January 2015
Vol. 2 Issue 1
HBCU DIGEST
FEATURES HBCU
DIGEST 5 Letter from the Publisher 10 The State of Dating By Robyn Mowatt
6 ON CAMPUS 8 STUDENTS 14 POLITICS 18 SPORTS 22 COMMENTARY Cover Art Norfolk State University Office of Communications and Marketing HBCU Digest is published monthly by Carter Media Enterprises, LLC. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. HBCU Digest and the HBCU Digest logo are protected through registered trademark. For advertising and subscription information, contact carter@hbcudigest.com.
Milinnenial women from HBCUs speak out on the new rules of dating, courtship, chivalry and romantic expectations. 15 Legislative Angst Builds Over Maryland Higher Ed Chancellor-Elect, Ties to HBCU Lawsuit By Jarrett Carter Sr. A bill moving through the Maryland senate has spurred dialog over a the controversial hiring of Robert Caret as the new chancellor of the University of Maryland System. 21 State Cuts, NCAA Big Business Put Southern Athletics in Crosshairs By Jarrett Carter Sr. As Southern University continues work towards reinstatement to NCAA post-season play, funding realities of state politics and NCAA policy changes are taking their toll on the Jaguar program.
You’re sitting in your first class. After initial introductions, you learn that right in front of you is a veteran who has served his country for decades abroad. To your right is a shy young man on his first extended stay since leaving his hometown of Laurel, Mississippi. To your left is an extroverted evangelist and physics major from Nigeria who’s doing research you’ll never be able to pronounce. Finally, just behind you is a biology major from Chicago whose sole passion is to quickly get the foundation from which she someday will return to her neighborhood as a doctor. And you? Well, you immediately realize that you, too, are special. You are an Alabama A&M University student with a powerful mixture of dream, potential and the drive to make it all happen. You are A&M. Nestled in the final stretches of the Appalachians, this hillside campus boasts a location within one of the most liveable cities in the world. Its academics are bolstered by a gifted faculty with a thirst for research and learning. And, diverse undergraduate and graduate degrees offer the more than 5,000 students curricula leading toward Ph.D. degrees in several areas. Join us. Make your first class first-class. From community and regional planning to apparel, merchanising and design to food science and physics--AAMU brings together the world and its views, handing both to you one classroom at a time. Experience Engagement ... Fulfillment ... Celebration!
www.aamu.edu
Letter from the Publisher Greetings, We hope that you will enjoy this inagural issue of our second volume of the HBCU Digest Magazine. You will notice a few changes from our very first volume, which we hope continues our mission of expansive coverage of historically black colleges and universities. We are proud to now offer a true digest-format of stories, many of which appeared in abbreviated form on our digital product, HBCUDigest.com. For those who do not visit the site daily, or do not subscribe to email updates, we hope that this catalog of the month's top headlines will provide you an in-depth briefing on interesting and influential topics emerging through the beginning of 2015. You will also find that we have added several long-form articles to complement the news briefs, which highlight special discussions on issues being faced by many HBCUs. Through these features and originally-reported stories, we hope that there is a perspective or set of data which resonates with you and your vision for the future of your campus. Please enjoy the new style and substance of the HBCU Digest Magazine, and thank you for your unending support of this publication, and of historically black colleges and universities. Yours in Advocacy, !
Jarrett Carter Sr.
ON CAMPUS Norfolk State to Lead $25 Miilion HBCU Cybersecurity Initiative U.S. Vice President Joseph Biden appeared at Norfolk State University this month to announce a five-year, $25 million cybersecurity grant to 13 historically black colleges and universities. The grant will fund academic and research development at the participating colleges and at two national laboratories, according to a release. Norfolk State will serve as the lead institution in the grant, an opportunity applauded by Virginia Senator Tim Kaine. "With these new grants, Norfolk State and other HBCUs will be better equipped to provide students with the training and skills necessary to combat current and future cyber threats, as well as meet the growing demand for skilled cybersecurity professionals in Virginia and across the country. I look forward to welcoming Vice President Biden and Secretary Moniz to Norfolk State on Thursday to announce these important investments and highlight the remarkable talent of Norfolk State University’s students.” The grant is part of several cybersecurity initiatives announced today by President Barack Obama, which include new policies on law enforcement, data sharing and preservation of electronic communications and stored information. The participating institutions all offer undergraduate or graduate programs in computer science or mathematics, and will be a part of what the White House classifies as a 'system' of institutions working with regional high schools, colleges and research institutions to promote diversity in the cybersecurity fields. Paine College Interim President Samuel Sullivan says that his school will be granted $1 million over five years to support student scholarships, and faculty research partnerships with nearby Georgia Regents University. "We are excited about the opportunities this grant will bring to our institution," Dr. Sullivan
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said. "We are a small school, but this funding will enable our students and our faculty to conduct new learning and research that will help create job opportunities in the cybersecurity workforce." An official with the US Department of Education told the HBCU Digest that the Lawrence Livermore and Sandia National Laboratories and the Charleston County School District will share $2 million of the $5 million annual consortium funding, granting the 13 HBCUs a total of $3 million, roughly $231,000 per institution.
