HBCU’s, COVID and You

HBCUS, COVID AND YOU

By Cecil Jones, MBA

Let’s look at the importance of Historically Black Colleges and Universities, their educational delivery (and expenses) as a result of COVIC and your direct connection to HBCUs.

Who Attends or Works with Historically Black Colleges?

The 100+ Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) are impacted by COVID, just as you and I are. Why should you care about the state of HBCUs, COVID, Online instruction and the well-being of HBCUs? United Negro College Fund shares (https://uncf.org/programs/the-audacity-tolead) that 70% of all Black doctors, 50% of Black engineers and 35% of Black lawyers graduated from HBCUs.

You have family, friends and/or co-workers that attend/have attended HBCUs. My wife, Dr. Triphinia Harris-Jones graduated from Fisk University, an HBCU. My doctor graduated from Howard University’s Medical School. Our Editor Ray Miller was on the Board of Trustees for Central State University for several years. HBCU graduates are leaders in our community, i.e. Vice President Kamala Harris (Howard University) and Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus U.S. House of Representative’s Joyce Beatty (Central State University).

Many of the administrators, faculty and others at Wilberforce University and Central State University live in Dayton, Cincinnati and Columbus.

I lived in the dormitory and went to school at Central State during my high school summers via the Upward Bound High School program. Central State’s Upward Bound program also brought us high school students to its campus each quarter, on the weekends. Education, mentoring and reinforcement continued. The program also provided a monetary stipend, which really helped. Wilberforce University and Central State University are across the street from each other, in a rural Ohio campus like atmosphere. This rural area was refreshing, allowed me to be reflective and was very different from the West Side of Dayton, where I grew up. All of this education and mentoring adequately prepared me for college, when I graduated from high school. I have been mentored by, networked and interacted with the professors and administrators from that period, all of my adult life. This is usual HBCU mentorship.

HBCUs impacted me.

Why Are HBCUs Important for Our Community?

We should influence and impact positively whenever and wherever we can. Giving up influence is something in which we should not specialize. What does the Black Community influence/own in this country? Not businesses. There are approximately 125,000 Black owned businesses in the United States. https://www.census.gov/ newsroom/press-releases/2020/annualbusiness-survey-data.html

There are approximately 33 million businesses in the United States. (https://www. bizjournals.com/albany/news/2019/04/11/ number-of-businesses-in-the-united-states. html). 125,000 Black owned businesses out of 33 million businesses is less than 1% of all businesses in this country. We must and will do better.

Unfortunately, there are few places where the Black community currently has influence. Black churches and Black colleges are spheres in which we have major influence. Each couple of years, we hear Ohio legislators and others bring forward desires to merge Central State University with a primarily white university. The missions, mentoring and networking of those two entities are different and this should not be done. When you hear this idea being floated, make your thoughts known. HBCUs impact you.

HBCUs are important to us because that is where many of our key leaders (business, human rights, governmental officials, etc.) were groomed. Much of the young Black impetus in key human rights issues originates and is influenced by dialogue held on Black campuses. The graduation rate for Black students is higher at HBCUs than at predominately white colleges. Mentoring and networking occurs at HBCUs as part of their mission and everyday work (see the mission statement on the various colleges’ websites). Parents, students and others, HBCUs can provide students an accelerated step up.

HBCUs impact you.

COVID and HBCU Online Instruction

Moving from face-to-face courses to online courses is expensive in time, people and money. Online Learning Management Systems cost money and training is needed. The following describe some of the responses that occurred at HBCUs in response to COVID. Let’s think about COVID, its impact on technology and the resulting changes those technology changes have on HBCUs’ ability to deliver education. COVID and its effect on the world has changed the focus of technology. As a result, this change in the focus of technology affects HBCUs. Let’s look at those impacts below, so that we handle the changes well.

Central State University in Wilberforce

“Following the guidance given by Gov. DeWine, Central State University will conduct classes strictly online for the remainder of the Spring 2020 semester. The above strategy is to address the disruption caused by the threat of COVID-19.” (https:// www.centralstate.edu/academics/provost/ index.php?num=9)

Wilberforce University in Wilberforce

Wilberforce University shares: (https:// wilberforce.edu/statement-to-the-universitycommunity-response-to-coronaviruscovid-19/August 8, 2020) “Over the last several weeks, the circumstances that occasioned our initial decision to return in a hybrid teaching and learning format for the fall semester have changed significantly. We have been forced to recognize our vulnerability to the coronavirus and our inability to control behavior and the subsequent spread of the coronavirus.”

