Roderick Smothers Named President of Philander Smith College in Little Rock, Arkansas
Dr. Smothers has been serving as vice president of advancement at Huston-Tillotson University in Austin, Texas. He holds bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees, all from Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge.
David Blackwell to Be Awarded the National Science Medal
Among this year’s 10 recipients of the National Science Medal is the David Blackwell, who will be honored posthumously. He was a professor of statistics at the University of California, Berkeley and the first African American member of the National Academy of Sciences.
The Stubborn Racial Gap in SAT Scores
The average combined score for Blacks of 1278 is 298 points below the average combined score for Whites. Since 2006 when the SAT test was revised, the racial scoring gap on the combined SAT has increased by seven points.
Frank Pogue to Lead Cheyney University of Pennsylvania
From 2010 to June of this year, Dr. Pogue was president of Grambling State University in Louisiana. Earlier in his career, he served for 11 years as president of Edinboro University of Pennsylvania. He will become interim president of Cheyney University on November 3.
For All Age Groups, Blacks Are More Likely to Be Enrolled in College Than...
In October 2013, 7.5 percent of the entire Black population over the age of 3 was enrolled in college or graduate school, compared to 6 percent of the White population. Whites are more likely than Blacks to be enrolled in the traditional college-going period of 18 to 24 years of age.
Department of Education Warns School Districts Not to Discriminate When Making Budget Cuts
Catherine E. Lhamon, assistant secretary for civil rights at the U.S. Department of Education, recently sent a "Dear Colleague" letter to the nation's school districts warning them not to discriminate against students of color.
Algeania Warren Freeman Named President of Wilberforce University in Ohio
Dr. Freeman previously served as president of Martin University in Indianapolis and Livingstone College in Salisbury, North Carolina. She has a difficult job ahead as Wilberforce has until December to show why its accreditation should not be revoked.
Winston-Salem State University Names Its Next Chancellor
Since 2012, Elwood L. Robinson has served as provost and vice president for academic affairs at Cambridge College in Massachusetts. Previously, he served on the faculty at North Carolina Central University in Durham.
What Are the College Prospects for the 4 Million Black Children Living in Poverty?
In 2013, there were 4,244,000 African Americans under the age of 18 in the United States who were living in poverty. This was 38.3 percent of all African American children.
The Most Diverse Student Bodies in American Higher Education
According to U.S News & World Report, the Newark campus of Rutgers University was rated as the most diverse in the country. Andrews University, Stanford University, St. John's University, and the University of Houston tied for second place.
Colgate University Students Protest Racism on Campus
A large group of students held a peaceful demonstration in the administration building at Colgate University protesting acts of racism and bias that occurred on campus and by Colgate students on social media.
Two Black Professors Are Named MacArthur Fellows
The Chicago-based MacArthur Foundation has announced the selection of 21 individuals in this year’s class of MacArthur Fellows. Two are African Americans with current ties to the academic world: Jennifer L. Eberhardt of Stanford University and Terrance Hayes of the University of Pittsburgh.
The Large and Persisting Racial Income Gap Impacts College Affordability
In 2013, the median income level for Black households was 59 percent of the median income for non-Hispanic White households. With only minor fluctuations, the racial gap in median income has remained virtually unchanged for the past 40 years.
Paine College President Submits His Resignation
George C. Bradley has resigned as president of historically Black Paine College in Augusta, Georgia. This past June, the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools placed Paine College on accreditation probation.
Soraya Coley Named the Next President of Cal Poly Pomona
Soraya M. Coley was named as the next president of California State Polytechnic University, Pomona. She now serves as provost and vice president for academic affairs at California State University, Bakersfield.
U.S. News Names Its Choices for the Best HBCUs
As was the case last year, Spelman College in Atlanta was ranked as the nation's best HBCU. Howard University in Washington, D.C., and Morehouse College in Atlanta held the second and third spots.
The Next Chancellor of Elizabeth City State University in North Carolina
Stacy Franklin Jones has spent the last several years as an independent consultant in Washington, D.C. She is the former provost and vice president for academic affairs at Bowie State University in Maryland.
Natasha Trethewey Archive to Be Housed at Emory University
Natasha Trethewey is the Robert W. Woodruff Professor of English and Creative Writing at Emory University in Atlanta. She served two terms as poet laureate of the United States and has won the Pulitzer Prize.