Harris-Stowe State Launches Center to Combat Violence, Abuse Harris-Stowe State University announced the launch of its campus-based Center for NonViolence and Abuse Prevention, an initiative that will provide resources and information to students and community members to prevent harmful interaction and behavior. “As Harris-Stowe continues to press forward as an intellectual think tank in the St. Louis community, I feel it is imperative we establish centers such as the Center for Non-Violence and Abuse Prevention to address major issues that our society faces,” stated HSSU President Dr. Dwaun Warmack. “Those who have been a victim of abuse or violence are many times left feeling helpless. Therefore, we must work together to fight these stigmas and educate and empower through dialogue and other resources.” The center will be housed in the university's student affairs division.
Fisk Professor Wins National Research, Teaching Award Fisk University Assistant Professor Natalie Arnett has won a five-year research and teaching award from the National Science Foundation, which will total more than $540,000 over the life of the program. Dr. Arnett, who teaches and oversees graduate studies in Fisk's Department of Chemistry, will use the funds to support research for developing novel membrane materials for fuel cell applications, and will launch a new polymer chemistry course for Fisk freshmen.
According to Fisk officials, Dr. Arnett is the first female and first Fisk faculty member to win the award in nearly 20 years. “The NSF CAREER Award is the most prestigious and highly competitive science award of NSF. We are extremely proud of Dr. Arnett and NSF’s recognition of her excellence in integrating research and education. Her project will impact the retention of undergraduates (including underrepresented minorities) in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) and increase the pipeline of talent for STEM advanced degrees and careers,” said Fisk University President, Dr. H. James Williams.
Claiborne Smith Steps Down as Delaware State Board Chairman Delaware State University Board Chairman Claiborne Smith resigned his position in January, citing a need for new leadership after his 22 years in the seat and 30 as a member of the board. Trustees unanimously elected DSU alumnus and vice-chairman David Turner as Dr. Smith's successor. Dr. Smith praised Turner's commitment to the board and noted that a succession plan for board leadership has been in the works for years. “Several years ago during a meeting of the board, I told them that I can’t be chair forever,” Dr. Smith said. “I said that we have to have someone ready to serve in that role, after me.”
and the others given the opportunity to really pull it forward to continue to lead into the future. I’m very thankful of the opportunity.” Officials yesterday announced that the university's administration building will be named in honor of Dr. Smith, who will leave the board when his term ends in 2016.
Clark Atlanta Receives $100K Research Grant Clark Atlanta University will bolster its undergraduate research capacity with a $100,000 research award from the Andrew Mellon Foundation. The grant will fund exploratory methods of incorporating research into the academic curriculum for all levels of undergraduate experience, and will pair students with faculty mentors to spur research development and presentations at conferences.
“I’m very excited and very passionate about the leadership role here at DSU,” Mr. Turner said. “I think education is the key for the HBCU community, which are usually first generation African American students who don’t really have any one else to go to in terms in having an experience in college.
“This important and timely grant from the Mellon Foundation will enhance the learning potential of CAU students by infusing research into the undergraduate experience beginning in the first year and through to graduation. We are grateful to the Mellon Foundation for its ongoing support Clark Atlanta University and its confidence in us to develop new mechanisms to infuse research into the curriculum across all disciplines of the university.”
“We graduate more successful people in HBCU’s than the main colleges, so it’s important for me
The one-year grant began in December 2014 and runs through November of this year.
Turner spoke to attendees about the continuing value of HBCUs.
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STUDENTS Morehouse Wins Historic National Moot Court Championship
Dante Martin, identified as the head of a hazing culture within the university's Marching 100 marching band was sentenced to 77 months in prison in Orlando, Fl. Martin, 27, was convicted in October of manslaughter and felony hazing in the death of drum major, Robert Champion. Prosecutor said in the October trial that Martin was the ringleader in the ritual hazing.
