October 2014
Volume 1 Issue 11
HBCU DIGEST
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HBCU
DIGEST
Homecoming/Sports CONTENTS Publisher Jarrett Carter Sr. Contributors
5 Letter from the Publisher 6 PRESIDENTIAL PERSPECTIVES By George T. French 8 LADIES OUT FRONT
George T. French Steven Gaither
Women's Teams Earn National Acclaim for HBCU Athletics By Steven Gaither
12 THE CLUB
Imani J. Jackson Gregory Moore, Esq. Christina Sturdivant Cover Art
Grambling State University Sports Information 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.
Some HBCU Alumni, Administrators are Turning to Club Football to Build Athletic Brands By Christina Sturdivant
16 RETURN OF THE G-MEN In Head Coach Broderick Fobbs, Homegrown Talent Yields Classic Results By Imani J. Jackson 23 IN CLOSING Letter to NCAA President Mark Emmert By Gregory Moore, Esq.
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!
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HBCU
DIGEST
Letter from the Publisher Greetings, The month of October is a special time for students and graduates of historically black colleges and universities. The fall season brings a time of renewal and reconnection to the HBCU campus by way of the annual homecoming celebration; a capstone moment for HBCU athletics and community outreach. This issue celebrates the spirit of that season by going in a unique direction; honoring those sports and sports stories that do not typically make mainstream headlines, or easily grab the attention of even the most loyal HBCU sports fans. In this issue, you will find a closer look at the figures and programs in HBCU women's athletics which have helped to propel the national black college sports brand into national recognition. You'll also read about HBCUs working to establish football programs on their campuses, in spite of difficult financial and cultural odds. And for good measure, we were inclined to include one of this year's great comeback stories in all of sports; the resurgence of Grambling State football. Just one year removed from national controversy and acrimony, the GSU Tigers have returned to solid play and respectability thanks to first-year head coach and alumnus Broderick Fobbs. We hope that you will find this edition to be a fitting tribute to black college sports and the special place it holds within our national culture. As we move toward the conclusion of 2014, we hope that you will dedicate your time and resources to supporting all HBCU sports, their coaches, and student athletes. Sports are the front porch to our campus communities, and it is up to all of us to put our most welcoming effort forward to grow these programs into a sustainable future.
Yours in Advocacy, !
Jarrett Carter Sr.
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Presidential Perspectives By Dr. George T. French Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU’s) celebrate homecoming in a way that creates their own respective traditions. However, the spirit, essence and experience for those who participate in the events are one in the same. The parade that journeys through the streets of the city featuring high school bands with future students, fraternity and sorority step shows, and other student driven activities infused with alum events, all lend themselves to entrepreneurial pursuits that are not always directly affiliated with the institution. Many campuses bring in headliners for concerts, Grand Marshalls for the parades and other events that are from the Who’s Who among Black Entertainment A- list. Homecoming events often surpass any other annual function on an HBCU campus, bringing a mass of students, alumni, family and friends from all over the country. This means our hotels, restaurants, malls and the like are hustling and bustling in such a way that any entrepreneur could only revel in the success. Homecoming serves as an economic engine for the cities of HBCUs, galvanizing the interest of people who travel from near and far to be a part of the eclectic mix of positive unified energy. This grand family reunion is not just about a football game. Whether an individual matriculated from the institution or not, the desire to engage in the festivities is appealing to the general public. Recently, African Americans have acquired more disposable income to attend and participate in homecoming activities. This tells us we must be strategic and methodical as HBCU administrators when we plan for some of the events that will be included in the schedule. Homecoming is an opportunity to further develop brand awareness, highlight academic success and outcomes and encourage donor giving. Miles College is a prime example of maximizing this opportunity. During our Annual Fund Campaign when calls were made to various constituents to make financial contributions to the college, alumni were among the largest number to respond. As a part of this successful campaign a reception was planned for them and other donors during homecoming. Alums from other cities attended, who therwise may not have been able to attend. This event encouraged others to give, while some increased their gifts. This is due in part to the enthusiastic energy and experience they had while on campus. They could see the growth and progress and felt proud. The opportunity to strengthen relationships between alums and their institutions is crucial and can be further cultivated during homecoming. By being exposed to the campus and being compelled by what they see, we can further encourage alumni engagement.
