Financial Summary : Howard University

Thesis: HBCU’s are necessary for the future of democratic America because they better prepare African American students as individuals and for the workforce.

The new generation of upcoming college scholars have been appearing to have a lot of debate over the criteria of an HBCU not being corresponding to a PWI. It is time to understand and be able to get involved with the debate about Historically Black College/University (HBCU) versus Predominantly White Institution (PWI). To proceed it is best to start with the definition of these terms because everyone needs to have knowledge when it comes to this subject. This subject also needs to be more than just a debate between students attending HBCUs and African Americans at PWIs. Quite shockingly, there are many out there that do not know what an HBCU is and if they do they think of these “black schools” as a form of racism. When it boils down to HBCU’s

The United States of America often forgets that historically black colleges and universities were created out of necessity. It has only been a couple of decades since African Americans have been allowed to get degrees from predominantly white institutions. Millions of African Americans have given their blood, sweat, and tears in hopes of gaining basic rights like education to their descendants. America has come a long way within the past fifty years but there is still a disconnect when it comes to believing what the average African American can accomplish as an individual. When it comes to historically black colleges and universities there is still a stigma that the education is less rigorous and

Tyree had started out performing strong, but soon his grades began to fall. He transferred to Howard University and changed his major from pharmacy to journalism. Tyree criticizes his peers still attending Pittsburgh saying “Where many of my African-American peers at Pitt had downsized themselves to just ‘getting along,’ ‘passing the grade’ and ‘rubbing shoulders’ with White America, I still wanted to compete to be the best.” Tyree argues that unlike students at PWIs, students at HBCUs have a more competitive nature because they are focused on academics and do not settle for just a passing grade. He also argues that although people may work just as hard at a PWI as they would at an HBCU, they have more opportunities to succeed, and become better leaders. The faculty at HBCUs provides the students with support they need to perform at a high level. This support results in students interacting with other peers, and also increased GPAs. Also, students at HBCUs are more likely to graduate and have more desire to go on and fulfil a career. Student graduation rates are high considering HBCUs only comprise 2 percent of colleges in the United States. 22.5 percent of all bachelor’s degrees, 11.9 percent of all master’s and 18.9 percent of all professional degrees received by African-Americans are from HBCUs. Since eighty percent of African Americans in college attend PWIs, it

Students are given a variety of options to help them work toward an AA degree. Employees are given the opportunity to help change a person’s life on a daily basis by helping the students’ progress to a higher education. Employees are also given healthcare benefits, a pension, and paid vacation. With this job, every holiday is paid for and the employee gets two week off for winter break paid. An employee is given vacation time, sick leave and personal leave as soon as they start working. Each fiscal year, the time not used is carried over and more time is added. While HCC does have amazing benefits, it is the primary goal to boost enrollment and continue to strive for excellent services to the students

This debate has led many scholars to question: Are HBCUs still relevant, and are they the best institutions to train our next generation of leaders?

Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) are institutions of higher education in the United States that were established before 1964. As amended by The Higher Education Act of 1965, a part B institution refers to any “Historically Black college or university that was established prior to 1964, whose principal mission was, and is, the education of Black Americans, and that is accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting agency or association determined by the Secretary to be a reliable authority as to the quality of training offered or is, according to such an agency or association, making reasonable progress toward accreditation.” Though in 1837 Cheyne University of Pennsylvania and 1854 Lincoln University (Pennsylvania) had been established for Black education, Black Colleges and Universities became recognized by the United States Government in the 1890’s.

The purpose of this paper is to argue based on the founding principles for their establishment, HBCUs hold no educational justification to continue in the midst of the twenty-first century. Frist, the paper will cover a brief historical context around the founding principles of HBCUs. Next, legislation that allowed them to thrive and maintained existence will be presented. To conclude, implications for HBCUs and potential next steps will be presented. Historically Black Colleges and Universities were an instrumental educational piece for African American during the 19th and 20th century, they are not longer relevant in the 21st century

According to the National Center for Educational Statistics (NCES), there are 101 Historically Black Colleges and Universities. Title III of the Higher Education Act of 1965 defines HBCUs as “…any historically Black college or university that was established prior to 1964, whose principal mission was, and is, the education of Black Americans, and that is accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting agency or association determined by the Secretary [of Education] to be a reliable authority as to the quality of training offered or is, according to such an agency or association, making reasonable progress toward accreditation” (US Department of Education, 2017). It is important to note that unlike other Minority Serving Institutions, HBCUs, are only one of two types of institutions (Tribal Colleges & Universities or TCUs are the other) federally designated by law and therefore, cannot increase in number with an act of Congress (Li, 2007). In other words, every time an HBCU closes its doors, we get one step closer to the elimination of the historical and consequential institutions.