Morehouse College students Rodje Malcolm and Emmanuel Waddell entered December's American Collegiate Moot Court Association national tournament as the only team from a historically black college or university. The duo left Miami, Fla as the first HBCU team to win the national title.
Circuit Judge Renee Roche said that Martin was a “ remarkable young man” but punishment still had to be given so he could learn from the mistake. Defense lawyers asked for a lesser sentence than state guidelines suggested due to Champion being “ a willing participant” in the ritual that killed him. Martin could have faced up to 22 years in prison.
Malcolm and Waddell defeated reigning champion Patrick Henry College 3-2, dethroning the school which had won the association's championship for seven straight years.
Savannah State Lifts Marching Band Suspension
“Schools across the country have recognized that moot court better prepares students for law school and law careers than any other forensic program,” said Morehouse Moot Court Coach Winfield Murray. “Students have to understand judicial precedent, how to brief case law, how to argue appellate matters before the U.S. Supreme Court and how to address a tribunal en banc. These skills are normally taught in law school, so we are well ahead of the curve in preparing our lawyers of tomorrow.”
Officials at Savannah State University have lifted the suspension of the school's marching band, following the results of an autopsy report stemming from the November death of former band member Donald McKnight Jr.
The first national title for the Morehouse team comes in just its second year of competition.
Marching 100 Hazing 'Ringleader' Sentenced Former Florida A&M University band musician
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GBI officials yesterday confirmed that McKnight died from complications of pneumonia and high blood pressure. While school officials did not elaborate on the details of the suspension or why it was lifted, many have speculated that the suspension was directly tied to allegations of hazing. An internal investigation conducted by Savannah State administration found that the band had violated portions of its university code of conduct prior to the suspension.
Tennessee State Suspends Student Connected to Double Shooting Tennessee State University officials announced the suspension of a student connected to an offcampus shooting yesterday afternoon. TSU first-year student Eric Freeman, 24, was injured from a gunshot wound during an incident at the Village On The Green Apartments near the TSU main campus. According to police reports, Freeman was taken to Vanderbilt Medical Center after driving a black Mustang to a campus checkpoint, the same vehicle from which witnesses reported fired shots and having fled the scene after the shooting. Freeman, who has not been arrested and was released from the hospital on Monday evening, told police that he was shot during a robbery attempt and did not shoot Anthony Barbee, the other shooting victim who was pronounced dead at Vanderbilt Medical Center after the incident.
NCA&T's Madison Gibbs Crowned 'Miss Black North Carolina'
“After winning and seeing how my hard work paid off, I realized that if I was afforded some of the opportunities that I wanted before, I wouldn't have received what I have now. Ultimately, I was blessed with bigger and better and because of this I want to do everything I can under my title to have an impact,” she said. Gibbs will travel to Washington D.C. in August to compete for the national Miss Black USA crown, and has launched a crowdfunding campaign to assist in raising funds for the trip.
Morehouse Campus Shooting Victim Sues School A Morehouse College student injured in a 2013 campus shooting at the school is suing the college for medical expenses and pain and suffering. Cornelius Savage was shot during an argument at Morehouse's Archer Hall by former Clark Atlanta University student Amir Obafemi. According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Savage is seeking an unspecified amount to clear more than $100,000 in medical bills, and changes to lifestyle and bodily function. Changes that his attorney says were brought on by negligence of glaring campus security issues by Morehouse officials. In the suit, filed last month in Fulton County Superior Court, Savage’s attorney, Sharon D. Smith-Knox, claimed that Morehouse, “despite having clear and obvious knowledge of the need to improve security… inexplicably failed to take the necessary actions to properly secure its campus.”
North Carolina A&T State University senior Madison Gibbs last month began her reign in form as the 2014-15 Miss Black North Carolina USA, following her pageant victory in December. Gibbs, a Greensboro native who began her pageant career as a high school student four years ago, will promote personal and academic achievement through her Project R.S.V.P. Reaching our Society through Virtue and Public Service - initiative.
In a statement, Morehouse officials pledged continuing concern for campus safety and student well-being. “The shooting incident involving Cornelius Savage in February 2013 is unfortunate. The college continues to take very seriously the public safety of all of our students, faculty, staff and guests. This particular case was an isolated incident and the college is prepared to respond to the allegations as appropriate," Morehouse Spokesperson Elise Durham told the AJC.
