The New Dean of the College of Engineering at Howard University
Dr. Achille Messac, educated at MIT, has been serving as dean of engineering and professor of aerospace engineering at Mississippi State University. Previously, he served on the faculties at Syracuse University and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.
Gladis Kersaint Appointed Dean of the School of Education at the University of Connecticut
Dr. Kersaint is a professor of mathematics education and associate dean of the College of Education at the University of South Florida in Tampa. She will begin her new duties at the University of Connecticut in July.
A Check-Up on Black Progress in Dental School Enrollments
The data shows that the number of Black applicants to U.S. dental schools has declined by 7.5 percent over the past four years. In 2014, Blacks were 4.3 percent of all new students enrolling in U.S. dental schools. This is down slightly from recent years.
Steven Nelson to Lead the African Studies Center at UCLA
Dr. Nelson is a professor of African and African American art and architectural history at the university. Professor Nelson is currently working on books about the Underground Railroad and the history of the city of Dakar.
Curtis Charles, President of Tiffin University in Ohio, Resigns
Curtis B. Charles served as president of Tiffin University for only six months. The board of trustees stated that Dr. Charles' resignation was due to "a difference in views on strategic vision."
Shirley Ann Jackson to Receive the National Medal of Science
President Obama has chosen nine individuals to receive the National Medal of Science at a White House ceremony early in 2016. Among the nine winners, one is an African American.
Leslie McClellon Resigns as President of Rochester Community and Technical College
President McClellon had been criticized over her spending and hiring decisions since taking office only 18 months ago. She will take a position as a senior system director at the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities System.
A Leadership Change at Elizabeth City State University
Stacey Franklin Jones has resigned from her position as chancellor of Elizabeth City State University in North Carolina. Thomas Conway, vice chancellor and chief of staff at Fayetteville State University, was named to replace Dr. Jones.
Brian O. Hemphill Named the Seventh President of Radford University in Virginia
Since July 2012, Dr. Hemphill has served as the 10th president of West Virginia State University. Previously, he was vice president for student affairs and enrollment management at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb.
Texas Southern University President to Step Down at the End of the Academic Year
John M. Rudley has served as the eleventh president of Texas Southern University in Houston since 2008. Earlier, he was interim chancellor of the University of Houston System and interim president of the University of Houston.
The Persisting Racial Gap in Doctoral Degree Awards
In 2014, African Americans earned 6.4 percent of all doctoral degrees awarded to U.S. students. This is about one half the number that would be the case if racial parity with the Black U.S. population prevailed.
Eddie N. Moore Jr. Named President of Norfolk State University in Virginia
Moore has been serving as interim president of Norfolk State since 2013 and the board of visitors rewarded him for leading the university when it was placed on probation by its accrediting agency. It has now been removed from probation.
Prudence Carter Appointed Dean of the Graduate School of Education at Berkeley
Dr. Carter currently serves as the Jacks Family Professor of Education and the faculty director of the John W. Gardner Center for Youth and Their Communities at Stanford University.
Virginia State University Names Its New President
Makola M. Abdullah has been serving as provost and chief academic officer at Bethune-Cookman University in Daytona Beach, Florida. At the time he earned his doctorate, he was the youngest African American to have ever received a Ph.D. in engineering.
Some Startling Statistics on the Racial Wealth Gap in the United States
Components of family wealth are commonly used to offset or pay college costs. In measurements of wealth, African Americans are at a major disadvantage. A new report presents some startling data on just how wide the racial wealth gap has become.
Augustine Agho Will Be the Next Provost at Old Dominion University in Norfolk
Currently, Dr. Agho serves as dean of the School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences at Indiana University. Earlier in his career he served as dean at the University of Michigan-Flint and at Indiana University/Purdue University Indianapolis.
The Next Dean of the School of Architecture at Tuskegee University
Carla Jackson Bell, one of only 12 African American women nationwide who hold a tenured faculty position in architecture, has been serving as director of multicultural affairs in the College of Architecture, Design, and Construction at Auburn University in Alabama.
Black Enrollments in Higher Education Continue to Drop
In 2014, there were 2,726,098 African Americans enrolled in U.S. higher education. They made up 13.2 percent of all enrollments. There were nearly a quarter million fewer African American students enrolled in higher education than was the case in 2011, a decline of 8 percent.