Homecoming is undoubtedly one of the most exciting times of the year. It allows us as institutions the opportunity to reflect on our past, stay grounded in our present and offers us the continued motivation to tactically plan for our future. It serves as an economic stimulus and can contribute towards sustainability. Dr. George T. French is the president of Miles College
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Ladies Out Front Women's athletics help to build national HBCU sports brand By Steven Gaither It’s homecoming season, which means means college football is in the spotlight in the HBCU sports world. That also means we’re right around the corner from college hoops season, which is what Jacques Curtis lives for. Curtis is the head coach at Shaw University, home to what many believe to be the best HBCU hoops program of the last decade: The Shaw Lady Bears. The Lady Bears have won four-straight CIAA women’s basketball championships, and nine of the last 12 overall. With an NCAA Division II national title in 2012, they are among the leaders in a growing field of women’s athletic programs at HBCUs that continues to reach new heights.
Winning is something that Maurice Pierce knows a lot about. Hampton’s track and field director has played a big part into turning the Lady Pirates into a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference dynasty in the sport. Hampton has won a combined 21 MEAC titles under Pierce’s watch, 11 indoor and 10 outdoor. Lincoln’s (MO) women’s track team has won seven national titles in track, including the 2014 Division II National Title. They beat out another HBCU, Johnson C. Smith, for the championship. Like most coaches, Pierce credits hard work for his program’s success. “At the end of the day, it comes down to them wanting to be successful,” he said. “Nobody wants to be a big part of the team that loses the MEAC.” When it comes to the act of coaching, both Curtis and Pierce pointed out that the difference between male and female athletes can be pretty distinct. And they can start as early as the recruiting process. “They're probably going to be more academically focused. Deciding where they're going to go is a little bit different. Where guys are often thinking of going to big schools, girls usually like to stay closer to home,” Curtis said.
Curtis has been involved with the Lady Bears since 2000. He said that he has seen the support of students, fans and the institution rise as the program reached new heights.
“That's why you tend to see a lot of players transfer. They often go out to a big school and decide they want to go to a small school and be closer to home.”
“At Shaw we've always supported the women's basketball program very well,” Curtis said. “Everybody loves a winner. Ever since we've been winning, we've had support.”
Pierce says the women he has recruited are generally more focused on academics than men, who are often more preoccupied with making it in professional sports than getting an education. “Its alot easier to recruit female athletes instead of men because they still want to go to school. Period,” Pierce said. “Women are a majority at our school and we have a lot of dynamic programs geared towards them.” Pierce’s Hampton program has an additional recruiting tool: The Summer Olympics. Two of Pierce’s former student athletes, sprinters Kellie Wells and Francena McCrory, medaled in the 2012 Summer Olympics. Pierce says having runners achieve success on the world stage has helped his recruiting efforts. “That's a great plus,” he said. “Recruiting becomes a lot easier. If we can continue to have Hampton women's names floating around the Olympics, that’s a good thing.”
Hampton University's Maurice Pierce
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Both coaches gave much of the credit to their program’s success to the support of their administrations. Curtis says winning and institutional support go
The Shaw Lady Bears have won an NCAA Division II basketball national title and nine conference championships in 12 years.