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The State of Dating Milinnenial women from HBCUs speak out on the new rules of dating, courtship, chivalry and romantic expectations. By Robyn Mowatt
relationship building.
Many women in the millennial generation seem to have the entire package: great college experiences, a beautifully decorated apartment, great friends and a trendy wardrobe. Yet, there is one thing missing: a significant other.
Marshall has been in a committed, monogamous relationship for the three-and-a-half years and says she rarely went out on dates prior to her relationship. The title of 'girlfriend,' 'boyfriend,' or 'partner,' she says, also plays a role in expectations and approaches.
Some women sacrifice relationships for their academics or social lives and are left alone while others struggle to find romantic compatibility. False media images, skepticism in modern-day chivalry, have shaped dramatically different perspectives amongst millennial women, causing an increased level of interest and exposure on how to answer these questions. The overlapping objective is clear - how to find a partner who meets and embraces high standards and expectations. In the past, men would court women and ask for parents' permission before whisking her away for their first dinner date. Today, blurred lines of communication, gender roles and family structure have made for new rules, and new headaches, in the dating game. “I feel that our dating patterns are [not positive] because we’re not being taught ‘how’ to date,” says Malorie Marshall, 27, a graduate journalism student at CUNY from Orlando, Fla. “We’re suffering from antiquated dating patterns and gender roles juxtaposing with our modernity. We can’t do things the same way our parents and grandparents did them, but we’re limited by their experiences.” Marshall says that with outdated dating expectations, millennial women are trying to figure out what dating is on their own terms, and without the benefit of adapted advice from Generation Y. She points out that some women are even taking modern examples from media celebrities, rappers and singer which are not offering realistic aspirations for courtship or
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“I don’t think titles are important in terms of displaying them for everyone, but I do think it’s incredibly important to determine [specific] titles in a relationship,” said Marshall. “I would not be comfortable in a situation where there is no determination of titles.” For some, singleness can be crushing if it is paired with academic or professional success, a trend which is alarmingly high for black women. The lack of a romantic interpersonal relationship weighs down on some millennials, and causes some to refer to the end of chivalry as an 'epidemic' resulting in increased number of women opting for casual dating or 'hooking up.' “Our generation does not go on traditional dates anymore. People just ‘chill’ now,” says Alexandria Washington, 23, a graduate Public Health student at Florida A&M University from West Melbourne, Fla. “The romance is gone. The idea of chivalry is almost out the window.” Washington further explains that she has had her fair share of good relationships as well as bad ones, but says media images are problematic within the Millennial culture. “The idea of a broken home and broken family is constantly reinforced by [the media] by shows that make them glamorous and create a sense of normalcy around them, says Washington. “Granted, it may make for entertainment, however there should be a disclaimer [stating] that their actions and lifestyle are not healthy” said Washington. Washington says that her parents, who are married, and their relationship had a major impact on her life and she believes the ‘double
parent household’ to be a distinct goal for her romantic life. “I do not believe enough men and women have expectations when it comes to dating: if you settle for less than you deserve, that is what you will end up with,” said Washington. According to The Huffington Post, 57% of college attendees are women. The differences in numbers are high which points to why many women find themselves “dating down” due to the men readily available during the college stage of their lives. The idea of “dating down” is a concept that is not unheard of but at times it is not okay since some women find themselves in situations lacking titles: meaning there are no boundaries. Kibrett Facey, 21, a sophomore Public Relations student at Cornell University from Orlando, Fla, believes there are differing views on dating amongst millennial women and men. “I believe that even more important than a title is a sense of mutual understanding and the establishment of [healthy] boundaries,” she says Her experiences with dating stem from her going on several dates since she arrived at Cornell. She believes some Millennial women suffer gender roles are shoved in our faces from the mainstream media and social media platforms.
“I feel like people are spending too much time looking for things that are supposed to find you. I believe that the biggest issue is the abundance of posts on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter that speak about how a man should do ‘this,’ a woman should do ‘that,’ and I’m looking for ‘this,’” said Facey. Women agree that establishing expectations may be difficult in the 21st century, since millennial men are growing and learning gender roles at a pace and in a culture that is dramatically different from generations past. And with changing economic realities for college students and recent college graduates, good dating experiences must still be built on compatibility and shared interest. “The level of enjoyment [when dating] was always more correlated with the actual person that I was with rather than the activity we were partaking in,” said Facey. A return to chivalry and common expectations will be key factors in improving the dating experience for most millennial women, but most say they are still enjoying the process of learning more about the opposite sex, and more about themselves along the way. “I am thankful for [all my relationships] they have molded me into the woman that I am today,” said Washington.
