Formally Known As
Institute for Colored Youth
THE
LIFE OF THE HBCU AND THE CONCERNS OF THE AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY (Condensed Version)
THE
FOUNDATION OF HBCU’s
The
first HBCU, Cheney University in Pennsylvania, was founded in 1837.[1]
Since then, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) have continued
to offer culture, a rich history and a rigorous academic program.[2]
HBCUs have been a part of the African American community for decades and will
always be a part of the foundation for African Americans success.[3] At one point, the only source of higher
education for African Americans was HBCUs.
Then in 1965, Title III of the Higher Education Act of 1965 officially
defined an HBCU as a school of higher learning.[4] Currently, there are 106 HBCUs across the
nation.[5] The Thurgood Marshall Fund site states that
“Today, HBCUS remain one of the surest ways for an African American, or student
of any race, to receive a quality education.”[6]
HBCUs graduate nearly 20 percent of
African Americans that have undergraduate degrees.[7]
Research also shows that HBCU institutions graduate more than 50 percent of
African American professional and public school teachers.[8] Another great thing about HBCUs is that they do
not discriminate against other races. Not
only do they help so many African Americans, but HBCU’s have also provided a
significant percentage of non-African American student populations from Asian
to International students.[9] Several HBCUs in the past decades have
emerged as selective, modern, well governed, and sustainable schools.[10]
HBCU’s attract high quality applicants, while producing well-educated and fully
prepared graduates.[11]
CAN
HBCU’S COMPETE
A
professor by the name of Richard America from Georgetown University in
Washington, D.C., wrote an article offering strategies on how HBCU’s can
compete in today’s world of higher education.[12] In this article he suggested things like
HBCU’s should seek to rise in rankings to the next highest tier by 2030.[13] Mr. America says that the HBCU should identify
the SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) of two aspirational
schools in the next higher tier and emulate them, and make one department and
build a strong core of faculty to make that department truly outstanding.[14] He also suggested making standards for sororities
and fraternities and similar groups that create an academic and ethos
environment, and that the HBCU should eliminate the rap and hip-hop mentality
that these groups are being led by.[15] He felt that sororities and fraternities have
been destructive and anti-intellectual forces on campuses.[16]
I
really believe that this strategy would hinder a lot of the HBCU’s mission
statements. I also disagree with him
when it comes to his outlook on fraternities and sororities. Fraternities and sororities were made for
community service purposes, along with providing a brother and sisterhood
beyond the education setting.
Fraternities and Sororities overall have character. All black Greek organizations are based on
academic success. Professor America’s advice is an opinion of a professor that
has not attended an HBCU or taught at one.
He also makes a statement that “HBCUs can
do better at continuously improving efficiency and reducing costs.”[17] HBCU’s funding is not as high as
PWI’s. History has shown that HBCU’s
have done a lot with little funding from the government. I agree that HBCU’s should focus on moving up
in the rankings however, the necessary funding and political backup has to be
in place as well.
HBCU’s lost a
devastating 14,000 students in 2011. This was due to the denial of the parent
PLUS loan to be continued.[18] This denial came at a shocker to parents
along with the colleges and universities.
In 2010 and 2011 Federal departments that contracted and worked with
HBCUs have seen funding reduced by more than $115 million.[19] Programs like Work-Study and other grants
have been cut by $51 million, and that amount of funding being decreased
disproportionately affects HBCU students.[20] Walter Kimbrough whom was the seventh
president of Dillard University stated;
There is a fear of a Black planet, or a fear of
Black intelligence. Our colleges are
repositories of Black knowledge, which some would like to ignore. We are plagued by low endowments but also by
our nation’s indifference to our service.
We prepare students for graduate and professional school. We take first-generation students and make
them career-ready.[21]
The above quote shows
the belief in the effectiveness of the HBCU.
The world is full of racism and classism. The Times or the study reflect the fact that
HBCU’s bestowing as many as 40% of degrees in STEM, and educated half of the
country’s blacks in health professions which are mid to high level income
occupations.[22] The statistics show that degrees from HBCU’s
do not hinder the success of graduates in the job market. African-Americans who graduate from a HBCU do
better financially than Blacks who graduate from PWI’s, according to a new
study by economists at Morehouse College and Howard University.[23]
CONCLUSION
HBCUs are the backbone
to this country. HBCUs provide the
teachers a great number of teachers to this country. HBCUs give the meaning to not having much but
gaining everything. The spiritual
background along with the educational roots that the HBCU has planted inside
the educational soil of this country has expanded beyond the thoughts of what
PWI’s expected, and has surpassed the stereotypes that have been forced upon
them. Research has shown the many
contributing factors of the HBCU to this countries rise and the HBCU will
continue to contribute whether it’s 105 HBCU’s or just 1 HBCU standing.
Please give your insight on this article which I have took the time to research to make you all aware of the STATS.... Conversation is KEY!
[1]
About
Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUS),Thurgood Marshall College
Fund.net, http://www.thurgoodmarshallfund.net/about-tmcf/about-hbcus
(last visited Nov. 15, 2013).
[10]
Richard F. America, Can HBCUs Compete?, The
Journal of Blacks in Higher Education (Oct. 24, 2012) http://www.jbhe.com/2012/10/can-hbcus-compete/
(last visited Nov. 15, 2013).
[11]
About
Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUS),Thurgood Marshall College
Fund.net, http://www.thurgoodmarshallfund.net/about-tmcf/about-hbcus
(last visited Nov. 15, 2013).
[13]
Id.
[14]
Id.
[15]
Id.
[16]
Id.
[17]
Id.
[22]
Id.
[23]
http://hbcubuzz.com/hbcu-grads-outperform-black-graduates-of-predominately-white-institutions-pwi/
(last visited Nov. 30, 2013).