hand-in-hand. “If you don't have support from the administration, it's hard for anybody to win,” he said. Pierce said the support he gets from the administration at Hampton is crucial to his program’s success. He also said Dr. William Harvey, Hampton’s president, is a largely the reason he’s stayed with the school. “Doc is a visionary. We all support his vision and he supports us,” he said. “We understand what doc’s expectations are.” Curtis also pointed out that success in athletics can help make recruiting of non-athletes, as well as those who come to school to participate in sports, a lot easier. “Students that go to school, want to be a part of a winner,” Curtis said. “If you don't have a winning athletic program, I think it's going to have an impact on your enrollment.” “I think the success we've had in the last 10, 12 years has had an effect on enrollment. As long as the institution keeps supporting us we're going to win and as long as we win, the university has to find a way to capitalize off of that.” When it comes to HBCU athletics, few people--men or women-have seen it from as many angles as Jacqie McWilliams. She started out as a basketball star for Hampton, eventually becoming a coach at several HBCUs before joining the NCAA and ultimately becoming the CIAA’s first female commissioner.
From her vantage point, some things have changed, while others have remained consistent since her playing days. “The spirit of competition, the eagerness to compete, has remained the same,” she said. That desire is still there.” One thing she has noticed is that there are many more options available to youth in addition to playing sports. There are also additional sports that may not have been offered in the past such as bowling. “I think the student-athlete has changed in a good way. Trying to keep them engaged and keep them focused is a lot different when I was playing,” she said. “My hope is that there will continue to be a growth of women and girls who want to play sports.” Speaking from the National Association of Collegiate Women Athletic Administrator’s convention, McWilliams said that getting more women of color into positions of power in college athletics is the next step forward. “There's still a gap,” she said. “There's some growth. We're seeing more women getting AD and commissioner jobs, but we're not seeing as many African-Americans.” “We know that we have interests,” she said. “We just have to have the opportunities.”
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The Club With enrollment and branding at stake, some alumni and administrators at historically black colleges and universities are turning to club athletics to build support for their institutions. By Christina Sturdivant Football season is undoubtedly a time of excitement at historically black colleges and universities. From homecoming games to historic team rivalries, the sport brings crowds whose cheers echo from football stadiums throughout entire campuses. In Princess Anne, Maryland, a historic era in college football began at Maryland State College (MSC), in the 1940s. The Hawks posted 23 winning seasons from 1946-1968, including five consecutive seasons undefeated from 1947-1955. The team was at its greatest under head coach Vernon "Skip" McCain, who was hired in 1948. “We became a heck of a team; we beat up on a lot of people and we were afraid of none of them,” says John Mitchell, Hawk from 1947-1950. Mitchell, along with several MSC alumni, appear in a short documentary film titled Maryland State College: A Tradition of Athletic Excellence, about the legacy of the team, including the milestone of being the first historically black college to play a white school during a time when segregation laws were still a part of common life. A powerhouse in college football, the team sent 27 players to the NFL and AFL between 1946 - 1979. However, despite stellar outcomes on the field, the college fell victim to rising costs and the changing landscape of college athletics and the football team was disbanded in 1979. In recent years, MSC, now known as the University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES), is beginning to pick up the pieces to restore its legacy in athletics. Football returned to UMES in 2012, after a three-decade absence on campus. Unlike its predecessor, the new team is a club, not a part of the National College Athletics Association (NCAA). “Club football was easier to organize,” says Dr. Bryant C. Mitchell, UMES football head coach. “The investment is a lot less because you're basically making the kind of investment you would in any club.” The 46-member club football team was organized by students who created organizing documents and elected student officers as well as a faculty advisor, who in this case also serves as head coach. The team is a member of the national club football association, which includes 26 other schools. UMES’ biggest rival in the league is Coppin State University in Baltimore, Md. The resurgence of football at UMES has become a motivator to keep the student body involved and engaged. “With most club sports, basically the only people who come [to games] are people directly affiliated with the club members, but we have a fairly decent attendance of our regular student body,” says Mitchell. “We have a lot of people from Baltimore City, Prince George's County and places where they have good high school football teams, so when they come to UMES and have an opportunity to come to a club game, its something that they're familiar with and they like it.” Still, the club football structure is limiting in bringing additional resources to the campus that are typically available to colleges who play with the NCAA and other leagues. “Club is more internally focused whereas the NCAA version is a decision about how you really want to market your university and promote,” says Mitchell. “So universities that decide to have an NCAA version are [able to] market and promote the university and generate revenue.”
