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WEDNESDAYS • March 6, 2019
Richmond & Hampton Roads
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How secrecy is killing our HBCUs J.L. CARTER Perspective
More than 70 percent of the nation’s historically black colleges and universities are accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). Recently, Bennett filed a federal lawsuit against SACSCOC. A judge prevented SACSCOC from cancelling Bennett’s accreditation pending further judicial review. This is a difficult blow for the HBCU community, and not for the obvious reasons like losing a second campus in two years and being at the forefront of other closures which will be coming in the next few years. For more than a decade, we have seen this coming and pretended as if a combination of willpower and faith without good works would be enough to save our most vulnerable schools. Other options Bennett has many paths from which it can choose to survive as an accredited four-year campus. It can sue SACSCOC in order to maintain its accreditation through legal action. It can apply for accreditation through another organization, or it can merge with another institution. These are paths that could and should have been taken years ago. All of us who have long been paying attention to higher education as an industry knew that after spending the better part of a decade on SACSCOC warning or probation for financial instability, Bennett’s survival would ultimately be tested and eventually succumb to the harsh reality of the changes. But seemingly, most of the families who care deeply for Bennett were not aware of her great struggle, mostly because campus leaders never
could very well cease to exist. This secret and silent suffering is what is killing our HBCUs. The unwillingness of leaders to be honest about enrollment and finance, the lack of instinct from most boards of trustees and the severe unawareness of students and alumni leaves many of our schools to live and die based upon the work of a few people with all of the information, who inevitably turn to the community when their ideas and luck inevitably run out. SACSCOC’s decision is not a cruel death blow to an undeserving school. This is the most severe symptom of the kind of struggle that with or without accreditation could lead Bennett and HBCUs like it to suddenly close their doors, and to displace employees and students who would have no alternative for their lives and careers.
Bennett College President Phyllis Worthy Dawkins waves a towel with Bennett College alumni after announcing the college had raised more than $8 million through an aggressive fundraising and Our best efforts social media campaign after learning in December 2018 that Bennett Bennett as an institution and College had been removed from membership in the SACSCOC, last an idea deserves to live, but it month. PHOTO: H. Scott Hoffmann/News & Record also deserved our best efforts in preserving both. Our leaders failed fully disclosed the great scope of not have the wealth or the network to inform us, and we as stakeholders danger to the public. to pull the college from the depth failed to demand the information. Millions secured over the course of its own debts and obligations. Several HBCUs throughout the of a month were not enough to save The city of Greensboro does not country will face a similar fate in Bennett in the eyes of SACSCOC – have a financial stake in the college short order. If we wish to save them, a reflection of the same judgment surviving, as much as it has in being passed down over the years by a college town with thriving campuses it is time to stop waiting on leaders to do what is best. We must demand students who chose other campuses and growing industries around them. that we see what the plan for the best for enrollment, donors who chose looks like, along with details about other charities for giving, and Information kept secret finances and leadership decisions. Bennett campus leaders who made In the weeks where it appeared A national campaign wasn’t choices beyond cutting budgets to national goodwill would empower enough to save Bennett. Heaven meet enrollment challenges. Bennett to do the impossible, that help every other school which will Bennett is not and has not been goodwill built against the tragic have to raise even more money from able to survive under the power irony that the one thing which a goodwill-weary public which will of its own mission; that is, as a gave this historic and important wonder if it is still worth even trying four-year campus dedicated to the institution a fighting chance at life to save these black colleges if their education of black women. Bennett’s was the threat of imminent death. leaders can’t be trusted to tell us ranks of gloriously dedicated and It was the only time that the public that they need to be saved. accomplished alumnae simply do had any inclination that Bennett