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POLITICS TMCF Calls for Two-Years of Free Tuition at All Public Colleges Officials at the Thurgood Marshall College Fund last month called for expansion of President Barack Obama's plan to offer free community college tuition to include four-year public institutions. In a statement, TMCF officials 'applauded' the White House for working to find ways to create more access for students seeking higher education and career options, but also called for a more robust funding plan that does not exclude colleges offering four-year degrees. "As President Obama begins working with Congress to make this proposal law, we suggest an enhancement that would obligate the federal government to provide free tuition for the first two years for students attending any statesupported institution, whether they choose to pursue their post-secondary education at a 2-year community college or a 4-year state college. Because federal and state dollars will fund this proposal, America’s college students should maintain the choice to attend any degreegranting institution funded with public dollars." TMCF is an advocacy and fundraising organization representing 47 publicly-supported historically black colleges and universities. In November 2014, the organization announced a partnership with for-profit University of Phoenix to expand core curriculum offerings through distance learning options.
James Clyburn Seeks Reinstatement of HBCU Historic Building Preservation Program Congressman James Clyburn is seeking the return of a federal program that would fund preservation and restoration of historic buildings on historically black college campuses throughout the country. Clyburn, a graduate of South Carolina State University, last month introduced a bill that would reinstate the HBCU
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Historic Preservation Program, which between 1998 and 2009 assisted more than 50 HBCUs with capital improvement projects through the reimbursement initiative. In a release, Clyburn cited improvement projects at SCSU, Allen University, Voorhees College, Benedict College and Claflin University as models of the program's value. “I look forward to continuing my work with HBCUs in South Carolina and around the country to revive this successful effort to celebrate our heritage and strengthen our communities,” Congressman Clyburn said. “The structures on these campuses across the country are living testaments to African American history and deserve to be stabilized and restored. I will continue to work with my colleagues in Congress to preserve our nation’s history.” HBCUs would be required to present plans for how restoration projects would be funded and completed within three years to qualify for reimbursement through the program, which would be managed by the National Park Service.don’t really have any one else to go to in terms in having an experience in college. “We graduate more successful people in HBCU’s than the main colleges, so it’s important for me and the others given the opportunity to really pull it forward to continue to lead into the future. I’m very thankful of the opportunity.” Officials yesterday announced that the university's administration building will be named in honor of Dr. Smith, who will leave the board when his term ends in 2016.
Legislative Angst Builds Over Maryland Higher Ed Chancellor-Elect, Ties to HBCU Lawsuit A new bill introduced by a Maryland state senator may block the controversial appointment of the state's new higher education chancellor, and has sparked contentious debate among state legislators and education officials. Robert Caret is expected to be take charge of the University of Maryland System on July 1. But the former Towson University president who was a key figure in a federal discrimination lawsuit filed by alumni and students of Maryland's historically black colleges and universities was at the center of discussion during a senate education committee meeting in January. Education, Health and Environmental Affairs Committee Chairperson Sen. Joan Carter Conway last month presented Senate Bill 19, which would require legislative approval of chancellor appointments. Yesterday, she engaged members of the Maryland Board of Regents' chancellor search committee on the merit of the selection process, and cited Dr. Caret's role in the 2005 duplication of Morgan State University's MBA program through a joint program at Towson University and the University of Baltimore as a point of concern. "It is unconscionable to know that Maryland has been in litigation, and in the middle of a suit and the impetus for the suit is the last program that was duplicated," said Conway. "And you bring that individual to head the University of Maryland System?" USM Board Chairman James Shea cited Dr. Caret's efforts to engage Morgan State in offering a joint MBA program, but said that Morgan declined the offer and left Towson to pursue programming with the University of Baltimore. "In short, he didn't create a new program, he latched onto an existing program. Of course, it is a program in some sense is similar to many that Sen. Conway has described. But Mr. Caret didn't create it, he didn't start a new program. And we felt that, in the end, his many fine qualities and superb leadership in the University of Massachusetts System meant that he was the right choice for chancellor."