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Members of the 1962 University of Maryland Eastern Shore varsity football team. Alumni are fundraising to reinstate the program for NCAA competition, but the university currently fields a club team competing in league play Mitchell is a part of an alumni group called Hawks For Football. The organization is working to return NCAA football to campus, starting with promoting the football legacy through the MSC documentary project. The hope is to lengthen the documentary and market it to media outlets to expose a wider audience to the cause. Ultimately, however, the decision to invest in division 1 football is up to an agreement from university administration, says Mitchell. “[And] at this point, we're not there yet.” A rebirth of football is also taking place on the campus of Virginia University of Lynchburg (VUL). Due to mismanagement of athletic funds, VUL’s athletics came to a halt in November 2013. During the 2014 season, three teams were brought back: men’s basketball, women’s basketball and football. In June 2014, Don Lee was hired as director of athletics and head football coach. “It's tough--I walked into a hornet's nest," says Lee. "We're picking up some of the pieces that have been broken here for the last year or so." The Dragon football team operates as an independent team and can play teams within the NCAA and National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). The 2014-2015 team has 122 players, 100 of whom are freshmen. Unlike recent years where full scholarships were given to players, which partly led to the financial downfall of the athletic department, students are now given partial scholarships. In rebuilding the team, Lee has sights on entering an association, which will allow a more promising chance at qualifying for playoffs and more scholarship funding for players. However, as a professional in rebuilding teams for 20 years at schools from Alabama to Mississippi, to Chicago, Lee knows that rebuilding takes time. “Just before we could even lay a foundation, we had to clean up,” says Lee. “Right now by the grace of God, we're not in the red anymore. We're catching up on old bills that were due from last year.” Moving forward, Lee plans to stick to his vision, while ensuring that all stakeholders play their part. In most cases, this takes several years of trial and error. “We're just an up and coming football team right now, we're taking our bumps and bruises,” says Lee. “I'm just excited about where we're going to be in the next three or four years.”
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The Return of Grambling State Football: In head coach Broderick Fobbs, homegrown talent yields classic results By Imani J. Jackson “They always had the ability,” Grambling State University head football coach Broderick Fobbs said of the G-Men’s muchimproved SWAC record. But Fobbs also believes that there’s a difference between having ability and believing in the ability possessed. In January 2014, Fobbs started talking to G-Men about “playing football from the inside out,” and “playing with the heart and mind.” Fobbs added that this level of play requires passion and knowing what to do. He said that if the players are right internally, then it shows externally. Currently, the coach, staff and G-Men sit pretty high. Earlier in the season, the Tigers posted four consecutive wins, following early season losses. Fobbs called the 28-21 victory over Alcorn State “a team effort,” saying the players did enough defensively to prevail on the field. A return to Grambling winning culture. Call it an about-face. Grambling’s football program, one of the nation’s most storied, had its fair share of problems preceding this moment of glory. At this time last year Grambling athletics were on shaky ground. The G-Men staged a protest—by walking out of a meeting with administration, skipping practice, refusing to play Jackson State for its homecoming game, and publicizing unfit training and travel conditions. When the G-Men didn’t suit up or show up last fall, Jackson State instead hosted a JSU scrimmage and held standard homecoming activities. Grambling forfeited the game. Protest fallout meant Grambling athletics and the Grambling
State University brand took a public beating. Inevitably, institutional issues were widely covered and contrasted with the legacy of winningest Coach Eddie Robinson, for whom the Grambling football stadium, “The Hole,” is named. Coach Fobbs, who played running back under Coach Robinson’s tutelage, said if Robinson were here to compare the team’s current successes with last year’s turmoil, “He’d be happy that the G-Men are number one in the SWAC. But, he’d also want some things cleaned up.” According to Fobbs, Robinson was a “perfectionist,” who would want to ensure the G-Men “played flawlessly,” and put on a show for the fans. Fobbs emphasized consistency, saying Coach Robinson would essentially say the same things about Grambling football that Fobbs says. While current wins whet a palate for victory, we should remember that the G-Men were onto something with last year’s civil disobedience. By highlighting unsafe and problematic conditions for student athletes, including infections and shoddy equipment, national conversations about student athlete equity continued and expanded. While some criticized the movement as watchdog journalism, student activism, institutional shaming or some combination, the efforts worked. The university promised to make facility improvements, raised money from alumni, and made good on its word, via a revamped locker and weight room. When the G-Men took one for the team, effects reached far beyond the piney Louisiana town.
