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Enrollments are down at many colleges and universities across the United States. But many historically Black colleges and universities have reported significant increases and some have achieved a record number of enrolled students.

Alena Allen, the first Black law school dean at Louisiana State University, claims the university has discriminated against her, forcing her to resign from her position after she raised concerns about the school's finances.

“We hope this gift, focused on the students, can become a catalyst, a spark, the beginning of something transformative for students, this city, and the future of Huston-Tillotson,” said Ross Moody. “We believe in the vision of Huston-Tillotson and the extraordinary leadership of [President Melva Wallace] and the board.”

“These terroristic threats, designed to intimidate and foment hatred against everyday Americans — in this case, Black institutions of higher learning — cannot go unchallenged and must not be swept aside. Black students and HBCU communities deserve to be protected,” writes Yvette D. Clarke, chair of the Congressional Black Caucus.

In August, eight board members of Florida Memorial University claimed they were excluded from the decision to appoint interim president William C. McCormick as the university's permanent leader. Now, a judge has tossed out the group's lawsuit, finding “Mr. McCormick's actions as full-time president, as opposed to interim president, of FMU pose no threat to irreparable injury.”

Some $350 million in grant funding initially allocated for Minority-Serving Institutions – including Predominately Black Institutions – will be redirected to other programs “that do not include discriminatory racial and ethnic quotas,” according to the U.S. Department of Education. Notably, these cuts do not affect federal grant programs allocated for historically Black colleges and universities.

Connecticut State Community College has recently appointed seven inaugural campus presidents to lead operations at the system's campus locations throughout the state. Three of these newly appointed presidents are African Americans.

According to a statement from the SAU board of trustees, Dr. Burgess resigned for personal reasons, effective August 31. Verjanis A. Peoples, interim provost, has been selected to lead the HBCU's administrative responsibilities until further notice.

In addition to his dean appointment, Dr. Thornton will serve as a professor of practice in the HBCU's College of Business. He comes to his new role from the University of Utah, where he has served as an associate dean for the J. Willard Marriott Library.

“We can’t succeed in a new era with yesterday’s playbook,” says Dr. McCrary. “The National Science Board supports President Trump’s aspiration for Golden Age of American Innovation and will continue to work in partnership with the White House, the Congress, and leaders across business, academia, national security, and state sectors...”

A former president of Morehouse College, Dr. Wilson has conducted extensive research on American higher education, particularly the history and current state of HBCUs. During President Obama's first term, Dr. Wilson was executive director of the White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and University.

A distinguished professor at the University of Connecticut, Dr. Hurley is a leading authority in skeletal biology. Her current research aims to advance scientific knowledge of sickle cell disease and its related bone loss.

Less than a day after Florida Memorial University announced the appointment of William McCormick as the institution's next president, board chairman Brandon Dumas, seven other board members, and the president of the HBCU's alumni association published a letter disputing the appointment, referring to it as “a well-thought-out coup” by McCormick and other members of the board.

Ben Vinson III has retired from the presidency of Howard University after just two years in the role. His predecessor, Wayne A. I. Frederick, has been selected to serve as interim president while the HBCU searches for its next permanent leader.

Founded in 1924 through a collaboration between the all-Black National Baptist Convention and the all-White Southern Baptist Convention, American Baptist College was formerly recognized as a historically Black college in 2013. Dr. Jackson has led the HBCU on an interim basis since July.

“It is an immense privilege to step into this role at a critical time for global public health, and as the school celebrates its tenth anniversary, building on nearly a century of public health teaching and scholarship at NYU,” said Dr. Goodman.

In 2023, the Supreme Court banned the consideration of race in the college admissions process. An exception was made for the nation's military academies, but that was before the election of Donald Trump as president. Now the academies have abandoned their affirmative action programs.

Dale Caldwell, the first Black president of Centenary University, has been selected as the Democratic nominee for lieutenant governor of New Jersey, running alongside gubernatorial candidate Mikie Sherill. Dr. Caldwell has extensive experience within the New Jersey public education system, previously serving as president of the New Brunswick Board of Education.

Alford Young, an endowed professor at the University of Michigan, is set to begin a one-year term as president-elect of the American Sociological Association in September, followed by a term as president in 2026. As a scholar, he explores the social experiences of African Americans - both within and outside of academia.

“My commitment is to lead with integrity, champion academic excellence, foster a spirit of collaboration, and drive innovation to meet the ever-changing needs of our students, faculty, and the broader community,” said Dr. Leiba. “Together, I am confident we will continue to build on the legacy of excellence that defines Miami Dade College.”