A federal judge ruled in October 2013 that Maryland had operated a 'separate but unequal' system of higher education for black and white students, and ordered mediation between the sides to discuss financial or programmatic restoration remedies for the black colleges. The Towson/UB MBA program was specifically cited in Judge Catherine Blake's judgement against the state, which she said had caused racial disparities, enrollment shortages, and financial harm to Morgan and Bowie State University, Coppin State University and the University of Maryland Eastern Shore. For example, the development of the joint UB/ Towson MBA in 2005, over Morgan’s objection, demonstrates the inefficacy of the State’s current policy regarding duplication. It was the consensus of (Office of Civil Rights) staff, (Historically Black Institutional) leaders, and even (the Maryland Higher Education Commission) initially, that the creation of the program would constitute unnecessary program duplication. Yet, the Secretary of MHEC reversed course and approved the program on March 15, 2005. "You knew that you were picking a guy who was going to be controversial, and didn't socialize it outside with folks who certainly have got some skin in the game? Where I'm from, that would be categorized as below-average head work," said committee member Sen. Steve Waugh. Leaders of the coalition that filed the HBCU equity lawsuit supported Sen. Conway's approach to preserving HBCU development. "I find it interesting that the state would choose this person to lead higher education in Maryland when it was his leadership that is why we are where we are," said David Burton, President of the Coalition for Equity and Excellence in Maryland Higher Education. "It's like putting the fox in charge of the hen house."
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SPORTS
FAMU officials called Townsend, who was appointed in December following the resignation of former AD Kellen Winslow, a 'dear friend.'
Former Clark Atlanta Football Coach Files Racial Discrimination Lawsuit
“The University lost a dear friend, excellent leader, and administrator,” said FAMU President Elmira Mangum. "We will miss Nelson Townsend. We join his wife and family in mourning this great loss.”
Citing inequitable work requirements, racial insults made by alumni boosters and derogatory treatment from university administration, former Clark Atlanta University head football coach Ted Bahhur last month filed a racial discrimination suit against the university.
Tallhassee Mayor Andrew Gillum commended Townsend for his contributions to FAMU athletics through three stints at the helm of the Rattler program.
According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Bahhur says that his 20-29 record over four years with the Panther program was not ground for performance-based dismissal, given the team's 4-39 record prior to his arrival. Clark Atlanta officials did not comment on the suit or allegations for the AJC report.
Skip Perkins Resigns as Howard Athletic Director Howard University athletic director, and will be replaced by Senior Associate Athletic Director Shelly Davis, the university announced. Appointed in 2010, Perkins oversaw a Bison program that found few gains in revenue bearing sports of football and men's basketball. Between 2010-14, the Bison posted only one winning season under head football coach Gary Harrell, and posted its best men's basketball season, a 10-21 mark under Kevin Nickelberry, in 2011-12. In 2012, the university suspended spring sports activities and launched an investigation into misuse of athletic scholarship funds. That investigation resulted in a reduction of scholarships in football, men's and women's basketball, men's track and field, and probation through 2018.
FAMU Interim Athletic Director Nelson Townsend Dies Florida A&M University Interim Athletic Director Nelson Townsend died last month after collapsing prior to the start of a meeting. He was 73.
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"R. Jai and I are both saddened to hear the news of Nelson Townsend's passing this afternoon. Nelson was a community leader with a deep passion for the growth and development of student-athletes. His storied career spanning over three decades in collegiate and international athletics, as well as educational administration, is a testament to the dynamic and benevolent person he embodied to those around him. His contributions to FAMU Athletics and to our greater university community will be greatly remembered and appreciated. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his friends and family.
MEAC Athletic Directors Confirm Details of MEAC/ SWAC Postseason Bowl Game Florida A&M University Interim Athletic Director Nelson Townsend and Morgan State Unversity Athletic Director Floyd Kerr both confirmed in separte interviews details of an still-unconfirmed bowl game between the football champions of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference and the Southwestern Athletic Conference. Conference officials would not comment on th remarks, and said there was no timetable on a potential announcement regarding the bowl game.
MAKING HISTORY RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW!
Jackson State University has a distinguished history that is rich in the tradition of educating young men and women. Jackson State University is committed to educating and empowering men and women to excel in leadership capacities on every front. We provide an accepting, caring environment where students of all ages, races and backgrounds can flourish intellectually, socially and culturally. Throughout our 136-year history, Jackson State has remained committed to our founding mission of challenging minds and changing lives.
www.jsums.edu Apple Distinguished School for 2013-2015 Recognized by Apple as a distinguished school for innovation, leadership and educational excellence.