Issues became larger than season records and rumblings about black college football. Focus shifted to accommodations necessary for athletes, who are on scholarship and at schools’ mercy, to perform to the best of their ability. Philosophical questions came alongside alumni sentiments, and questions of profit margins, season tickets and victories. What exactly do players receive in exchange for balancing athletics and academics? What of the fact that sports teams, especially football, are often college and university fiscal nuclei? When football coaches are often paid more handsomely than college and university presidents and professors, what is expected of them? The G-Men’s 2013 protests called attention to older governance issues. In 2009, when governor Bobby Jindal declined federal stimulus funds, Louisiana higher education was negatively impacted. Grambling, a school with less money to begin with, had its budget slashed by nearly 60 percent. Shortly thereafter, the university was forced to lay off and terminate employees, in addition to decreasing and reconfiguring degree offerings. Also as a result of the player protest, the SWAC fined Grambling a reported $50,000. With all of these occurrences in the periphery, a culture shift seems to be underway this season. Sources say that Fobbs is well received by the community, has the team in order and is remedying past mistakes and oversight issues. Many expect nothing less of a Coach Rob protégé and 1997 Grambling graduate. Per the New Orleans Times Picayune, “Everyone thought Fobbs would eventually bring the Tigers back. But he's done it in record time.” The Monroe News-Star noted the G-Men’s discipline and said Fobbs is “the man to thank for that,” following the team victory over Alcorn State. Ironically, “GramFam” (members of the Grambling family) also say this year’s G-Men turnaround game was against Jackson State. Mass communication senior and The Gramblinite newspaper reporter Candice Dixson said numerous fans attended the game and morale increased after the JSU victory. Based on last year’s protest, the pre-game joke was obvious. Jackson State fans essentially asked G-Men, “Are y’all coming this time or nah?” One comical HBCU meme featured a man on his cell phone, with pursed lips and erect posture, essentially making this inquiry on Jackson State’s behalf. Victory and levity seem to be spilling back over into campus support. Dixson said games include “lots of supporters,” some who have trailed the G-Men to each game, nearby or farther away, as in the Alabama A&M game. Dixson, a San Diego native, said fans told her they will support the G-Men “no matter how far the distance.” She also said that the coaching staff hosts post-game conferences to talk Grambling football. A couple G-Men offered their take. Accounting major and senior linebacker Steve Orisakwe, who had seven tackles against Alcorn State, sang Fobb’s praises. "Fobbs reminds players of who are they are," Orisakwe said. "To be confident—to have the juice.” Orisakwe added that the GMen are not the same team from last year, but declined to
Junior quarterback Jonathan Williams has helped lead the Tigers from worst to first in the SWAC west in 2014.
