Tag: University of Virginia
African American Studies Granted Departmental Status at the University of Virginia
The Carter G. Woodson Institute for African-American and African Studies at the University of Virginia was established in 1981. Now, 36 years later it has been granted departmental status allowing it to function autonomously to develop curriculum and hire faculty.
The University of Virginia Deals With a 1921 Pledge of $1,000 From the KKK
In a statement to the university community, Teresa A. Sullivan, president of the University of Virginia, stated that "we’re going to acknowledge the pledge, and we’re going do so in a way that would be as disagreeable as possible for any remnants of the KKK who may be watching."
Higher Education Grants or Gifts of Interest to African Americans
Here is this week’s news of grants or gifts to historically Black colleges and universities or for programs of particular interest to African Americans in higher education.
University of Virginia School of Medicine Honors an Early Black Graduate
Dr. Vivian Pinn was the only woman and the only African American in the 1967 graduating class. She later served for 20 years as director of the Office for Research on Women's Health at the National Institutes of Health. Now, the medical research building at the University of Virginia has been renamed in her honor.
Black Students at the University of Virginia Issue a List of Demands
In the wake of the race-related violence that took place in Charlottesville last month, The Minority Rights Coalition, an assemblage of student groups at the University of Virginia, issued a list of 10 demands to the university's administration.
University of Virginia Historian Documents How Black-Owned Land Was Stolen
Dr. Andrew W. Kahrl is conducting research on how tax liens and tax sales became a tool used by predatory land speculators to acquire Black-owned land. Dr. Kahrl discovered that local officials assessed Black property owners at highly inflated rates in an effort to tax them off the land.
A Large Group of African Americans Who Are Taking on New University Administrative Roles
Here is this week’s roundup of African Americans who have been appointed to new administrative positions at colleges and universities throughout the United States.
Higher Education Grants or Gifts of Interest to African Americans
Here is this week’s news of grants or gifts to historically Black colleges and universities or for programs of particular interest to African Americans in higher education.
Notable Honors Awarded to Two African American Women in Higher Education
Rita Dove, Commonwealth Professor of English at the University of Virginia, was honored by the U.S. Presidential Scholars Foundation and DiOnetta Jones Crayton, associate dean for undergraduate education at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, received an award from the Women in Engineering Pro-Active Network.
The New Dean of Students at the College of the Holy Cross
Since 2006, Dr. Michele C. Murray has been vice president for the Division of Student Development at Seattle University in Washington State. Earlier, she held student affairs posts at Loyola University Maryland and the University of Vermont.
University of Virginia Names a Campus Building in Honor of a Slave
Peyton Skipwith, a former slave who quarried stone for some of the early structures on the Charlottesville campus, was owned by John Hartwell Cocke, one of the first members of the university's board of visitors.
University of Virginia Study Shows Black Students Thrive With Demanding Teachers
Teachers who expect a lot of their students academically, lead a very well-organized classroom, and make students feel supported in their efforts are the ones that produce the most success from their African American students.
New Scholarship Program at Indiana University School of Law Honors Julian Bond
Julian Bond, the noted civil rights leader, legislator, author, NAACP chair, and long-time faculty member at the University of Virginia who died in 2015, was the co-founder of the Southern Poverty Law Center.
University of Virginia Law Students Participate in Pro Bono Civil Rights Law Clinic
The goal of the clinic is to bring cases that have the potential to provide real and concrete relief to large groups of people who have been harmed by discrimination or deprivation of protected rights.
Swarthmore College President Honored by Hong Kong Baptist University
Valerie Smith, president of the highly rated Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania, was the recipient of an honorary doctor of letters degree from Hong Kong Baptist University. Dr. Smith was honored for her work on diversity, inclusion, and curricular innovation during her first year as president of the Swarthmore.
A Unique Approach to Address the Racial Gap in School Discipline
Researchers at the University of Virginia, Rutgers University and the University of British Columbia have a published a study that shows that teachers who change instruction practices can impact the large racial gap in school discipline.
University of Virginia Envisions a Memorial to Slaves Who Worked on Campus
The University of Virginia recently held a meeting aimed at getting input from local residents in the Charlottesville area for their views on a proposed memorial to the Black slaves and laborers who helped construct early buildings on the university's campus.
In Memoriam: Debra Saunders-White, 1957-2016
Debra Saunders-White, the 11th chancellor of North Carolina Central University in Durham, died on November 26. Dr. Saunders-White was diagnosed with kidney cancer in 2015 and took a medical leave of absence in August 2016.