State Cuts, NCAA Big Business Put Southern Athletics in Crosshairs One year ago, Calvin Godfrey was a standout forward for the Southern University men's basketball program. He led the Jaguars in points (13.1), rebounds (8.8), blocked shots (1.6) per game, and field goal percentage (55.6 percent). He was named 'Newcomer of the Year' and a member of the SWAC all-conference first team, and appeared to have found a permanent home after several transfers between Division I and community colleges around the country. Today, the senior averages four points and just under four rebounds per game for the University of Memphis, a school which will likely be the final stop of his college career. But Godfrey wasn't alone in his latest trip; he, along with eight other Southern athletes were granted transfers after the NCAA ruled the university ineligible for postseason competition in all sports. "I'm convinced that we would not have lost those athletes if we weren't facing the postseason ban," says Southern Athletic Director William Broussard. The ban, a result of the NCAA requesting supplemental and amended paperwork on student academic progress data tracing back to 2003, has placed Jaguars sports in between a familiar rock and a hard place for historically black colleges; a place where changing policy on academic performance clashes with bloating exposure and revenue opportunities for larger, more resourced schools. For public, Division I HBCUs like Southern, the task is made harder by continuing cuts in state higher education appropriations. In Louisiana, the cuts have been drastic - $459 million since 2008, according to one study. Grambling State University, Southern's in-state rival, made national headlines after football players boycotted a game over slow administrative response to glaring financial needs in operations and facility management. State appropriations to GSU have dropped more than $18 million in six
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years. The funding disparities for black colleges were enough for the NCAA to grant several HBCUs special grants to assist in academic development and preparation. Coppin State University, Jackson State University, Tennessee State University and Norfolk State University piloted the Limited-Resource Institutions Grant Program in December 2012, and each has reported positive gains with the $300,000 annual payout to support tutoring and mentoring support, learning technology on-campus and on road trips, pre-college academic development seminars and the hiring of additional staff for academic support. But Southern University System President Ronald Mason says the uphill fight for athletic parity is becoming more difficult with a lack of state support. "The impact of budget cuts and staff reductions have taken a toll across the board," Mason says. "Also, the growing 'big money' culture within the NCAA makes it difficult for limited resource schools like HBCUs to stay in the game." Southern's 2013 total revenues totaled $9.3 million for the 2013-14 academic year, about $5 million less than the ten-year median revenue average for all Football Championship Series schools, a category which includes schools in the SWAC and Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference. According to Dr. Broussard, the effort to field competitive teams, which breeds success with ticket sales, television rights, concessions and other self-generated revenue sources, often conflicts with the academic objectives of the NCAA, and the mission of HBCUs. "Southern's graduation success rate is at 60 percent, while the university is at 30 percent. We’re retaining 90 percent of our athletes, while the university is at 60. Our athletes' average GPAs are higher, and our commencement
marshall will be a football player for the second straight year. But even with our success, its a matter of how the NCAA has forced low-resource institutions to not only play catch-up, but to ratchet up to a standard that can easily be met by school with more funds to develop academic support." "When we were first notified (about the postseason sanctions), I don’t think anyone felt like it was unmerited. There wasn’t a sense of injustice. This time around, when staff from the NCAA indicates tells us we’ve done significant work and deserve to be rewarded for our progress, when we’ve turned the ship around, we expected some of the sanctions to be lifted based on direct feedback from the committee." According to Dr. Broussard, Southern staff has worked diligently to rectify and confirm student athlete eligibility records to meet NCAA APR standards. Those standards, which will change to stricter guidelines this academic year, are often counterintuitive for institutions like Southern, which face financial challenges in securing systems and personnel for strong compliance operations. The NCAA banned 15 men's and women's HBCU teams from postseason competition this year because of APR violations, a culture that may be spurred by problems similar to those at Southern. "Its interesting to think how many of those cases are because there’s a struggle not only to get students eligible, but to keep them eligible," he
says. "Is it creating an environment where ADs may feel like they have to do things along the way just to maintain... not that anyone is looking to break rules or neglect standards, but because they are under pressure to respond to those standards becoming more challenging." The NCAA is currently investigating 20 Division I schools for possible academic fraud, including Oklahoma State University, which last year avoided an APR postseason ban through an expired clause on two-year APR scores 930 and above which helped many larger institutions avoid bans in several sports. For Dr. Broussard and Southern, both commended by the NCAA for the work in rectifying records and eligibility clearance over the last two years, frustration is beginning to set in for how rules differ for schools with fewer resources. "We have enough to maintain, but its not enough to get right. We were asked to review records back from 2003. When you have that small a staff having to do historic research plus maintain current assignments, its challenging. It is extremely challenging to correct errors not only in existing data, but in reporting systems, software, things that help you collect and recall accurate data." "When none of the terms are different, it shows how close they think we are based on the lack of adjustment to the sanctions."
