several factors as he contemplates appointing a new dean for the business school.
The letter calls on President Bacow to seek a leader who will foster diversity, inclusion, and belonging at the business school. The alumni leaders want the new dean to mount a concerted effort to increase the number of African American students in the school’s MBA program. There are currently 56 African Americans (6.2 percent) in the latest 900-member class.
The alumni association also wants the new dean to address the small numbers of African Americans in doctoral programs at the business school. Currently, there are less than 10 Black students in the eight doctoral programs at the business school. The alumni are also seeking increased Black enrollments in the business school’s executive education programs.
In addition, the alumni leaders are seeking a new dean who will actively recruit African Americans to teach at Harvard Business School. At the present time, only two of the 100 tenured faculty members are Black.
Anyone whose even remotely familiar with Harvard University clearly knows that it’s seething and inculcated with centuries old of institutional racism. The few “Black Americans” who have attended or attend are fully aware of the abysmal numbers of “Black Americans” and shouldn’t expect for it to change anytime soon. Take your talents elsewhere and stop seeking validation from others.
It is the most racist institution in America. Its money, influence, and intoxicating effect it has on POC is frightening. When I see Black alums giving HU millions of dollars instead to turning their attention to HBCU’s, it points to miseducation. The serial horror stories I have heard from faculty, staff and students in the last few decades are beyond words. This obsession with that Business School eludes me. I accompanied a friend there when he was looking at business schools. By the end of the day, we could hardly wait to get off the premises. Yuck. He had a good experience at Kellogg.
You would be well-advised to be more careful with your words.
I am not a fan of Harvard University — they just mistreated Roland Fryer, and they perpetuate a culture of elitism and snobbery in education.
However, in business, it’s usually not what you know — you can hire expertise — it’s who you know. And Harvard Business School still provides excellent networking opportunities for blacks, especially blacks who need all the help they can get to succeed.