Bennett College in Greensboro, NC

Bennett communicates: “Bennett is among a growing number of U.S. colleges opting for online-only instruction. In late June, according to the Chronicle of Higher Education, only 8 percent of U.S. colleges and universities were planning for a virtual fall and nearly two-thirds expected to hold most of their classes in-person. As of a week ago, the number of schools going onlineonly this fall had risen to 14 percent, but the number planning for only or mostly face-to-face classes had dropped to less than half.” (https://www.bennett.edu/news/ bennett-college-was-the-first-n-c-schoolto-announce-that-it-will-offer-only-virtualclasses-during-the-upcoming-fall-semesterbecause-of-the-covid-19-pandemic/)

Spelman College in Atlanta

Spelman provides its impact: Important On-Campus Visit Update (https:// www.spelman.edu/admissions/visit-us) “Spelman College made the difficult decision to suspend large campus gatherings as we work to limit the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. All campus recruitment activities continue to be canceled, including scheduled family and group tours. In place of on-campus events & visits, the Office of Admissions is hosting various virtual information sessions and events throughout the year to connect with prospective students.”

Some, not all, of the questions and answers provided on Spelman’s website are below. These are classic questions with which HBCUs are asking, answering and seeking assistance. Also, you may want to ask your children’s K-12 school some of the below. From Spelman’s website: (https://www. spelman.edu/academics/path-forwardspring-2021) and Spring 2021 FAQ (https:// www.spelman.edu/academics/path-forwardspring-2021/spring-2021-faq).

To maintain Spelman’s academic excellence and mitigate against the spread of COVID-19, in spring 2021, the College plans to implement a low density, hybrid model with significant proactive health and safety protocols, including required COVID-19 testing, symptom tracking and monitoring,

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Students at Central State University

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and contact tracing. These protocols will be added to those already in place: mandatory mask wearing and frequent handwashing and disinfecting. The frequently asked questions below contain more details about the academic and safety plans for the upcoming semester.

To assist you in keeping up-to-date with the latest information, the date at the beginning of the question indicates when that answer was last updated.

One Person’s Efforts

LAST UPDATED: 01-25-2021

Academics [11-15-2020] How has the academic calendar been affected? [1-22-2021] If a professor opts into teaching their class in person and the student is instate, what is the protocol for the student if they do not feel comfortable attending an inperson class? [1-22-2021] How and when will I know if my class will be held in person or not? [1-22-2021] Will the majority of Spelman students be virtual or in-person this semester? [1-22-2021] Will the computer lab be open this semester? [1-22-2021] If a class is in-person, can students who registered for those courses attend virtually? [1-22-2021] If a student chooses remote learning because of medical conditions, will the in-person classes be offered virtually also? [1-22-2021] When can academic advisors be contacted regarding registration? [1-22-2021] When does registration officially start for virtual students? [1-22-2021] Will professors maintain any type of in-person or on-campus office hours for those students who need assistance with remote instruction?

I drove from Columbus to Wilberforce regularly (pre-pandemic) when Wilberforce University was having some challenges. I met with those that I knew and was introduced to others to share my skills and resources. I have taught in the Wilberforce CLIMB program, so of course I met with the Director of that program. I met with the President. I met with the Vice President of Advancement (Giving) sharing what I could do. I met with others to share my online course development, online Learning Management Systems selection experience and online education infrastructure experience. A couple of the past presidents of the Columbus Alumni chapter of Wilberforce University are my fraternity brothers (Alpha Phi Alpha) in our Columbus Alumni chapter. Whenever they mention their fundraising or ticket sales, I make sure that I participate. I have attended several of their face-to-face events, pre-pandemic. I introduced Central State’s past president to corporate leaders.

What Can You Do?

 Follow an HBCU online.  Donate to an HBCU or their local Alumni chapter in your area.  Speak up via emails, calls, letters, Facebook or other social media posts, showing your support for an HBCU.  Volunteer – remind students in your sphere of influence (church, family, friends, social networks) to include  Hire/recommend HBCU interns and graduates.  Arrange a tour of your workplace for current HBCU students. Share available internships.  Go to Central State’s homecoming when the pandemic dies out, even if you do not like football. Networking, mentoring, motivating, tradition and culture merge in one setting.  Introduce HBCU representatives to the foundations and funding managers in your workplace.  Remind students to go NOW to https:// studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa and enter their information. That is mandatory to receive grant and scholarship money via almost all colleges and universities. While the deadline is June 30, the filing via FAFSA began in October 2020 for Fall 2021. The allocation of dollars is occurring now.  Attend an HBCU Fair in your area

HBCUs IMPACT YOU!

Are you looking for a technology networking group to help you get smarter? What new technology or process have you learned this month? Need advice on how to look for that technology position? Are you considering technology education (courses, certificates or degrees) and need information? Do you have a business, process, project management, personnel or technology question? Please let me know. admin@accelerationservices.net Cecil Jones MBA, ABD, PMP, CCP, SCPM, FLMI, Lean Professional, 614-726-1925.