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COMMENTARY HBCU Mergers - A Fight the Nation Can't Afford to Lose Regents of the University System of Georgia this month approved a plan to merge Georgia State University with Georgia Perimeter College, a move that will create a campus of more than 30,000 students on campuses throughout downtown and suburban Atlanta, and will enhance the resources and mission of what will soon be the state’s little brother to big brother University of Georgia.If the regents can do it with two predominantly white institutions, it’s only a matter of time before it happens with one or more historically black universities in Georgia. After all, merging black colleges has been a popular talking point in the state in recent years, and will only be expedited after this race-neutral exercise in higher education efficiency management.Around the country, mergers are a hot topic for all kinds of schools, regardless of race and mission. They are presented by legislators as a way to save taxpayer money, strengthen research and educational opportunities, and to increase visibility in a hyper-competitive rush for student enrollment. But beneath the surface, it is part of a far more dangerous plan to divide the haves and have nots, from institutional and demographic perspectives. What we all have missed, opponents and supporters of HBCUs alike, is that threats against HBCUs are threats against the fabric of America’s future. If there are but a handful of colleges and universities able and willing to educate swelling populations of Blacks and Hispanics, reducing that handful will not make Ivy League and predominantly white colleges suddenly racially tolerant. It won’t make underserved and poor communities of color disappear, and it won’t raise their chances of improvement through stronger secondary schools, better health care, or increased jobs. Reducing capacity at, or eliminating HBCUs will only expedite the growth of a healthy American apartheid, one that will be the full result of a nation that loves to claim diversity, but rarely does anything to advance the full measure of its possibility. Supporting black colleges enables
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black communities to create and thrive for themselves. HBCUs, by being the single largest hubs of education, employment, and community development in many of the cities where they are stationed, slow the tyranny of non-black power within their gates. With them, more black people are better trained and positioned to create and hold more jobs, buy more houses and cars, pay more taxes, and have more babies who will be, statistically, more likely to follow the lineage of professional success. Without them, more predominantly black cities will be governed by predominantly white legislatures, patrolled by predominantly white police forces, funded by predominantly whiteowned companies and industries, and culturally stunted by predominantly white ideology and fear. Ferguson, Mo. was a forecast of the violence and hatred brewing among so many cities and neighborhoods where limited opportunity clashes with racial animus on a daily basis. This doomsday prospect is not a result all white people being racist, or all black people being apathetic; it’s a result of just enough people on both sides of the ignorance coin doing enough to place black colleges in an awful predicament of fighting for students, fighting for more money, fighting off merger, and fighting against stereotypes on both sides. There is a case to be made for HBCUs merging with two-year community colleges, but it only addresses one element of the critical challenges facing black colleges from angles of public support. From an operational standpoint, forcing a rush of enrollment to HBCUs would require upgrades in facilities, investments in infrastructure and staff, and adjustment in mission. The closest example to this approach is Tennessee State University, which as the most successful HBCU-PWI merger to date, still requires hefty investment from the state to reach its full potential as a research intensive university with a public mission rooted in genuine effort to reverse engineer the effects of generational racism and Jim Crow policy. But even this kind of merger doesn’t address the larger issue faced by many public HBCUs - the matter of program duplication and mission infringement. States like Georgia, Florida, Louisiana and Maryland have suffered greatly from programs of interest originally offered at HBCUs being duplicated at PWIs. This effort, which has wasted trillions in taxpayer dollars and
irreparably harmed HBCU enrollment and appeal, is among the most critical issues faced by black colleges today. And when white legislators are able to pinpoint a similar program between black and white colleges, the discussions of merger or closure for the HBCU program are easier to make and publicly sell to voters and supporters. Several HBCUs are likely to close or be merged into PWIs in the next ten years, and many in the community know full well which campuses they are and that they can do nothing to stop these
deaths which have been generations in the making. But to prevent it from happening to all black colleges, we must convince Republicans, Democrats, blacks, whites, old and young that the nation is safer, more prosperous and more dignified in the eyes of the world with HBCUs intact - and not as institutions absorbed into PWIs. Merger attempts are on the horizon for HBCUs, but we must be prepared to make the strong case for autonomy, and be prepared to fight for it until the very end.
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