look around, and once again I'm in the minority'" (as quoted in Mangan, 2015). Students who attend HBCUs do so with the impression that they will be surrounded by a grand majority of black students, professors, culture and history. Most HBCU students do not enter their first day of college expecting to see a significant amount of racial diversity on campus, however, due to shifts in HBCUs, a significant amount of racial diversity is exactly what they encounter. This causes HBCUs to lose their identity of being historically black. For example, a student at Delaware State University states "I don't really think of Del State as a historically black college, even though it is, because it's so diverse" (as quoted in Madeline, 2015). This is a great

I wish I could say it still surprises me when I mentioned to people that I attended an HBCU (Historically Black College/University), some of them have no idea they exist. Often, it turns into a conversation starter, which usually evolves into a meaningful educational moment about the history of HBCU’s. However, occasionally I find myself becoming frustrated when ask the question “why” in a way that questions the validity and or need for HBCU’s in 2016. As a student at Hampton University I did not fully realize the impact it would have on me, but looking back, it is clear to me that those experiences have shaped who I’ve grown into today, and strongly influence to my desire to pursue a career in environmental science education.

In 1975, Dr. Ellis graduated summa cum laude with a baccalaureate from Hardin-Simmons University. He holds a master’s degree in English from Texas Tech University and doctor of philosophy degree from the University of Colorado at Boulder. Dr. Bill Ellis has taught at various universities to include Mississippi College, Louisiana College, Clarke College, the University of Colorado and Texas Tech, Ouachita Baptist University and Arkansas Baptist College. He was an English professor at Ouachita when he was appointed acting dean of the School of Arts and Sciences in July 1998. He later chaired the Arkansas school’s English Department. In 2001, Dr. Bill Ellis was named academic dean at Hardin-Simmons University and eventually become vice president for academic affairs. In 2009, Howard Payne University (HPU) trustees elected Dr. William Ellis as 19th president of Howard Payne University. At the time he was elected, Dr. Bill

HBCUs can at earliest be dated back to before the Civil War, when the majority of colleges wouldn’t admit African American students on the premise of their race alone These schools were created specifically for the education of African Americans due to the fact that while some states had educational facilities open to all in the North and West, most of the South had segregated systems that forbade the admittance of African Americans. In 1890, the Agricultural College Act was passed, requiring segregated states to create a separate land grant

2004). This open-door policy is also apparent in the low graduation rates of the Black colleges. Are customary measures of institutional statuses strong predictors of HBCU educational standing? Using the above-mentioned measures to assess the educational value of a Black college is unwise in that it does not take into account the exceptional circumstances of these institutions. HBCU administrators are providing unspoken commendation for the superior higher education community to evaluate Black colleges using the same standards. By accepting these measures as effective implements for evaluating Black colleges, HBCU administrators may be offering ammunition for their own downfall. HBCU administrators, therefore, should be careful in the criteria they use to conclude the value of other Black universities. While the USNWR peer status survey attains the options of administrators, it does not seize the beliefs of students, parents, representatives, politicians or trustees with respect to institutional educational value. Black university administrators should eagerly consider how they assess the eminence of their immediate colleagues and the magnitude of these evaluation

The recruiters expressed concern of the many schools in the immediate service area wayward advantages over efforts and offerings as a small private HBCU. The challenges of facing institutions with more resources, enormous marketing budgets and more admissions personnel were a huge concern for the admissions recruiters. The deliverable curriculum focused on instilling in the admissions recruiters that they are selling an institution that offers many opportunities unique form its neighboring competitors. Admissions recruiters were taught to share communication messages that were inclusive of the historical prospective of the HBCU experience. The training manual was specifically developed to address unique a prospective to share through communication such as rigorous academics in a small class setting, great location near the beach with year-round summer weather, close to Walt Disney World and the amazing history of the founder. Recruiters were taught to believe in the product they sell not to feel that the university is inferior or unequal to other universities or colleges. The deliverable information was unique and appropriate in addressing communications with the passion, drive and commitment of the admissions recruiters in how they view their job duties and their marketing interpretation of the product they sell, which is the