elaborate. The Pearland, Texas native also highlighted community support. “The spirit of the school is very happy,” he said, before adding that the G-Men appreciate the fans. He believes Coach Robinson would be proud of the G-Men and the character instilled in the players. Orisakwe reasoned because Fobbs played for Robinson, and they play for Fobbs, the current team is a Coach Rob second-generation of sorts. Senior engineering technology major and quarterback Jonathan Williams said today’s G-Men play more for one another, which translates to teammates “being each others’ keeper”, and cultivating leadership. The Tampa, Florida native echoed positive assessments of Fobbs. “He’s a players’ coach.” Based on the players, community and reports, Fobbs likely puts more stock in results than praise. Per the News Star, Fobbs said it’s best, “not to get too high and try not to get too low” because the “cooler heads always prevail.” In totality, Grambling football has been a spirited and successful institution. Upwards of 200 former Grambling players have played or currently play for the NFL. Coach Robinson is revered in athletic circles, regardless of institution or region. And the team’s current status speaks to the individual and collective grit of the team. Grambling legacy’s, much like that of HBCUs a whole, is not about perfection. It is about accountability, putting students first and hard work. With regard to wins and recovery, alumni braggadocio remains. “It ain’t nothing but a G thang.”
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The faces of #nationbuilding
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IN CLOSING... My name is Gregory Moore and for the past five years I have had the privilege of serving as the Commissioner of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (“SIAC”), a member of NCAA Division II, and primarily comprised of historically black colleges and universities or HBCUs (this fall, Spring Hill College becomes the first non HBCU to become a member of the SIAC in our more than one-hundred year history). Dr. Emmert, I am writing you for two primary reasons. First, I wanted to commend the NCAA in general and Dr. Bernard Franklin and the Office of Diversity and Inclusion in particular for organizing the HBCU focus group dinner on July 14, in Atlanta, Georgia. As a group participant, it was my sense that the dialogue was both constructive and underscored by candid and introspective assessments of the challenges and opportunities that lay before NCAA HBCU member institutions. I not only look forward to further conversations between and among the many thought leaders that represent HBCU institutions, but also urge you to continue to support and facilitate such conversations. Second, as the commissioner of one of the four HBCU NCAA conferences, and a former deputy counsel with the New Jersey State Legislature, I watched with great interest your testimony before the Senate Commerce Committee (“the committee”) on July 6. As I expected, you acquitted yourself exceedingly well defending the intercollegiate amateurism model in what could be fairly characterized as a somewhat politically charged atmosphere. However, I fear that in connection with your very able defense, you may not be calling into service the full arsenal of arguments available to you. For example, during your testimony you brought to the attention of the committee the number of student-athletes who are enabled and empowered to become the first in their family to attend college by virtue of intercollegiate athletics. Along those same lines, it is my judgment that additional empirical and anecdotal evidence could have been provided to the committee with respect to the particularized mission and purpose of HBCUs relating to providing educational access to communities that otherwise would not enjoy such opportunities.
The technical and financial support that HBCUs member schools and conferences receive from the NCAA represents critically important contributions in support of institutions that are often the primary engines of economic development in the communities that they serve.
Although I concede that HBCUs do not exercise monopoly control over the notion of providing opportunities to those who otherwise would not accorded them, NCAA HBCU member institutions are nique in that providing opportunity was not only the historical basis attendant to the establishment of these institutions, but remains the dominant trait of our DNA that governs these institutions to this day.
Lastly, HBCUs not only provide important educational opportunities to student-athletes, but simply put NCAA HBCU athletic programs, represents one of the most import repositories of diversity on the intercollegiate landscape. By way of example, and based on the NCAA’s most recent Race and Gender Demographic Report, despite representing approximately five percent of the more than 1100 NCAA member institutions, Mark Twain once stated, “History doesn't repeat itself, but it does HBCUs supply 56 percent of NCAA head football coaches, 50 rhyme.” Unfortunately, some of the historical and economic percent of athletic directors, and 80 percent of NCAA conference imperatives that gave rise to HBCUs in the first instance are commissioners. beginning to reemerge I would humbly suggest to you that these narratives should not poverty rates continue to increase (acutely so in rural southern only be articulated more frequently, but also that doing so would communities that the supermajorities of HBCUs serve), and ultimately inure to the benefit of the NCAA. circumference of the chasm of a myriad economic inequality An Aug. 4 letter written to Dr. Mark Emmert, President indexes continues to widen (again, often acutely linked to region of the National Collegiate Athletic Associaton race and ethnicity).
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