The New Chief Academic Officer at the Chicago School of Professional Psychology
Joseph Martin Stevenson is the new vice president for academic affairs and chief academic officer at the private graduate school devoted exclusively to the study of psychology and the behavioral sciences. He is the author or co-author of 13 books.
Marilyn Sutton-Haywood Named Dean of Arts and Sciences at Pfeiffer University
Dr. Sutton-Haywood was vice president for academic affairs and a professor of biology at Shaw University in Raleigh, North Carolina. Earlier, she held similar posts at Bethune-Cookman University in Daytona Beach, Florida, and Johnson C. Smith University in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Norman Francis Announces He Will Retire From the Presidency of Xavier University
An icon of American higher education, Norman C. Francis is the longest-tenured serving university president in the United States with nearly 47 years as head of the nation's only HBCU affiliated with the Catholic Church.
Hampton University’s Rodney Smith to Lead the College of the Bahamas
Rodney D. Smith has been chosen as the next president of the College of the Bahamas. Dr. Smith has been serving as vice president for administrative services at Hampton University in Virginia.
President Ronald Mason on the Way Out at Southern University
The Southern University Board of Supervisors voted to not extend the contract of system president Ronald Mason, which expires on June 30, 2015. Dr. Mason has served as system president since July 2010.
Shaw University Extends Contract of Acting President
Gaddis J. Faulcon has been serving as acting president of Shaw University since the beginning of the year. Now he has been named interim president and had his contract extended for a year.
New ACT Test Results Show Very Few Black Students Are Prepared for College
According to the 2014 scores on the ACT college entrance examination, only one in 20 Black students were rated college-ready in all four areas: English, reading, mathematics and science. Whites were nearly seven times as likely as Blacks to be college ready in all four areas.
Another Act of Kindness by Kentucky State University President Raymond Burse
President Burse came to football practice to announce that he would support senior football player Deshon Floyd's effort to raise money for an internship in New Zealand. President Burse said he would cover the remaining expenses.
Morehouse School of Medicine Educator Is the New President of the National Medical Association
Lawrence Sanders Jr. teaches internal medicine, business principles, and patient safety/quality improvement at Morehouse School of Medicine in Atlanta. He earned his medical degree at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee.
The New Provost at Lincoln University in Missouri
Said L. Sewell III is the new provost and vice president for academic affairs at Lincoln University in Jefferson City, Missouri. He was assistant provost for academic affairs at Kent State University in Ohio.
Richard J. Powell Named Dean of the Humanities at Duke University
Professor Powell is the John Spencer Bassett Professor of Art and Art History at Duke. He served as chair of the university's department of art, art history, and visual studies department from 1996 to 2001.
The New President of the Houston Campus of the Chamberlain College of Nursing
Dr. Vivian Lilly was academic dean at the San Antonio, Texas, campus of the Galen College of Nursing. Earlier in her career she taught nursing at the University of Texas at Arlington and Dallas Baptist University.
The University of Mississippi’s New Plan to Deal With Issues of Race and Diversity
The University of Mississippi has announced a new plan to foster a more inclusive and welcoming environment on campus. Perhaps the most controversial part of the plan is addressing the use of the term "Ole Miss" to refer to the university.
The New President of Stillman College in Alabama
Peter Edmund Millet is the new president of Stillman College in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. He is the only the sixth president in the college's 136-year history. Previously, he was provost and vice president for academic affairs at the college.
Wiley College President Haywood Strickland to Lead National Organization
Haywood L. Strickland, president of Wiley College in Marshall, Texas, has been appointed president of the National Association of Schools and Colleges of the United Methodist Church.
University of Texas Affirmative Action Case Is Not Done Yet
Last month, a panel of the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the affirmative action policies on the University of Texas. But the plaintiff was quick to respond and has now filed an appeal for the entire Fifth Circuit bench to hear the case.
A New Assessment of Graduation Success Rates at HBCUs
The study finds that when all variables are factored in Black and Hispanic students who enroll at minority-serving institutions are just as likely to graduate from college as Black and Hispanic students who attend other colleges and universities.
Turmoil in Montgomery: Power Struggle at Alabama State University
The university's president has come under fire for a number of different reasons and the governor has dismissed two board members for alleged conflicts of interest and for trying to usurp the president's powers.