Johns Hopkins University Announces a Major New Faculty Diversity Initiative
In 2013, Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore reported that Blacks made up 4 percent of its total full-time faculty and 1.7 percent of its full professors. Now a new five-year, $25 million initiative has the goal of significantly improving those numbers.
Brown University Pledges $100 Million to Enhance Diversity and Inclusion Programs
Christina H. Paxson, president of Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, recently released a draft report that outlines a concrete set of actions to promote diversity and inclusion and confront the issues of racism, power, privilege, inequity, and injustice.
Reported Hate Crimes Are Down, But Are the Figures Reliable?
In 2014, there 5,479 hate crime incidents reported to the federal agency by local law enforcement agencies. But less than 11 percent of all local agencies reported any hate crimes. There was only one reported hate crime in the entire state of Mississippi.
Kemba Chambers Is the New Leader of Drake State Community and Technical College
The president of Drake State Community and Technical College in Huntsville was placed on leave and Dr. Kemba Chambers, who has been serving as dean of mathematics, natural sciences, and pre-engineering at Calhoun Community College in Tanner, Alabama, was named acting president.
Jamel Santa Cruze Bell to Lead Eureka College in Illinois
The board of trustees of Eureka College in Illinois has named Jamel Santa Cruze Bell as interim president of the educational institution, effective July 1, 2016. She currently serves as vice president for strategic and diversity initiatives.
University President Proposes Several Initiatives Aimed at Producing a “More Inclusive Yale”
Yale University President Peter Salovey has announced a series of new initiatives aimed at producing "a better, more diverse, and more inclusive Yale." A new academic center, increased student financial aid, a doubling of the budget for the Afro-American Cultural Center, and enhanced diversity training are among the initiatives.
Traki Taylor Named Dean of the College of Education at Florida A&M University
Dr. Taylor has been serving as dean and professor in the College of Education at Bowie State University in Maryland. Earlier in her career, she was associate dean in the School of Education and Human Services at the University of Michigan-Flint.
Paul Jones Named the Tenth President of Fort Valley State University
Dr. Jones has been serving as interim president of Darton State University in Albany, Georgia. Earlier in his career, Dr. Jones was chief budget officer and interim president at Georgia College and State University.
Historically Black Albany State University to Merge With Darton State College
Arthur Dunning, interim president of Albany State University, has been selected as president of the new merged institution. The two educational institutions combined enroll close to 10,000 students.
The Aftermath of a Historic Week at the University of Missouri
Black students emboldened by their success in forcing the resignation of system president Tim Wolfe, pressed on with demands. The university hired a diversity officer and announced other initiatives. But tensions remained high after threats against Black students were made on social media.
University of Texas Introduces the “Rooney Rule” for High-Level Administrative Searches
William H. McRaven, chancellor of the University of Texas System is instituting a new rule for all administrative searches for deans and higher posts in the 14-campus system. At least one minority applicant must be included in the final pool of candidates for all high-level administrative positions.
Yale University Earmarks $50 Million for Faculty Diversity Efforts
The Ivy League university will earmark $25 million over a five-year period for faculty recruitment, faculty appointments, and emerging faculty development. Participating schools at Yale will add an additional $25 million in matching funds.
After Black Student Protests, President of the University of Missouri System Resigns
After a Black student went on a hunger strike and the University of Missouri football team refused to practice or play to protest a lack of inaction on several racial incidents, the system president and the Columbia campus chancellor resigned.
The New Dean of the Florida A&M University College of Law
Angela Felecia Epps is a professor of law at the William H. Bowen School of Law at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. She joined the faculty at the law school in 1999 and has served as associate dean for academic affairs.
The New President of Bishop State Community College
Valerie Richardson has been serving as interim president of the college since August. She is the former vice president for institutional advancement and student services at Gadsden State Community College in Gadsden, Alabama.
An Extended Contract for the President of Bethune-Cookman University
Edison O. Jackson, president of Bethune-Cookman University in Daytona Beach, Florida, since 2013, has had his contract extended through June 2018. In a statement to the university community, the board chair praised Dr. Jackson's accomplishments during his tenure as president.
The New Provost at Bennett College
Since 2013, Phyllis Worthy Dawkins has been provost and vice president for academic affairs at Cheyney University, one of 14 campuses that make up the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education. She will assume her new duties on December 1.
Suzan-Lori Parks Wins the 2015 Gish Prize
The Gish Prize, considered among the top honors in the arts, comes with a cash award valued at $300,000. Parks is a graduate of Mount Holyoke College and teaches creative writing at New York University.