The University of Virginia Honors the Late Julian Bond With an Endowed Chair
Professor Bond, who was a civil rights pioneer and led the NAACP for 12 years, taught at the University of Virginia for 20 years. He was a founding member of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, the first president of the Southern Poverty Law Center, and served in the Georgia State legislature for 20 years.
Do Young Black Students Do Better When They Have a Black Teacher?
A new study by researchers at the University of Virginia’s Center for Advanced Study of Teaching and Learning suggests that the racial or ethnic heritage of the teachers in the front of pre-kindergarten classrooms can make a big difference in the performance of students.
University of Virginia Scholar Works to Preserve the History of the House of Slaves
A group of American and African scholars are working together to restore the home of Madame Anna Colas Pepin on Goree Island just off the coast of Senegal. A professor at the University of Virginia is one of the international scholars involved in the project.
In Memoriam: James Alan McPherson, 1943-2016
In 1978, Professor McPherson was the first African American to win the Pulitzer Prize for fiction. At the time of his death he was professor emeritus at the Iowa Writers' Workshop.
Four Black Scholars Taking on New Roles in Higher Education
Appointed to new positions are James Mack at the University of Cincinnati, Edwin Kwane Otu at the University of Virginia, J'Aime Jennings of the University of Louisville, and Sherman Henry at the University of Oregon.
African American Faculty Members Making News
African American faculty members taking on new roles are Kali Nicole Gross at Wesleyan University in Middletown, Connecticut, La Marr Jurelle Bruce of the University of Maryland, College Park, Jennifer Hamer of the University of Kansas, and Talitha LeFlouria at the University of Virginia.
In Memoriam: Raymond Gavins, 1942-2016
Dr. Gavins joined the faculty at Duke in 1970. He was the first African American to join the faculty of Duke's history department. Dr. Gavins was promoted to associate professor in 1977 and to full professor in 1992.
Racial Bias May Contribute to the Undertreatment of Pain for African Americans
Past studies have demonstrated that Black patients tended to be undertreated for pain relative to White patients. A new study by researchers at the University of Virginia has found that this undertreatment may be caused, in part, by racial bias.
The New Dean of the School of Education at American University
Cheryl Holcomb-McCoy currently serves as vice provost for faculty affairs and a professor of counseling and human development at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore. She will begin her new job in July.
Seven Black Faculty Members Appointed to New Posts
Here is this week’s roundup of Black faculty members from colleges and universities throughout the United States who have been appointed to new positions.
Higher Education Grants of Interest to African Americans
Here is this week’s news of grants to historically Black colleges and universities or for programs of particular interest to African Americans in higher education.
Grace E. Harris Retires After a Career That Spanned 48 Years at Virginia Commonwealth University
Grace E. Harris has retired as a distinguished professor of public policy at the leadership institute that bears her name at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond. Her service included terms as dean of the School of Social Work, provost, and acting president.
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.
New Director Seeks to Expand the Focus of Emory’s James Weldon Johnson Institute
Andra Gillespie, an associate professor of political science at Emory University, is seeking to expand the scope of the institute from one dealing mostly with the humanities to a large number of academic disciplines.
Five Black Scholars Taking on New Assignments in Higher Education
The scholars in new teaching roles ate Carolyn Barnes at Duke University, Tondra-Loder-Jackson at the University of Alabama Birmingham, H. Shellae Versey at Wesleyan University, Kisha Lashley at the University of Virginia, and Vanessa Tyson at Scripps College.
New University of Virginia Program Prepares Black Students for Leadership Roles
The Office of African American Affairs at the University of Virginia has begun a new "strategic leadership" initiative as part of its Cornerstone Plan of academic advising, career advising, coaching, and networking with alumni.
Safiya Sinclair Receives $25,800 Fellowship Award From The Poetry Foundation
Safiya Sinclair is currently a Dornsife Doctoral Fellow in literature and creative writing at the University of Southern California. She is a graduate of Bennington College in southwestern Vermont and holds a master of fine arts degree from the University of Virginia.
Rita Dove to Receive the $20,000 Stone Award for Lifetime Literary Achievement
The Stone Award was established in 2011 to highlight the work of the creative writing program at Oregon State University's School of Writing. Literature, and Film. The award comes with a $20,000 prize. Professor Dove, the Commonwealth Professor of English at the University of Virginia, will accept the award next spring in Oregon.
